Freshwater Collaborative of Wisconsin | Outcomes Report | 2024

Water Words from the Executive Director

At the Freshwater Collaborative of Wisconsin, we often talk about creating a pipeline to jobs in Wisconsin. What does that mean?

It means we support programs that engage middle school and high school students and pique their interest in studying water and environmental sciences.

We then help the Universities of Wisconsin offer intensive, hands-on coursework that allows college students to apply what they learn in the classroom to actual lab and field work.

Students are then prepared for the next step: undergraduate research on campus or internships with government agencies, nonprofits organizations and industry. Through these training experiences, students learn the technical and professional skills to hit the ground running in the job market.

Together, these steps create a jobs pipeline that is making Wisconsin’s workforce stronger and better prepared to meet the 10 Grand Water Challenges facing our state. More than 1,000 students have participated in experiences funded through the Freshwater Collaborative over the past four years. Our team has spoken to a number of these students over the years and found that they are passionate, hardworking, inquisitive and eager to put their skills to work protecting and managing Wisconsin’s water systems.

In this report, we highlight a few programs that are part of the pipeline to jobs. We also share how we are facilitating communication and collaborations among academic researchers and external partners.

I would like to thank the governor, the state legislature, and the faculty and staff at the 13 Universities of Wisconsin for investing in Wisconsin’s water future. We are building a collaborative network that stretches beyond the state’s borders to solve water challenges and train the future water workforce.

Best,

Marissa Jablonski Executive Director

Creating a Pipeline to Jobs

The Freshwater Collaborative applies the power of the 13 Universities of Wisconsin institutions and the Wisconsin Idea to lead the global community in addressing freshwater challenges.

What do we do?

• Create knowledge to solve freshwater challenges through collaborative research across all academic arenas, such as natural and applied sciences, engineering, economics, social sciences, arts, humanities and policy.

• Recruit and develop talented professionals across all freshwater arenas through intentional structuring of curriculum, training and workplace experiences.

• Improve the well-being of natural ecosystems and all people by applying research and training to engage and serve communities and solve freshwater challenges.

How do we do it?

The Freshwater Collaborative fulfills its mission by growing public-facing programs that engage students throughout the Universities of Wisconsin and support economic development across Wisconsin.

K-12 Outreach Programs and High School Summer Camps

Courses and Certificates that are Transformative Experiences Collaborative Research and Internships

Use our searchable online database to learn more about individual projects.

KEY

K-12 Outreach Programs

Undergraduate Research and Internships

Hands-on Courses

The type of program is indicated by the colored dots. The number within the dot indicates how many grants the university has participated in within that project type.

Collaboration is the key to building the jobs pipeline. Each university is working with many academic and external partners to create programs focused on K-12 outreach, hands-on courses and research and internships. Since its inception in 2019, the Freshwater Collaborative has funded 102 proposals that include collaborations across academic disciplines and departments, campuses and institutions. The majority of funded projects include more than one institution. In addition, many projects involve external partnerships with businesses, government agencies, nonprofit/ advocacy organizations, tribal nations and community groups.

See our list of partners on page 24.

Recruiting the Next Generation of Water Professionals

The pipeline to jobs starts with actively engaging K-12 students who are interested in water science. Participation in one of our hands-on summer camps or workshops offers middle school and high school students opportunities to learn about Wisconsin’s water ecosystems and how to study them. It gives them insight into potential career paths. And they discover what it’s like to be a college student at a Universities of Wisconsin school.

These programs provide students with opportunities to:

• Participate in field experiences on Lake Michigan and in rivers, streams and wetland areas throughout the state, in rural and urban settings.

• Acquire lab and technical skills while working with expert faculty and undergraduate students throughout the Universities of Wisconsin.

• Meet and learn with students from other schools.

• Learn about academic programs and career paths in water science.

The Freshwater Collaborative funds high school camps and educational programs throughout the state. Nearly 300 high school students have participated in one of the Freshwater Collaborative–supported programs.

