River Alliance of Wisconsin

We're so grateful to see Michael Perry on Wisconsin Public Radio talking about mental health support in Wisconsin's rural, farming communities. If we want agriculture - especially sustainable farming that protects land and water - to thrive, we need to transform how farmers access health care.

It’s extremely common for small-to-midsize farmers to have a second job or a partner who works off farm for access to health insurance. The low number of clinics in rural Wisconsin further pushes healthcare out of reach.

It's a part of River Alliance of Wisconsin's agricultural agenda to advocate for improvements in the affordability of public insurance options, decoupling insurance from employment, and building more rural medical facilities to make it possible for more farmers to focus on farming, to resist the pressure to sell out to larger operations, and to invest in the health of their soil and water.

Wisconsin author highlights farmers' mental health needs Among farmers, depression rates are high. So are thoughts of su***de and alcohol abuse. Western Wisconsin author Michael Perry tells the story of one troubled farmer in his novella, “Forty […]

Big thanks to PBS NewsHour for broadcasting this Wisconsin story. In a changing climate, even our water-rich state has to balance demands on water use. We can look to the survival of native mussels to question whether human and ecological water uses are in harmony.

How Wisconsin is trying to save its freshwater mussels from drought and rising heat Wisconsin is coming back from its worst drought in decades. Along with unusually high temperatures, it’s affected wildlife in and around the state’s rivers. While spring rains ended the drought, recovery in some places has been slow. PBS Wisconsin’s Nathan Denzin reports on one species that’...

Today the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources released a final environmental impact statement on the proposed reroute of Enbridge's Line 5 crude oil pipeline. We look forward to seeing if the DNR addressed our - and thousands of others' - concerns submitted as comments on the draft EIS.

https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/topic/EIA/Enbridge.html %20Environmental%20Impact%20Statement

The DNR reminds us that an environmental impact statement is an informational tool, not a decision document. This Final EIS discloses the anticipated direct, indirect, temporary, long-term, and cumulative effects of the construction and operation of the proposed pipeline, decommissioning of the existing segment, and the alternatives to the proposed project.

Enbridge Pipeline Projects in Wisconsin | | Wisconsin DNR Enbridge Pipeline Projects in Wisconsin Subscribe to receive email alerts regarding Enbridge pipeline projects in Wisconsin. Enbridge, Inc. owns and operates a liquid petroleum pipeline system that spans over 17,000 miles across Canada and the U.S., including the Lakehead (U.S. Mainline) System, whi...

Three cheers for everyone who volunteered for the hunt for aquatic invasive species on this year's Snapshot Day. This community science day helps gather data about what's in our rivers and lakes. You can be a water monitor for your local waterway! Find out more from the statewide Water Action Volunteers network.

Snapshot Day Yields New Data on Aquatic Invasive Species Thanks to Volunteer Efforts - Water Action Volunteers tweetshareOn August 10, 2024, water enthusiasts from every corner of Wisconsin gathered for a one-day, statewide aquatic invasive species (AIS) scavenger hunt as part of the 11th annual AIS Snapshot Day. This dynamic event is centrallyRead More...

If you attended the Wild & Scenic Film Festival in Madison this year, you learned about the Ríos to Rivers effort to get Indigenous youth ready to paddle the Klamath River after the largest dam removal project in history. The inspiring film, "Paddle Tribal Waters," showed us how the dam removal project was key to a healthy ecosystem and tribal food sovereignty. Learn more in the links below.

Save the date for the 2025 Wild & Scenic Film Festival in Madison hosted by River Alliance of Wisconsin and The Barrymore Theatre on March 20.

On September 19, Community Shares of Wisconsin will celebrate local leaders and organizations who advance social and environmental justice in our community. Join us in Madison to celebrate the Community Change-Maker Awards at Union South and online. Ticket proceeds help award six nonprofits $1,000 each.

Thank you to for sponsoring this event.

