From the Wisconsin Historical Society, "On this day in Wisconsin History" (a favorite site of the staff at the Water Library):
1860 - Sinking of the Lady Elgin
On this date the steamship Lady Elgin was lost on Lake Michigan and was one of the lake's most tragic maritime disasters. The ship had been chartered by Milwaukee's Irish Union Guards who had been in Chicago attending a fund raiser in order to purchase weapons to arm their unit. Their ship was struck by an unlit lumber schooner and sank. At least 300 lives were lost, many from Milwaukee's Irish Third Ward community. [Source: History Just Ahead: A Guide to Wisconsin's Historical Markers edited by Sarah Davis McBride, p. 17]
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Study finds that half of the fish consumed globally is farmed
A new study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences found that 50% of all fish consumed today comes from fish grown on fish farms. The study found that demand is creating the push to produce more fish for human consumption.
The full text should be available online shortly, on the PNAS web site. Read more about the study at the Stanford University.
To read about Wisconsin Sea Grant's efforts in aquaculture, visit our aquaculture page.
The full text should be available online shortly, on the PNAS web site. Read more about the study at the Stanford University.
To read about Wisconsin Sea Grant's efforts in aquaculture, visit our aquaculture page.
Friday, September 4, 2009
Swimming in the Great Lakes? Look Out for Rip Currents
An important message from Wisconsin Sea Grant:
MILWAUKEE (09/03/09) -- Whether wading off a beach or training for a triathlon, Great Lakes swimmers need to beware of hazardous rip currents. These narrow, fast-moving channels of water can be just as dangerous as those at ocean beaches, overpowering even the strongest swimmers. Last summer, a Sheboygan teenager drowned while swimming in Lake Michigan when he was unable to return to shore.
“Rip currents are a significant concern for swimmers at Great Lakes beaches,” said University of Wisconsin Sea Grant Water Safety Specialist James Lubner. “They can occur in many places, when waves push water up on beaches. That water then flows back toward the lake, sometimes forming a strong current.”
Not even the strongest swimmers can successfully swim directly against the current, but escaping from the current is possible if one knows how, Lubner said.
“The key is to swim parallel to shore until you are out of the current, then swim at an angle away from the current and towards shore” he said. “The currents are relatively narrow streams of water moving straight away from shore. So swimming parallel to shore will get you out of the current quickly.”
“The important thing is not to panic,” Lubner emphasized. He also cautioned swimmers and boaters to remember that the cold waters of the Great Lakes can sap a person’s energy quickly through hypothermia.
The University of Wisconsin Sea Grant Institute annually provides Great Lakes public beaches with free informational posters and brochures about rip currents in both English and Spanish. The brochure in English is available online at http://aqua.wisc.edu/publications/ProductDetails.aspx?productID=458 or in Spanish at http://aqua.wisc.edu/publications/PDFs/RipCurrents_sp.pdf
MILWAUKEE (09/03/09) -- Whether wading off a beach or training for a triathlon, Great Lakes swimmers need to beware of hazardous rip currents. These narrow, fast-moving channels of water can be just as dangerous as those at ocean beaches, overpowering even the strongest swimmers. Last summer, a Sheboygan teenager drowned while swimming in Lake Michigan when he was unable to return to shore.
“Rip currents are a significant concern for swimmers at Great Lakes beaches,” said University of Wisconsin Sea Grant Water Safety Specialist James Lubner. “They can occur in many places, when waves push water up on beaches. That water then flows back toward the lake, sometimes forming a strong current.”
Not even the strongest swimmers can successfully swim directly against the current, but escaping from the current is possible if one knows how, Lubner said.
“The key is to swim parallel to shore until you are out of the current, then swim at an angle away from the current and towards shore” he said. “The currents are relatively narrow streams of water moving straight away from shore. So swimming parallel to shore will get you out of the current quickly.”
“The important thing is not to panic,” Lubner emphasized. He also cautioned swimmers and boaters to remember that the cold waters of the Great Lakes can sap a person’s energy quickly through hypothermia.
The University of Wisconsin Sea Grant Institute annually provides Great Lakes public beaches with free informational posters and brochures about rip currents in both English and Spanish. The brochure in English is available online at http://aqua.wisc.edu/publications/ProductDetails.aspx?productID=458 or in Spanish at http://aqua.wisc.edu/publications/PDFs/RipCurrents_sp.pdf
From the Water Library: new books
Fall is slowing creeping into Madison and with it, the chilly air. As it becomes colder here, Water Library staff tend to sit down and get reading. We have many new books for you to try on a wide range of subjects relating to water: boathouses on the Mississippi, Great Lakes shipwrecks, GIS cartography, fish, hydrogeology.
Check it out!
And remember, Wisconsin's Water Library will lend to any Wisconsin resident as well as to students, staff and faculty in the UW system. For more information on how to borrow books, just Ask Water.
Check it out!
And remember, Wisconsin's Water Library will lend to any Wisconsin resident as well as to students, staff and faculty in the UW system. For more information on how to borrow books, just Ask Water.
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Film on water
The Water Library has noted there is an incredible new film out, addressing the important issues relating to our Great Lakes.
WATERLIFE A film by Kevin McMahon
WATERLIFE follows the epic cascade of the Great Lakes to the Atlantic Ocean. From the icy cliffs of Lake Superior to the ornate fountains of Chicago to the sewers of Windsor, this feature-length documentary tells the story of the last huge supply (20 per cent) of fresh water on Earth.
Web site
Watch the trailer here.
WATERLIFE A film by Kevin McMahon
WATERLIFE follows the epic cascade of the Great Lakes to the Atlantic Ocean. From the icy cliffs of Lake Superior to the ornate fountains of Chicago to the sewers of Windsor, this feature-length documentary tells the story of the last huge supply (20 per cent) of fresh water on Earth.
Web site
Watch the trailer here.
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Teacher training opportunities
Educator Workshop and Events from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources are now listed online on the EEK Web site. There are events on climate chance, water, critters, and more.
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
Upcoming conference of note
The 6th biennial State of Lake Michigan and the 9th annual Great Lakes Beach Association Conference will be held jointly at the Hyatt Regency, located in the heart of downtown Milwaukee. The agenda looks great and includes:
* Two plenary sessions
* Twenty-three topical sessions with 150 oral presentations
* A poster paper dinner reception
* An optional dinner reception with live music at Discovery World
* Your choice of five field trips
* A Virtual Beach-Model Builder Workshop
* Adjunct meetings of the Lake Michign LaMP Forum, the Lake Michigan Monitoring Coordination Council, the Lake Michigan Stakeholders, the Beach Health Interagency Coordination Team, and the U.S. Areas of Concern
Full details and registration information is available.
* Two plenary sessions
* Twenty-three topical sessions with 150 oral presentations
* A poster paper dinner reception
* An optional dinner reception with live music at Discovery World
* Your choice of five field trips
* A Virtual Beach-Model Builder Workshop
* Adjunct meetings of the Lake Michign LaMP Forum, the Lake Michigan Monitoring Coordination Council, the Lake Michigan Stakeholders, the Beach Health Interagency Coordination Team, and the U.S. Areas of Concern
Full details and registration information is available.
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