UW-Stout

UW-Eau Claire

UWRiver Falls UW-Stevens Point

UWGreen Bay

UW Oshkosh

UWLa Crosse

UWParkside

UWMilwaukee

UW-Whitewater UWMadison

Aquaculture Outreach for K-12

UW-Madison • UW-Milwaukee • UW-Stevens Point

To boost aquaculture training and workforce development in Wisconsin, three UW campuses are collaborating with other colleges, fish farms and industry partners to engage K-12 students and educators in maintaining aquaculture/aquaponics systems. This program is also designed to increase participation in the Aquaculture Challenge competition held by Lake Superior State University and Michigan Sea Grant.

Educators and Students Rise to Freshwater Challenges • UW-Green Bay

This program offers community-based experiential learning opportunities for high school and middle-school students and teachers. This includes an educators network and programming for K-12 teachers in 16 counties, water monitoring programs that engage middle and high school students, and high school internships.

Freshwater Camp • UW-Parkside • UW-Whitewater

The pilot Freshwater Camp at UW-Parkside and UW-Whitewater provided 18 high school juniors from underserved communities in southeastern Wisconsin with opportunities to study freshwater habitats, build confidence and skills with hands-on field and laboratory activities, and gain information on freshwater career and training opportunities.

Freshwater Science Summer Field Experience

UW-Eau Claire • UW-River Falls • UW-Stout • UW Oshkosh

High school juniors spend a week with faculty from four campuses, exploring western Wisconsin’s freshwater systems and learning about freshwater-related degree programs and potential careers. Separately, UW-Eau Claire is hosting a high school environmental science fair and a K-12 educators training program on groundwater science.

My River Adventures Camp • UW-La Crosse

Students in grades 8-12 live in UW-La Crosse residence halls and enjoy instructional sessions and visits to rivers in the Driftless region for hands-on field work and lab activities in collaboration with UW-La Crosse faculty, local educators and community members. This camp creates connections with community leaders and educators who can introduce students to career paths and increase their interest in STEM post-high school.

UW Oshkosh Freshwater High School Camp • UW Oshkosh

High school students will spend three days on the UW Oshkosh campus, where they will conduct hands-on research, pilot water drones, explore waterways on a pontoon boat, learn about freshwater college majors and careers, and enjoy fun evening activities in the residence halls. First offering will be in July 2024.

Youth Stewards Program • UW-River Falls

The pilot program introduced high school youth to water monitoring, data analysis and stewardship through guided hands-on field work and learning opportunities at and near UW-River Falls. The project connected high school youth with university students and faculty and highlighted water-related study and job opportunities.

Intensive Courses Provide Hands-on Experience

Students studying water and environmental sciences are eager to put their classroom knowledge to work in the field. Freshwater Collaborative funding has helped the Universities of Wisconsin institutions add transformative experiences to existing courses and to develop new curriculum that provides advanced training.

Several water-related courses are available to undergraduate students enrolled at any UW institution, and oftentimes, the Freshwater Collaborative offsets housing and food costs to make it easier for students throughout the state to enroll.

Lab and field experiences help students broaden their skills, perspectives, and professional networks — better preparing them for undergraduate research and internship positions. We’ve highlighted a few here.

HUMAN IMPACT ON LAKE

MICHIGAN’S COAST

I would highly recommend this course. It was a unique perspective and look at Lake Michigan. And it opens your eyes to possibilities for future careers and gives you tools and experience for down the line.”

Max Stafford, UW-Green Bay May 2023 Graduate

“Human Interactions with Lake Michigan Coastal Ecosystems” will be offered for the first time in summer 2024. Developed with input from students from UW-Green Bay, UW-Milwaukee and UW-Parkside, the course is open to students for three credits and to Wisconsin residents for 15 continuing education units.

Students will explore habitats along the coast of Lake Michigan from Green Bay, Peshtigo, Manitowoc and Sheboygan to Milwaukee, Racine and Kenosha. They will learn basic sampling techniques to study the human impacts on the coastal ecosystem.

In addition to faculty from three universities, students will learn from water professionals at NEW Water, NOAA and Riveredge Nature Center’s sturgeon rearing facility. They will also create a project that educates the community about human-environmental interactions involving Lake Michigan to raise awareness of Wisconsin’s water challenges.

