Volunteers Come Together to Protect Milwaukee Waters
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Location of Snapshot Day meeting sites
Original Story: Water Action Volunteers, Emily Heald
On August 9, 2025, people who love Wisconsin’s waters came together for the 12th annual Aquatic Invasive Species Snapshot Day—a statewide search for aquatic invasive species (AIS). From rivers and streams to lakes and wetlands, volunteers fanned out across 100 different waterbodies in Wisconsin, helping monitor the health of the places they care about most.
The event, coordinated by UW Extension in partnership with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR), Extension Lakes, and dozens of county and nonprofit organizations, including Wisconsin Sea Grant, is part science, part stewardship, and part community gathering.
Volunteers at the Milwaukee Snapshot Day learn to identify AIS.
Building Connection Through AIS
Volunteers started their morning at one of 22 meeting stations across the state, where they learned how to spot invasive species like Eurasian watermilfoil, zebra mussels, and freshwater golden clams. After a hands-on training in identification and monitoring, they headed out in small groups to survey 130 sites throughout Wisconsin.
For many, the day was about more than data collection— it was about connection. One participant shared:
“I really like meeting others with an interest in water monitoring. It is really nice to know that others care about Wisconsin waters.”
Another volunteer reflected on the sense of purpose that comes from contributing:
“I learned enough to be able to identify a handful of invasive species and I was able to ‘do something’ about an issue I care about.”
Protecting Our Waters
This year’s findings highlighted the importance of that work: AIS were detected at 68% of monitoring sites. All the data collected feeds into Wisconsin’s statewide water quality database, SWIMS, helping resource managers track invasive species and plan for the future.
Beyond the science, Snapshot Day is a reminder of what can be accomplished when people come together. As one volunteer put it,
“I like that I’m helping with making our lakes, rivers, etc. the best they can be.”
To every volunteer, partner organization, and site leader—thank you for making this year’s Snapshot Day a success! Your energy and dedication keep Wisconsin’s waters healthy for everyone.
*as of 8/29/2025, data have not been fully finalized in WDNR’s SWIMS database, awaiting Resource of Interest creation and management by DNR. Reported numbers may vary slightly in future. Other species reported included: goldfish, narrow leaf cattail, hybrid cattail, aquatic forget me not, and reed canary grass.
Want to see more highlights from the day?
Check out the pictures from the event on the Water Action Volunteers website!
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