Our Waters | Series

Publications in the Our Waters Series:

Communities in Southeastern Wisconsin first tapped aquifers nearly 150 years ago. With the exception of those along Lake Michigan, most communities, farms and industries still rely on ground water wells for their water supply. Ground water is a hidden resource, so we don't see the impacts of our wells and water use. Learn more about regional aquifers and ground water flow here.

Fast Facts: Regional Ground Water Supplies

The water we pump from the deep aquifer did not come from Lake Michigan. Your glass of ground water started its journey to your tap during the last advance of Pleistocene ice, over 12,000 years ago. It seeped under an impermeable rock layer, the Maquoketa shale, miles west of our wells. From there it flowed slowly east, and several thousand years later it was drawn into your municipal well. Learn more about ground water resources and management options here.

Great Lakes Water Balance

The balance in the Great Lakes system is stable over time, but fluctuates seasonally, annually and over many years. The fluctuations are mainly due to changes in weather and climate. We see this as changing lake levels. Learn more about the natural systems that control the Great Lakes' balance and the human activities that can alter it here.

Diversions of Great Lakes Water

A diversion is any transfer of water across watershed boundaries through a man-made pipeline or canal. Diversions of Great Lakes water provide public supplies and support irrigation, industry, shipping and recreational boating. While the impacts of diversions on lake levels are minor, they alter the natural flow of the Great Lakes. Learn more facts and history about Great Lakes diversions here.

Beach Water Quality

Great Lakes WATER Institute scientist Sandra McLellan is working to identify sources of E. coli on Southeastern Wisconsin beaches. Her research suggests most bacteria that triggers beach advisories is from local sources such as gulls, stormwater outfalls and runoff (from parking lots and urban areas) - not regional sources like sewer overflows. Learn more about regional beach health here.

Lake Michigan's Food Web

The food web cycles material and energy through the lake's living organisms. Changes in the ecosystem from pressures like invasive species, over-fishing and nutrient pollution can impact many species through the complex food web. For example, recent declines in Diporeia, a shrimp-like creature that is an important food source for lake whitefish, may be related to declines in the health of whitefish in Lake Michigan. Learn more about the lake's changing food web here.

Wisconsin Water Law

According to Wisconsin's constitution, the state holds navigable waters in trust for the public. Under the Public Trust Doctrine, rights of the public include navigation, water quality and quantity, fish and swimming, and scenic beauty. Wisconsin's water resources are also governed by the Riparian Rights Doctrine, which grants certain rights to people who own land adjacent to water. Learn more about key regulations concerning Wisconsin's surface water, ground water, the Great Lakes and wetlands here.

Additional Materials:

Water Resources in Southeastern Wisconsin: Hydrologic Realities and Misperceptions

We hope UWM and the Great Lakes WATER Institute can serve the public as a source of unbiased, factual information on water-related issues. Learn more about common misperceptions about the deep aquifer, and realities that we believe are important in regional management decisions here.

Q & A: Water Issues in Waukesha

Regional discussions of water issues regularly highlight the City of Waukesha. As a growing suburb in a county that straddles the sub-continental divide, Waukesha illustrates key water management issues facing other communities and the Great Lakes region today. Find general information about Waukesha's water resources here.

Media Coverage:

Sort hydrogeological myths from facts before setting water precedents

This article, contributed by UWM and Great Lakes WATER Institute scientists to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, was included in the Crossroads section's debate on Waukesha County water issues. Read the article about the realities and misperceptions of regional ground water resources here.

Budgeting our groundwater

To study ground water resources in Southeastern Wisconsin, scientists have developed a computer model that simulates and predicts ground water flow through regional aquifers. Learn more about this model, a valuable tool for developing sustainable water management plans, in this Bay View Compass article.

"Sustainable Management of Water Resources: Southeastern Wisconsin and Beyond"

It is critical to bring a common sense, scientific approach to regional water management. Faculty at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and the Great Lakes WATER Institute, with support from the Brico Fund, are announcing a research program to help regional communities better manage water supplies, protect our resources and enhance our region's quality of life. Find out more here.

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(Web page designer: Casey Twanow)