Freshwater Perspectives: Recent Episodes
Riley Buley & Matt Gladfelter
Hosts Riley and Matt have a combined 20+ years experience working in and around freshwater. Their love of freshwater, eagerness to continue to learn, and passion to educate has brought them to sharing their discussions with the world. On a weekly basis, Matt and Riley will cover anything from the illegal caviar market, to using mussels to monitor water quality.
Government Agencies look for ways to access the health of streams and rivers, but how do they do it? Today we will talk about water quality indicators.
Today will be talking about sinkholes so lets find what sinkholes are. Sinkholes is the development of a depression in the ground caused by collapsing earth below the hole.Sinkholes can happen in many different ways but a major causes sinkholes is caused by karst processes which is the chemical dissolution of carbonate rocks that slowly erode them away leading to the development of a depression in the ground.
Clean water, and the lack of it, is a major issue for many populations throughout the world. So how to people get clean water? Today we will see how the illegal actions of some help service populations in need.
Of all the fish in freshwater ecosystems, there are few as important as bluegills. Yes, this is a bold statement, but I say this because bluegills (other sunfish species) are the engines of many North American aquatic food webs. Think of how many zooplankton a bass would need to eat to get the energy found in one sunfish. You may have fished a bass pond without many forge fish (aka bluegills or some other small fish species) within it, and you’d likely caught larger bass that are stunted, skinny, and jaunty. Bluegill and sunfish serve as the much-needed bridge between zooplankton and larger fish in the aquatic food web.
Pablo Escobar left some large animals in Columbia, his Hippos. Once released they have caused tremendous issues to columbian ecosystems. This episode will cover just how many issues they have caused.
There is no denying that people love shrimp. The National Marine Fisheries service’s estimates that 9 billon lbs. of shrimp is consumed yearly worldwide. The United States average consumer eats 4 lbs. of shrimp annually. Shrimp is both wild caught and farmed. Shrimp farming is a method to intensively produce shrimp for food and dates back centuries, and Shrimp farming is 55% of the global shrimp production. Today, we will cover moderns indoor shrimp farming, that is springing up in in places like Indiana and Iowa.
The freshwater Loch Ness is a place of legend. This 23 mile long and 755 feet deep lake contains a greater water volume than all the lakes in England combined. The surrounding land contains nine picturesque villages as well as the Urquhart Castle. And of course, some believe that deep within the lake lies the Loch Ness monster. This podcast will cover the folklore surrounding the Loch Ness monster.
The China floods referrers to major flooding that occurred in the Yangze River in June to August 1931. In total, an estimated 2 million people died during the flood. 140,000 to 150,000 people drowned others died due to lack of food and diseases like colera. Some even estimate that 3.7 to 4 million fatalities leading this to be called one of the worlds deadliest disasters.
The sea lamprey invasion in the great lakes is a major issue, but can they be controlled? Listen in here.
Are there some bass that you will never catch? It turn's out that is scientific evidence that this might be occurring. Find out here.
From the second largest lake in the world to some impressive ecology, we will cover all about the African Great Lakes in this episode.
Texas well owners have found some potential healing properties, but are they real or imaginary. Today we will cover the crazy well.
Tracking Drug usage throughout a population is hard, and some have turned to tracking usage in wastewater. We will find out how in this episode.
The Great London Cholera Outbreak hit the broad street pump of Soho area hard. But luckily a John Snow is on the case. Learn how he tracked the spread of disease throughout the area.
Wastewater may seem bland, but it serves a vital part in society. So how does this process work? In part one we will cover the wastewater process of modern day.
Algal blooms cause harm to society through toxins and other impairments, but have blooms always caused these issues? Listen here to see the evidence as to how algal blooms may have impacted entire past civilizations.
Sea Monkeys are the classic pets that has spanned decades, but the backstory of this icon is a little on the darker side. Listen in to find out this story!
Winter can be tough for any animal, but it seems especially so for freshwater fish. Trapped under the ice, with little food, plant growth, and oxygen make lake life in winter a seemly destitute environment. So how do fish in lakes and ponds survive? As it turns out there are four main factors that fish need to overcome to survive harsh winter Including:
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Thermal stress
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Starvation
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Predation
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Disease
If a fish can overcome these four factors and oxygen depletion (which we are not going to cover in this article), their likelihood of survival over winter is pretty high. We will cover each of these four topics in this article.
Bass fishing can be both an art and a science. On the science side of the things, are there lures that bass can perceive by sight, smell, or sound? We will cover each of these to find what fisherman should be appealing to to catch the biggest bass.
