Burke Center for Ecosystem Research

09/11/2026

A big thank you to Wisconsin Public Radio for writing this story about Lake Superior harmful algal blooms and the expert panel we held in Superior on Tuesday!

U.S. and Canadian experts are urging government agencies to take swift action to address the threats posed by more frequent harmful algal blooms on Lake Superior.

09/05/2026

Thanks Northern News Now for the great story about this emerging problem. Join us Tuesday at 6:30 at UW-Superior to learn more and ask experts your questions. Lake Superior Algal Blooms: A Call to Action

09/03/2026

Barker's Island Beach is one of the common areas for harmful algal blooms in recent years. Join us at our event Lake Superior Algal Blooms: A Call to Action to ask questions and learn more about harmful blooms around the lake.

⚠️ Barkers Island Beach is CLOSED due to blue-green algae. ⚠️

Blue-green algae has been observed at Barkers Island and in nearby waters. With low winds, algae can collect at the surface and remain concentrated along shorelines.

For your safety:
- Do not swim or wade in the water
- Keep pets out of the water
- Continue to watch for signs of blue-green algae around area shorelines

Conditions like these may occur on and off through September, particularly during periods of low wind.

We will share updates as conditions change. Please follow posted signage at the beach. Thank you! 💙

08/20/2026

One goal of our aquatic plant surveys on the Turtle-Flambeau Flowage is to compare the aquatic plant community across three years to see if and where the highly invasive Eurasian watermilfoil (EWM) has spread. 🌱

EWM is listed on the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources’s NR-40 Invasive Species List as a restricted species due to its ability to grow quickly, form dense mats that negatively impact the ecosystem, and impair recreation in certain contexts.

To identify EWM, look for feather-like leaves with 12 or more leaflet pairs. The leaves of EWM are usually limp out of the water, and the stem can appear reddish, but oftentimes it looks like spaghetti!

In comparison, native milfoils have less than 12 leaflet pairs. Certain species like northern watermilfoil will have stiffer leaves and retain their shape out of the water but not every native milfoil does this. See the photo with a various-leaved watermilfoil (M. heterophyllum), where it is limp out of the water just like EWM. The surest way to identify EWM is to get counting!

Eurasian watermilfoil spreads by fragmentation, either through naturally breaking down or via outside sources like boat propellers. Once it’s broken up, wind and water currents can carry it around and help it establish in new areas, so it’s very important to check and clean your prop while boating! 🚤

08/14/2026

Happy ! 🎣

This past week, the crew was at our Keystone restoration site on North Fish Creek doing fish population surveys. Last year, the Burke Center, along with our partners, rerouted this section of the creek to reduce excess sedimentation into North Fish Creek and Lake Superior. These surveys will help us see if and how fish populations have been affected by restoration work.

08/13/2026

While out on the Turtle-Flambeau Flowage our staff saw some neat things! Can you identify any of them? 🌼 🦋

08/07/2026

Happy !

This week, the team was out at North Fish Creek doing fish population surveys. These surveys are part of our restoration success monitoring efforts at our North Fish Creek restoration sites. When we compare the results of the surveys each year, we can see if and how the fish populations have been affected by restoration work. 🎣💧

Thank you Paul and Sam from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources for your help!