CONNECTIONS BETWEEN AGRICULTURE AND WATER MANAGEMENT

Agriculture offers huge economic benefit to Wisconsin, but processes such as irrigation and pesticide use also greatly impact our state’s water quality and quantity.

Faculty from UW-Green Bay, UWMadison, UW-Platteville, UW-River Falls, UW-Stevens Point and UW-Stout developed an asynchronous course and field trip to teach students about agricultural water management, water quality and watershed management and how they change in response to the physiographic and geologic differences found throughout Wisconsin.

During the three-day field trip, students visit large and small farming operations to learn about various farming methods and their impact on water quality. Nearly 50 students have participated in the course and field trip so far.

One of the first courses developed with Freshwater Collaborative funding was “Introduction to Freshwater Sciences.” This foundational course is now taught at UW-La Crosse, UW-Madison, UW-Milwaukee, UW Oshkosh and UW-Parkside. The course was built around a series of curated case studies that allow each campus to customize the experience for their students.

FRESHWATER EDUCATION IN WESTERN WISCONSIN

Faculty from UW-Eau Claire, UW Oshkosh, UW-River Falls and UW-Stout joined forces to create a two-week advanced course that immerses undergraduate students in field work applicable to many jobs.

Entering its third year in 2024, “Freshwater Field Studies in Western Wisconsin” attracts students from throughout the state. They learn field and laboratory skills used to assess freshwater science investigations in geology, biology, geography and agriculture.

For example, in 2023, students conducted a remote sensing analysis on Lake Menomin and then used what they learned to analyze a body of water near their hometown or where they vacation in the summer. They also learned about wetlands and how they are integrated with groundwater, stormwater, soils and surface waters.

Transforming Transportation Courses

The amount of hands-on experience really prepares you for working and collecting data in the field. All the knowledge I gained from this class at least doubled the list of skills on my resume and allowed me to discover my passion for protecting our state’s ground and surface water.”

Abbigale Coffin , UW-Eau Claire Environmental Biology and Ecology Major (photo top left)

The four universities also partner to offer freshwater experiences to high school students.

UW-Superior offers the only undergraduate courses in the state focused on port and terminal management and marine transportation management. With funding, the university updated two advanced level courses to include information on alternative marine fuels and cold ironing in ports, the impacts of climate change on Great Lakes ice formation, as well as the Wisconsin Public Trust Doctrine, gentrification and more.

The enhancements will help recruit talented students and better educate them to operate maritime facilities on Wisconsin’s lakes and rivers in a sustainable manner.

PHOTO TOP RIGHT

Collaborative Research and Internships

Through collaborative undergraduate research and internships, students put their classroom learning to work. Funded projects are designed to train students for the workforce and address the 10 Grand Water Challenges.

FRESHWATER@UW ATTRACTS

STUDENTS NATIONWIDE

The program provided me many opportunities for professional development. I gained insight into grad school and got to learn about career opportunities with federal employment. I am so thankful for the Freshwater Program and all the knowledge and experiences it provided me!”

Kara Eppard, Bridgewater College in Virginia

Conducted Research at UW-Madison with USGS

Freshwater@UW leveraged the existing infrastructure of UW-Madison’s successful graduate research program to create undergraduate opportunities at all of the 13 Universities of Wisconsin.

Since 2022, 40 students have participated, with applicants hailing from 30 states and Puerto Rico. Students have worked on research projects at UW-Eau Claire, UW-Green Bay, UWLa Crosse, UW-Madison, UW-Milwaukee, UW Oshkosh, and UWSuperior. Funding for student stipends, housing and meals is provided by the Freshwater Collaborative, Wisconsin Sea Grant, the UW Water Resources Institute and Water@UW-Madison.

What do students do?

• Work closely with research faculty and staff at a UW campus

• Develop research skills, knowledge and abilities

• Learn how to communicate their science to the public

• Present their work at a capstone symposium

• Learn about graduate school, career paths and other postgraduate opportunities

A record 100 applicants applied for the summer 2024 research spots — double the number of applicants in 2023 — and 35 students will be placed.