Tickets are available now at https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/2c908985-6741-46b9-afb9-581d1340075f

Neonicotinoids: let's get into it. The group of chemicals are widely used in insecticides and are key to growing high yields of corn and soybeans. They are also linked to the decline in pollinators, like bees. We're joining with experts, advocates and tribal leaders for a forum on what we can do to protect our water and ecosystem.

Maps! Vintage photos! Habitat history!

University of Wisconsin-La Crosse Murphy Library's Driftless River Initiative is a promising treasure trove of information about the Upper Mississippi River.

UW-La Crosse library working on searchable database linking the Upper Mississippi River The initiative aims to grow an online collection related to all thing’s river — from maps and scientific studies to wildlife and culture.

Good story from Wisconsin Public Radio on learning to fish ‘for tradition and life’ with Lac du Flambeau youth: “It’s important to us because we get to practice our rights and show others that we’re not just people who like to fish,” said 13 year-old Barrett Ciskowski. “We’re people who fish for tradition and life.”

Learning to fish 'for tradition and life' with Lac du Flambeau youth - Wisconsin Life The name for the Lac du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewa stems from French traders who observed tribal members harvesting fish from canoes at night by torchlight. More than 200 years later, the Lake Superior tribe is trying to keep such traditions alive by holding camps that teach tribal...

Since joining our team five years ago, Mike Tiboris has thoughtfully and strategically led the creation of the Wisconsin Agriculture Agenda. Farmer-led councils and other partners seek him out for his knowledge and opinions on how to focus our agricultural systems around water quality. He’s also a banjo player in a band!

When it comes to aging infrastructure, there are many dams in Wisconsin – particularly in western Wisco – that weren’t built to deal with our new climate reality. Decommissioning dams is a chance to do meaningful watershed planning that includes nature-based solutions for flood management.

After flooding caused dams to fail, nearly two dozen are one step closer to being removed Leaders in Vernon County approved federal plans Thursday to decommission 23 dams in two southwestern Wisconsin watersheds after a handful failed during extensive flooding in 2018.

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Sign Up for Our Newsletter - River Alliance of WI Defend Wisconsin’s water.

On Tuesday, August 13 voters across Wisconsin rejected changing our state constitution to give too much power to the state legislature to stall urgent funding to communities in need.

“Wisconsinites need clean water now. But in the last year, voters watched how partisan bickering prevented meaningful aid from reaching communities facing PFAS pollution in their drinking water,” said Executive Director Allison Werner. “Their strong rejection of amending our state constitution sent a message that partisan divides cannot get in the way of sending urgent state and federal funds when environmental disasters or our fundamental rights to clean drinking water are at stake.”

Need more information about the state constitutional amendment questions on the August 13 primary ballots? Stream A Public Affair on WORT FM with guests from River Alliance of Wisconsin and the League of Women Voters of Wisconsin who explain why they are urging voters to vote NO on both questions.

The Potential Impacts of Two Proposed Constitutional Amendments - WORT-FM 89.9 Douglas Haynes talks with Bill Davis and Eileen Newcomer who say their organizations are opposed to both amendments

Amending the state Constitution is a big step and shouldn’t be decided in a low-turnout election. But in the August 13 statewide primaries, voters will face two ballot questions that could give the state legislature too much power. Many ballots will have the questions on the BACK of the ballot. Vote NO twice. wivotesno.org

Since joining our team five years ago, Bill has been an inspiring leader for our Wisconsin Water Agenda and our point person on all things PFAS. His knowledge of toxics, community organizing and navigating the political landscape have made him a key partner in the PFAS Coalition. Plus we can count on him to share his skills like pumpkin carving and to bring a homemade pie to staff gatherings!

Friends in the Driftless: if you’re out trout fishing, here’s a way to protect local streams. Look for damaged AIS signs placed at stream access points and report them with a GPS point or photo, or volunteer for repairs. If you or your local watershed protection organization can help spot and report damaged signs, email Ellen Voss at [email protected] or call 608-257-2424 ext. 111 for details.

