Publications

The Lake Superior Water Trail spans international boundaries, one Canadian province, three U.S. states (MN, WI, MI), and fifteen Indigenous Nations. But its complex governance and lack of a unified management structure on the U.S. side result in fragmented administration and inconsistent stewardship.  Cami Armendariz, Master’s student and the …

Shorelines and beaches are rapidly shifting and eroding as climate change causes ocean levels to rise and Great Lakes water levels to wildly fluctuate. But the most common responses to this erosion, specifically hard shoreline armoring and beach nourishment, raise serious …

AI-data centers are rapidly proliferating across the United States. These facilities promise technological and economic benefits but have associated steep increases in electricity and water use that can strain local resources and infrastructure. Communities are reporting growing concerns over water scarcity, higher utility …

Center for Water Policy Director, Professor, and Lynde B. Uihlein Endowed Chair Melissa Scanlan co-authored the 7th edition of “Water Law in a Nutshell,” published by West Academic. This newest edition, co-authored with water law professors Sandra Zellmer from the University of Montana School of Law and Adell Amos from the University of …

In 2025, the Water Policy Program at the UW-Milwaukee School of Freshwater Sciences continued its multidisciplinary research on the most urgent freshwater policy challenges. Our work—featured in academic articles, policy briefs, and other reports—examines a broad set of issues shaping …

Data centers are rapidly developing across the country to meet demands for artificial intelligence, data storage, and cloud computing. But their environmental impact, especially regarding water use, is largely obscured from public view.   That’s the subject of the Center for …

Abandoned boats are being left on the shores of Wisconsin’s rivers and lakes. Not only are these boats difficult and expensive to remove, but it can be unclear who is responsible for removing them when the owner will not or …

The Great Lakes water levels fluctuate over a variety of time scales. One way to protect homes and other structures located along the coasts of the Great Lakes from the dangers of fluctuating water levels, floods, waves, and erosion is …