MONITORING GROUP PROVIDES VALUABLE PUBLIC SERVICE, ADDRESSES PHOSPHORUS

Lakes teeming with blue-green algae are common in agricultural areas like the Red Cedar Watershed. Universities of Wisconsin students are providing valuable monitoring information to show whether phosphorus remediation strategies are working.

Led by UW-Stout, the Red Cedar Basin Monitoring Group brings together faculty and students from UW-Eau Claire, UW Oshkosh, and UW-River Falls to work directly with local partners. Local high school and middle school students are also involved in sampling.

In 2023, the group collaborated with the City of Menomonie to conduct water and restoration monitoring on the Galloway Creek restoration site, provided technical information for the newly formed Tainter Lake District’s remediation plans, and worked with Dunn County Land and Water Conservation on ways to improve monitoring efforts for soil best management practices.

The hands-on training for students combined with the ability to provide consistent watershed monitoring is a win for Wisconsin — and is leading to more collaborations and training.

This experience has given me many valuable skills that will help me reach my goals. I feel very confident with the amount of work experience that I’ve gained through this project, particularly from conducting both field work and lab work, and am excited to enter the workforce and continue working on meaningful research projects like this one.”

Kal Breeden, UW-Stout Environmental Science Major

DAM REMOVAL PROJECT ENHANCES STUDENT TRAINING

When the River Falls community decided to remove the dams on the Kinnickinnic River, the Kiap-TU-Wish chapter of Trout Unlimited and Inter-Fluve, a firm specializing in river restoration, developed an extensive 10-year monitoring plan for the project. The plan was provided to the City of River Falls and the Kinni Corridor Collaborative, a nonprofit that is leading fundraising efforts for the dam removal and river restoration work. Due to budget constraints, the plan relied upon volunteers to conduct the monitoring, which

created potential challenges in terms of reliability, consistency of the data integrity and the ability to provide long-term monitoring.

Enter the DAM Crew, a two-week summer experience during which working professionals train 12 undergraduates per summer in monitoring techniques to supply data to the Kinni River Monitoring Plan dataset. Two interns are also hired to work on the project throughout the academic year. Students present findings to the public and build their professional networks.

Not only is the DAM Crew open to students from any UW institution, but activities intersect with multiple other Freshwater Collaborative–funded programs in western Wisconsin, thereby leveraging faculty and resources to create a suite of transformative experiences for students.

Water Security, Protection and Resilience

10 GRAND WATER CHALLENGES

Great Lakes Management, Protection and Restoration

Aquaculture, Aquaponics and Water Food Systems

Industrial Water Engineering and Technology

Water Infrastructure: Collection, Distribution, Treatment

Agricultural Water Management

Water Quality Safety and Emerging Contaminants

Water Business, Law and Finance

Healthy Recreational and Transportation Water Use

Undergraduate research funded by the Freshwater Collaborative focuses on the 10 Grand Water Challenges facing Wisconsin, with priority placed on Agricultural Water Management, and Water Quality Safety and Emerging Contaminants.

Watershed Management and Restoration

STUDENT RESEARCH

A record 16 Freshwater Collaborative-funded research projects were featured at the 2024 Research in the Rotunda. The event provides legislators and the public the opportunity to learn about undergraduate research going on throughout the state.

Students share their stories.

Fostering Partnerships

The Freshwater Collaborative fosters connections that help build a highly skilled workforce, protect our water systems and position Wisconsin as a global leader in water-related science, technology and economic growth.

Through unique partnerships and in-person and virtual events, the Freshwater Collaborative is expanding the capacity for the Universities of Wisconsin to collaborate with partners in industry, government, nonprofits, tribal nations and the community.

UW Oshkosh is a Wisconsin-based university, and we’re a Wisconsin-based company. We wanted to craft something that was exciting for both of us. There’s engagement and momentum and that can only bring good things to both sides.”

Cherelle Bishop, Whirl-Pak, Filtration Group Product Engineering Manager

HANDS-ON TRAINING THROUGH PARTNERSHIPS

The ERIC lab at UW Oshkosh serves as a research and testing center for environmental health professionals throughout the state — and the lab provides a great resource for training students and working with external partners. With Freshwater Collaborative funding, UW Oshkosh made its classrooms, labs, water sampling equipment and research boats available free of charge to UW faculty and staff to use for class outings and research.

