Iowa Lakeside Laboratory conducts a variety of aquatic and terrestrial based research in the Iowa Great Lakes area.
Cooperative Lakes Area Monitoring Project
The goal of CLAMP is to provide long-term monitoring data on regional lake conditions. It also aims to educate local citizens about lake ecology.
GLEON Buoy
The Global Lake Ecological Observatory Network conducts innovative science by sharing water quality and weather data. It interprets this data for West Okoboji and Big Spirit Lake.
Water Quality
In partnership with the State Hygienic Lab, we provide water testing services. We also educate citizens on how to better care for our natural lakes.
Rough Fish Management
The study, conducted by Martin Simonson (Ph.D. candidate, ISU), evaluates how removing two nuisance fish species—Common Carp and Bigmouth Buffalo—may improve water quality. It focuses on lakes prone to algae blooms and reduced recreational opportunities. This includes exploring how the remaining fish populations in the lakes respond to removal efforts through growth and reproduction.
Iowa Great Lakes Vegetation Mapping Survey
In conjunction with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, Iowa Lakeside Lab faculty and student researchers used sonar to map aquatic vegetation. They focused on the margins of the Iowa Great Lakes.
Role of Micronutrients in Harmful Algal Blooms
Dr. Betsy Swanner, an assistant professor in the Department of Geological and Atmospheric Sciences, is investigating how the micronutrient iron contributes to harmful algal blooms. The goal is to better understand, monitor, and possibly prevent these blooms.
Ashfall Diatoms
The Ashfall Fossil Beds in northeastern Nebraska contain rare lagerstätten fossil sites. These sites uniquely capture an ecological moment in time and often preserve material better than other locations. Joseph Mohan, Dr. Mark Edlund and Dr. Sylvia Lee are collaborating on this study.
Food Sovereignty in Northwest Iowa
This project also established an initial framework for future research on food sovereignty issues in the region. Sean Diehl (University of Iowa, B.A. 2020) developed a “mock” business plan on a mobile farmers market.
Recreational Assessment of the Iowa Great Lakes
A new research project launched to understand such conditions related to Millers Bay in West Lake Okoboji. Summer 2020 work focused on a literature review and research. The goal was to gather knowledge on asymmetrical recreation experiences, social and environmental issues, capacity and usage concerns, and case studies of community-based planning for on-water recreation. This review provided a foundation for two Iowa Lakeside Laboratory studies: 1) observational data and 2) qualitative data from a local survey.