Winterkill is an umbrella term to describe fish die-offs that can occur during the winter months in lakes and ponds. Typically die-offs occur when dissolved oxygen under the ice becomes too low for fish to survive. This article will describe the science of winterkill, the long-lasting effects they have on lakes, and tips to prevent it from occurring.
Salamanders comes in all shapes and sizes. We will cover both the biology of salamanders and their place in the history books.
During the winter months, when ice and snow begins to accumulate, many northern states salt roads, driveways, and walkways to melt ice and keep public areas safe to drivers and pedestrians. As it turns out, A LOT of salt is needed to people safe. For example, it is estimated that the state of Michigan applies anywhere from 343,000 to 759,248 TONs of salt on their roads each winter.
Salting has increased the safety of icy areas, but aquatic research suggests that road salt has begun to make its way into freshwater lakes and rivers, slowly making these areas saltier and therefore less ideal to fish and aquatic organisms. In this podcast, we will discus what road salt is, dive into the effects salt has on freshwater ecosystems, and see what researchers have found as alternative methods to protect the public in winter.
Did you know that the Cuyahoga River, Ohio caught fire at least a dozen times. Check out the story in this week's podcast
Large cargo freighters are not just for oceans, but can be seen on the Great Lakes. Transporting massive amounts of raw goods from the Midwest to the eastern U.S. and vice versa is a method greatly benefiting the United States. But this mode of transport is not without risk. Such is the case of the Edmund Fitzgerald who was lost to Lake Superior in a strong November storm in 1975. This podcast will cover the cargo industry of the Great Lakes and the sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald.
Salt lakes occur throughout the world, but will they remain? Today we will do a deep dive into the rise and fall of the Salton Sea in California.
Sometimes in history, a bazar set of circumstances spurs on events not observed before or after a certain point in time. Such is the case of the pearl and shell button ‘gold rush’ that gripped the upper Mississippi River starting in 1890 and continued into the turn of the century.
This podcast will cover the rise and fall of the freshwater pearl and shell button industry that was built on the back of the humble freshwater mussel.
Crayfish come in all shapes and sizes, even giant sized. Today Matt tells us crayfish facts, stories, and the crayfish aquaculture industry with its roots in Louisiana.
Lead is harmful to human health, so why did it get in our drinking water infrastructure in the first place. Listen to this weeks episode describing why lead was used in drinking water piping and the ways that it can go wrong like in Flint, MI
Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances – known commonly as PFAS – are a suite of synthetic chemicals used to make consumer items such as non-stick cookware, food packaging, clothing, and furniture. Concern for PFAS has increased as these chemicals are found to not break down in the environment - thereby giving them the name of forever chemicals – and have been linked to certain cancers in humans.
A recent study has estimated that over 200 million Americans have been exposed to PFAS through drinking water sources. And further research suggest that PFAS are found in aquatic organism like fish, and can bioaccumulate up to humans once the fish are eaten, much like mercury bioaccumulation (see our recent article on mercury pollution in fish here).
This guide was made to help you understand where PFAS comes from, its effect on human health, and how freshwater sources and aquatic organisms can both be pathways for humans to become exposed to PFAS. We have also provided you a summary at the bottom of this article to get you up to speed faster.
We are getting close to Thanksgiving! What better way to celebrate than with a story on Phoenix's Water Thanksgiving! Ever heard of it? Well find out more here.
Invasive Carp Like Bighead and Silver Carp are huge problems in some US waterways. So how did they get here and are there any ways to stop them. Find out more in this weeks episode.
What doe Eagles and Water Quality have in common. As it turns out, more than you think. Check out this podcast where Matt describes the mystery of dying eagles and the unique findings researchers made on the topic.
From kids fishing a local pond to multi-day ocean charters, recreational fishing is a pastime enjoyed by many. In fact, the American Sportfishing Association (2019) reported that recreational fishing is the second most popular activity after jogging with one in six Americans fishing yearly; that is 49.4 million anglers. There are more anglers than people who play golf (23.8 million participants) and tennis (18.1 million) combined.
With this angling popularity comes an economic stimulus to local communities near quality fishing areas. The American Sportfishing Association (2019) reported the recreational fishing economy (both inland and sea fishing) generates a $129 billion in economic output yearly in the United States.
In this podcast, we will break down what all makes up this $129 Billion dollar fishing industry, and will go into detail regarding the many facets of the recreational fishing economy such as tournament fishing and the top five freshwater fish species that people spend money on.
Can community based conservation succeed in preserving freshwater resources? Check out how Brazilian community conservation has kept valuable Arapaima population thriving for all to enjoy.