In 2023, 34 students participated in the ERIC’s water-centric training from UW-Eau Claire, UW-Madison, UW Oshkosh, UW-River Falls, UW-Stout, UW-Stevens Point and seven non-UW campuses. Students had opportunities to work with organizations such as the EPA, Wisconsin Coastal Management, NOAA, Vilas County Environmental Health Program and Vilas County Health Department.

Additionally, 16 students collaborated with eight lake organizations to conduct aquatic and invasive species outreach and education throughout Vilas County. Another four students were summer interns at the ERIC lab.

The campus also conducted freshwater programming for 134 high schoolers and hosted a South Korean group of students.

The UW Oshkosh Water Enterprise Program encourages faculty and staff to explore innovative collaborations with external partners. Three such projects took place in 2023, including one with Wisconsin-based Whirl-Pak.

Undergraduate and graduate students are conducting lab testing and analysis on WhirlPak’s sample collection bags to help the company expand its reach. The partnership provides valuable work experience to students, helps solve a business challenge, and may reduce pollution.

The Freshwater Collaborative and UW Oshkosh also partnered with Jacobs Engineering to hire UW students to identify the location and material of service lines in Wisconsin so the state can meet deadlines for the federal Lead and Copper Rule Revisions. Students from 10 Universities of Wisconsin campuses are working with Jacobs staff, local government entities and public utilities to conduct data collection and field work.

FRESH 2 O PARTNER EVENT

Beyond Wisconsin’s Borders

The Freshwater Collaborative hosted a quarterly online water symposium series in 2023 in partnership with the Great Lakes Higher Education Consortium and Council of the Great Lakes Region. These events share science with researchers, governmental agencies and nonprofits in the United States and Canadian provinces bordering the Great Lakes. More than 450 people have attended one or more of the events.

Topics have included:

• Groundwater Policy Developments

• Protecting Wetlands Post Sackett Decision

• PFAS, Public Health and Policy

• The Impact of Phosphorus Rules

The inaugural FresH 2 O Partner Event in September 2023 brought together Universities of Wisconsin faculty and staff and partners from industry, government agencies and nonprofits to discuss issues such as PFAS, phosphorus pollution, collaborative water research and how to enhance the pipeline to jobs in water industries. More than 110 people registered for the event.

Key takeaways included:

• Attendees would like the Freshwater Collaborative to be a statewide point of contact for academic partners, industry partners, K-12 teachers, government agencies and others to help them connect on research, internships/hiring and other collaborations.

• Additional funding is needed for research, especially for emerging and urgent issues.

• There is a need to advance statewide research agendas for PFAS and phosphorus.

In response, the Freshwater Collaborative has launched Collaboration Groups for PFAS and phosphorus, with the goal of creating a training and communications hub for stakeholders invested in these topics.

Want to know more about our resources for partners? Visit our Partner Resource page.

ADDRESSING PHOSPHORUS IN WISCONSIN AND BEYOND

Phosphorus plays a critical role in farm productivity, but overreliance on this fertilizing nutrient has alarming consequences, such as toxic algal blooms and dead zones caused by phosphorus pollution in our waterways.

In February 2023, the UW-Milwaukee Center for Water Policy, with support from the Freshwater Collaborative, the Palmer Foundation and the UW System Water Policy Network, hosted a statewide conference on Wisconsin’s phosphorus standards. More than 200 academic researchers, agricultural/conservation professionals/agencies, farmers/producers, policymakers and community members attended.

The event included an overview of phosphorus regulations, academic presentations on phosphorus-related research projects, and case studies from regulated entities, producers and farmers. The resulting report includes an academic research agenda with research gaps and questions for Universities of Wisconsin researchers to answer in the next decade and policy recommendations for reducing phosphorus pollution and improving water quality in Wisconsin.

The Freshwater Collaborative hosted a follow-up Great Lakes Freshwater Symposium to present key takeaways from the conference. More than 125 people from Canadian and American universities, government agencies and nonprofits registered for the online event.