Old friends and new supporters joined us on a trip down the Black River led by Pat Wilson this month. We enjoyed a paddle and hike to view waterfalls on a perfect-weather day. Next, we’re heading to Moose Lake near Mercer on August 3 & 4. Details are on our website's events page. Sign up for our Word on the Stream newsletter for future event invitations.

In the last three years since joining our team, Johnson Bridgwater has built strong relationships with water advocates across the state. He’s especially focused on grassroots efforts to prevent sulfide mining from harming our waters, which would impact Manoomin which is a plant sacred to the Ojibwe. We can always count on Johnson to share his amazing northern adventures with us.

Set a reminder: Monday at noon on A Public Affair on WORT FM, River Alliance of Wisconsin Senior Legal Analyst Bill Davis will explain why voters should oppose two questions on August primary ballots that would disrupt the balance of power in state government. Stream the show online or listen in the archives.

It’s the Governor’s job to ask for federal funds after emergencies like tornadoes or flooding. But on August 13, voters will face two state constitutional amendment questions that could give the state legislature the power to delay or block federal help.

The legislature has already blocked funds for conservation, opioid crisis settlement, hospitals, and first responders. These amendments could slow or prevent help during floods, tornadoes, bridge collapses, or health epidemics. Vote NO twice. Check the back of your ballot for amendment questions. Learn more: wivotesno.org

Get an eagle-eye view of how salt impacts the streams, lakes and rivers in the Upper Mississippi Basin and what can be done about chloride pollution. LWV Upper Mississippi River Region Inter League Organization will host a virtual event on August 15 at 7 p.m. with experts from WI Salt Wise, The Conservation Foundation of Illinois, and Minnesota Pollution Control Agency Sign up for the virtual event at the link in the comments.

A pristine lake, the company of fellow paddlers, and a talk by Wisconsin author John Bates? Yes! Pick your date – either Saturday, August 3 or Sunday, August 4 – and join us for a summer paddle on Moose Lake near Mercer, WI. Tickets are $30 or pay what you can. Register on our Events page.

Events - River Alliance of WI Join River Alliance at an event this year!

After recent rains, the DNR is investigating fish kills due to low dissolved oxygen levels in the Buffalo Lake Watershed near Montello and the Yaraha River on Stoughton's north side. Reminder: anyone who sees large numbers of dead fish can call the DNR tip line at 1-800-847-9367. Do not try to collect or handle dead or dying fish and anglers and their pets should not eat dead or visibly dying fish.

DNR investigating fish kills in south-central Wisconsin, including Yahara River The incidents are being investigated on Buffalo Lake and on the Yahara River.

On August 13, voters will face two primary ballot questions that could give the state legislature too much power, affecting state budgets and federal aid. This could make the response to issues like PFAS contamination worse. Amending the state Constitution is a big step and shouldn’t be decided in a low-turnout election. Vote NO twice. Fill out your whole ballot – amendment questions may be on the back. Learn more: wivotesno.org

Last call to sign up for the Black River paddle with River Alliance of Wisconsin! On July 20, river trip guide Pat Wilson will take paddlers on a 12-mile trip from Irving to Melrose, WI. Along the way we will stop at a sandbar for lunch and visit Roaring Creek for a hike to see Lost Falls. Tickets are $30 or pay what you can. Register on our website.
📷 Carol Olson. People in canoes on the Black River paddling past trees and rocky shores under a blue sky.

Madison: how cool is this? The Wisconsin Union is flipping the stage so a bluegrass Madonna cover band can play for paddlers in Lake Mendota on July 11. Music sounds better when you're in Wisconsin water. What water-centered festival do you love? Comment below.

The best night of the summer, Lakefront Live, is almost here! 🛶 ☀️ 🎸

Leave your Terrace chair behind and enjoy this The Material Boys concert from a kayak or stand-up paddleboard on July 11 from 6-9pm! Kick back, relax, and bob along on Lake Mendota as part of this quintessential Terrace event.

Don't forget to reserve your low-cost paddlecraft rental from Outdoor UW in advance: https://bit.ly/3w4Me8z.

Presented by Outdoor UW and WUD Music.