In April 2022, a Kentucky man was sentenced to one year of prison because of harvesting a sturgeon illegally. The Rolling Stones also reported in April on California police officers uncovering an illegal sturgeon poaching ring when authorities discovered a 7-foot still-living sturgeon in the back of a suspect’s gray hatchback during a traffic stop. Although no one in the California sturgeon bust has been sentenced yet, it is expected that suspects will receive harsh sentences.
So why are people catching sturgeon without a licenses and out of season, and, why are they going to jail for a seemingly long time for just fishing outside of a state’s regulations? The answer to this is complicated, and we will get into it, but in short, these individuals aren't just fishing for sturgeon, but for their roe (eggs). These eggs can be turned into caviar, which can be sold on the black market for high prices. In this article, we will discuss the history of both the legal and illegal caviar trade and why individuals risk it all to obtain this lucrative fish product.
Climate change is impacting many facets of life, but how will change freshwater sports fishing. Luckily research has looked into this and have found some surprising facts. Listen here.
Los Angeles water was not always what it once was, but with the help of a few key individuals, and an aqueduct, the city has grown to one of the largest in the US. However, the creation of the Aqueduct was not without issues. Listen in to hear the story of the LA water wars.
Changing Climates will have a big impact on freshwater fisheries, but will some populations survive? Tune in to see what the scientific literature shows.
This podcast will describe the differences between cleanwater, greywater, and blackwater, and cover how these water classifications can both reduce the stress humans put on the freshwater environments as well as save taxpayers money.
Dam structures date as far back as 2900 BCE in ancient Egypt. Since then over 800,000 dams have been built worldwide, according to the International Rivers Network. In the United States, alone, nearly 84,000 dams of various sizes are currently in use, impounding about 17% of the nation’s rivers. This article aims to summarize the pros and cons of dam construction as well as dam removal.
Raising and keeping Koi fish is not your average hobby. In the 2017 all Japan Koi show, the most expensive Koi fish ever sold was transacted at a whopping $1.8 million. The Koi fish trade has a vibrant and wealthy history that spans from Japan in the 1700s to hobbyists partaking in all parts of the world today. This hobby has grown to be more than just raising fish as food or as a pastime, but is ingrained in some cultures with deep meaning and symbolism for many. Bloodlines of these fish can also span hundreds of years, demonstrating just how important this hobby is. In this article, we’re going to cover the history of the Koi fish trade from its beginnings in Japanese rice ponds to what it has become today. Let’s get started.
Freshwater mussels are a diverse group of bivalves (specifically, the family Unionidae) that inhabit lakes, rivers, and streams worldwide. Unionidae includes roughly 890 species that call global freshwater systems home. Despite being so widespread, the fascinating life history of freshwater mussels is still quite unknown to most of the general public. This article aims to be a one-stop-shop for all things mussels!
Even if you’re not a water quality professional, there’s a good chance you’ve heard about E. coli. From food poisoning to beach closures, these bacteria can be a major health issue to humans. In this article, we are going to focus on E. coli and it impacts to water quality and water resource management. Although a commonly measured water quality parameter, the topic of E. coli management in aquatic systems in a lot more complicated than you might think.
On the night of August 23rd 1986, residence around Lake Nyos in Northwest Cameroon reported hearing a rumbling. Out of eyesight, a bubbling 330 ft geyser out of the lake spewed a strong white mist that began to cover the surrounding lowland areas. The mist soon spanned to a radius of 16 miles affecting villages and farmland. Individuals caught in the mist lost consciousness and some died outright. Over the following days, a total 1,746 people and 3,500 livestock were found dead. Survivors of the aftermath were treated at local hospitals for asphyxiation and the bubble-like lesions on their skin. Around lake Nyos, little evidence of the incident could be found, except for a small landslide on one bank and the once clear blue water which had turned a clay red.
So what happened to the communities around lake Nyos? Unfortunately few survivors were left to tell the tale, leaving a team scientists to piece together what happened. In this article, we will cover the lake science of the indecent.
Fish size limits are a vital method to preserve freshwater fisheries world wide. Check out this episode where we discuss the history of size limits and how their use preserves vital age classes in fisheries so populations can thrive.
The early stages of fish larvae are wildly difficult. From predators, disease, finding food, and maintaining proper development, it is no wonder that fish produce many offspring as the chances of larval survival are extremely low. In fact, fish have one of the highest mortality rates of any vertebrate animal. Due to this extreme mortality rate, some researchers have devoted whole careers to determine what makes one fish live while another dies. And what they found is quite fascinating.