INCREASING PFAS RESEARCH FUNDING

PFAS are an increasing community concern that threatens citizens in Wisconsin and nationally.

These synthetic “forever” chemicals are used in a wide variety of applications from nonstick cookware to firefighting foams. Exposure has been linked to serious health effects.

Conversations with partners indicate a strong need for a research communications hub around PFAS. The Freshwater Collaborative has initiated a PFAS Collaboration Group to bring together stakeholders for virtual and in-person conversations.

To help address the need for more research into prevention and remediation of this emerging contaminant, the Freshwater Collaborative funded six new PFAS research projects in 2023 that involve faculty and students at UW-Green Bay, UWMadison, UW-Milwaukee, UW-Platteville, UW-Parkside and UW-Stevens Point.

CREATING A POLICY NETWORK

The Freshwater Collaborative provided funding for the Center for Water Policy at UWMilwaukee to create and lead the UW System Water Policy Network, in collaboration with faculty and staff from UWEau Claire, UW-Madison, UW Oshkosh and UW-Stout. Members share ideas, leverage research methods, collaborate on research proposals, and develop water policy curricula for use across the Universities of Wisconsin. They also host presentations and discussions for stakeholders, including the statewide phosphorus conference in 2023. Annually, the Center for Water Policy funds a water policy scholar from among the network members to work on policy issues related to one of Wisconsin’s 10 Grand Challenges.

Since its first convening in 2021, the network has become a hub for those interested in water policy to easily identify collaborators for grants, guest lectures, public speaking, media interviews, etc.

Read more about members of the network.

UW-Stevens Point

UW-Green Bay

Our Growing List of External Partners

One of the goals of the Freshwater Collaborative is to promote and facilitate collaborations among Universities of Wisconsin faculty, researchers and students with external industry partners, governmental agencies, nonprofit organizations, tribal nations and communities.

More than 200 organizations have participated in or are connected to Freshwater Collaborative–funded projects. Please note, this may not be a comprehensive list as UW institutions continue to grow their partnerships on an ongoing basis.

Aldo Leopold Community School

Alliance for the Great Lakes

Anvil Lake Association

A.O. Smith Corporation

Ashland County Health Department

Atlas Science Center

Badger Meter

Baileys Harbor Ridges Sanctuary Lake Organizations

Baileys Harbor Wastewater Treatment Plant

Bass Lake Association

Bayfield County Health Department

Big Arbor Vitae Lake Association

Big Portage Lake Riparian Owners Association

Big Sand Lake Association

Big St. Germain Area Lakes District

Buffalo County Health Department

Butternut-Franklin Lake Association

Cardinal Glass

Cargill

Carpenter Nature Center

C.H. Koch Plumbing & Heating LLC

Chippewa Valley Bean

Cia Siab Inc.

Cisco Chain Riparian Owners Association

City of La Crosse

City of Menomonie

City of Oshkosh

City of Racine Health Department

Clean Lakes Alliance

Coastal Municipalities:

• Algoma

• Green Bay

• Kenosha

• Kewaunee

• Manitowoc

• Milwaukee

• Port Washington

• Racine

• Sheboygan

• Two Rivers

College of Menominee Nation

Council of the Great Lakes Region

Country Water Works

Covia Sand Plant

Crossroads at Big Creek

Crystal Lake Association

C. Sweeting Plumbing

Cudahy Public Works Department

Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection

De Pere High School

doc | UWM Film

Door County Health Department

Dubuque River Museum & Aquarium

Dunn County Land and Water Conservation

Eagle Creek Renewable Energy

Eagle Lake Management District

Egg Harbor Marina

Effigy Mounds National Monument of Engineers

F3

Farmers Union of Wisconsin

The Farmory Inc.

Fence Lake Association

Fifth Ward Brewing Company

Florence County Health Department

Flow Project

Fond du Lac County Health Department

Food Safety Workshop

Forest Lake Preservation District

Forest to Brook

Found Lake Property Owners Association

Fox Wolf Watershed Alliance

GEI Consultants

Girl Scouts

Glacial Lakes Conservancy

Glendale Public Works Department

Great Lakes Higher Education Consortium

Great Northern Corporation

Green Bay Sewerage

Metropolitan District

Harbor District Inc.

