Photo of Hasler Lab taken from lake view with picnic point in background
Upclose photo of two plastic flamingos from Bascom Hill with MANY plastic flamingos in the background

Thank you for supporting the CFL during Fill the Hill, Oct 1-2

The Center for Limnology.  Global leadership, local impact.

Logo of Green Office showing CFL is Platinum Certified with UW Madison Office of Sustainability

The discipline of Limnology in North America was founded at UW–Madison in the 1890s. After 130 years, the Center for Limnology remains a globally-recognized leader in the field. Our faculty and researchers lead cutting-edge research programs in limnology, aquatic ecology, fisheries, and ecosystem science. Our work aims to understand the world’s aquatic ecosystems, and to inform and inspire their stewardship.

Our core research mission is closely integrated with training the next generation of freshwater leaders – we train graduate students (MS and Ph.D.) through Freshwater and Marine Sciences and Integrative Biology graduate programs. We engage with diverse partners, and share our knowledge and research with a wide range of audiences and users. Field facilities at the Hasler Laboratory for Limnology in Madison, WI and Trout Lake Station in Boulder Junction, WI support our researchers and students, as well as the larger freshwater research community.

Read the CFL BLog

Research at the Center for Limnology

Darl background with spiny water flea in foreground with large spine pointing to the left and body of SPW to the right

Aquatic Invasive Species

What are the impacts of invasive species in lakes and rivers, and what management strategies are effective?

Visual of carbon cycling from ground through lake into atmosphere and back

Carbon Cycling

What is the role of lake and river ecosystems in global carbon cycling?

large mouth bass swimming in murky water

Fish and Fisheries

How can we manage inland and marine fisheries in a rapidly changing world?

Pictured (from left to right): Maggie Shaw, Ashley Trudeau, Ganzorig Batsaikhan, Dr. Mendsaikhan, and Joe Mrnak prepare for a day of research on Lake Hovsgol.

Global Limnology

How are lakes around the world responding to human impacts and global environmental change?

Person sitting in boat on lake with laptop open using technology as part of field work

High-tech Limnology

Can we use new technologies and knowledge-guided machine learning to better monitor, model, and manage lakes?

photo going up The Yahara River looking pea green with a small motor boat cutting through the blue green algae. There's a bridge in the far background and trees lining the shore.

Water Quality

How do climate change, pollutants, changing land use, food web perturbations, and other factors influence water quality?

Live buoy data from Lake Mendota

Add the Lake Mendota Buoy (David Buoy) as an App on your phone:

Lake Mendota Buoy in forefront and shoreline and Capital in background.
  1. Open the URL in browser (Safari or Chrome)
  2. Tap the Share icon
  3. Scroll down and tap Add to Home Screen

Events

News

Archived News ​ ​

By The Numbers (2024)

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$15.1M

Active Research Grants

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50+

Research Watercraft

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24

Graduate Students and Postdocs

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54

Undergraduate Research Experiences

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46+

Peer Reviewed Publications

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2000+

Community Members Engaged in Outreach

The Center for Limnology is committed to the full inclusion of individuals with disabilities. Our Hasler Laboratory and Trout Lake Station facilities were built before the Americans with Disabilities Act and are not fully ADA accessible. If you have questions about accommodations to participate in any outreach or department event, please email or call Monet Hutchins at the Hasler Lab (monet.hutchins@wisc.edu or 608-262-2009) or Gretchen Gerrish at Trout Lake Station (ggerrish@wisc.edu or 608-890-4763).

“Diversity is a source of strength, creativity, and innovation for UW–Madison. We value the contributions of each person and respect the profound ways their identity, culture, background, experience, status, abilities, and opinion enrich the university community. We commit ourselves to the pursuit of excellence in teaching, research, outreach, and diversity as inextricably linked goals. The University of Wisconsin–Madison fulfills its public mission by creating a welcoming and inclusive community for people from every background—people who as students, faculty, and staff serve Wisconsin and the world.” ~ UW President Charles Van Hise, 1904