Hope Restores

Howard-Sauamico Weyawega High School

Ice Age Trail Alliance

Indigenous People’s Task Force (Ikidowin)

Iron County Health Department

Island Outdoors

Jacobs Engineering

J. Rasmussen Plumbing

Kentucky Lake Protection & Rehabilitation District

Kewaunee County Health Department

Kinni Corridor Collaborative

Kinnickinnic River Land Trust

Koken Farms

Kurt Zentner & Sons Inc.

La Crosse Queen Cruises

Lafayette County Health Department

Lake Altoona Lake Association

Lake Express

Lake Lorraine Lake Association

Lake Michigan Commercial Fishing Board

Lakeshore Natural Resource Partnership

Lake Superior National Estuarine Research Reserve

Lancaster Public Library

Lincoln County Health Department

Little Arbor Vitae Lake Protection & Rehabilitation District

Little St. Germain Lake Protection & Rehabilitation District

Local farms

Long Lake of Phelps Lake District

Lost Lake Protection & Rehabilitation District

Ludwigs Plumbing

Maiden Voyage Tours

Manitowoc County Health Department

Manitowoc Marina

Manitowoc Soil & Water

Marquette University

Mayo Clinic

Memorial High School

Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin

Merten Plumbing and Heating

Michigan Department of Natural Resources

Michigan Hydropower Reform Coalition

Michigan Tech

Milwaukee County Department of Transportation

Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District

Milwaukee Public Museum

Milwaukee Public Works Department

Milwaukee Riverkeeper

Milwaukee World Fest

Mishicot High School

Monroe County Health Department

MP Kelly Plumbing

Mud Lake Association

National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium

National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration

Nature Conservancy

Nelson Deer Farm/Rush Canyon Ranch

NEW Water

Nibi Center

NOAA National Marine Sanctuary

Nohr Chapter of Trout Unlimited

NOLS (National Outdoor Leadership School)

Northeast Wisconsin Land Trust

North High School

North & South Twin Lakes Protection & Rehabilitation District

North Woods & Waters of the St. Croix Heritage Area

Oneida County Health Department

Parker Lake Association

Pentair

Pine Lake Association

Racine County Public Health Division

Ramboll

Red Smith Middle School

The Renaissance Academy

River Alliance of Wisconsin

Riveredge Nature Center

Rock River Partnership

Root River Environmental Education Community Center

Sammons Plumbing

Sawyer County Health & Human Services

Science Museum of Minnesota

Skyline Construction

Smoky Lake Preservation Association

South Bay Marina

Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission (SEWRPC)

Southeastern Wisconsin Watershed Trust

St. Croix Watershed Stewards

Stantec

Steinthal Lodge

Sustainable Phosphorus Alliance

Tainter Lake Districts

Taylor County Health Department

Tomahawk Boy Scout Camp

Town of Boulder Junction

Town of Gays Mills

Town of Plum Lake

Trout Unlimited

University School of Milwaukee

Upper Midwest Water Science Center of the USGS

Urban Ecology Center

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

U.S. Geological Survey

UW-Madison Office of Tribal Relations

Veolia

Vernon County Health Department

Vilas County Health Department

Walter Plumbing LLC

Washington Ozaukee Public Health Department

Water Quality Investigations

Watertech of America

Waupaca County Public Health Department

We Energies

Wellntel

Whirl-Pak

White Sand Lake Association

Whitewater Lake Association

Winnebago Mental Health Institute

Winnebago County Health Department

Wisconsin Cooperative Fishery Research Unit

Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources

• Drinking Water & Groundwater

• Great Waters

• Water Quality

Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation

Wisconsin Historical Society

Wisconsin Public Service

Wisconsin Sea Grant

Wisconsin State Capitol staff

Wood County Health Department

Woodland Dunes

WUWM, Wisconsin Public Radio

The Freshwater Collaborative of Wisconsin is funded by the Wisconsin State Legislature and is evaluated annually by Socially Responsible Evaluation in Education (SREed), a research and evaluation group at UWMilwaukee that partners with education agencies to promote system change and improve educational equity for students from all backgrounds.