Wisconsin Geological and Natural History Survey

Wisconsin Geological and Natural History Survey
Name	Wisconsin Geological and Natural History Survey
Established	1839
Headquarters	Madison, Wisconsin
Parent agency	University of Wisconsin–Madison

Wisconsin Geological and Natural History Survey is a state scientific agency associated with University of Wisconsin–Madison that documents geology and natural history across Wisconsin through mapping, research, and public services. Its work intersects with institutions such as the United States Geological Survey, National Park Service, Smithsonian Institution, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and partners including University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee, Marquette University, Harvard University, University of Minnesota, and Iowa State University. The Survey maintains collections, publishes maps and reports, and supports resource management used by entities like Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, American Geophysical Union, and Geological Society of America.

History

The Survey originated during territorial development when figures such as John C. Frémont, Alexander Ramsey, Increase A. Lapham, Cadwallader C. Washburn and Hans Mattson influenced early natural resource documentation, paralleling institutions such as the New York State Museum, Illinois State Geological Survey, Ohio Geological Survey, Michigan Geological Survey, and Minnesota Geological Survey. Throughout the 19th century the Survey worked amid events like the Black Hawk War, the expansion following the Treaty of Chicago (1833), and economic shifts tied to lead mining and lumber industry that connected to figures like Henry Dodge and Nelson Dewey. In the 20th century the Survey collaborated with federal programs including the Works Progress Administration, the Civilian Conservation Corps, and scientific mobilizations during World War II while contributing to national efforts led by the USGS and the Smithsonian Institution. Recent decades saw partnerships with agencies such as the Wisconsin Historical Society, National Science Foundation, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and nonprofit organizations including The Nature Conservancy and Audubon Society.

Organization and Governance

Administratively hosted by University of Wisconsin–Madison, the Survey operates within university structures alongside departments like the UW–Madison Department of Geoscience, UW–Madison Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies, Wisconsin Geological and Natural History Survey Board, and interacts with state offices such as the Wisconsin Legislature, Governor of Wisconsin, Wisconsin Department of Administration, and Wisconsin Department of Transportation. Governance involves oversight by academic directors, advisory councils including representatives from American Association of Petroleum Geologists, Association of American State Geologists, Society of Vertebrate Paleontology, and liaisons with federal entities such as the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and U.S. Geological Survey. Funding and statutory authority derive from state statutes, university budgets, grants from institutions like the National Science Foundation, contracts with the Environmental Protection Agency, and cooperative agreements with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

Research and Programs

Survey research spans topics such as stratigraphy, glacial geology, hydrogeology, paleontology, seismology, and geohazards with active programs on groundwater studies linked to Great Lakes issues, bedrock mapping related to the Midcontinent Rift System, and surficial mapping that informs management of resources impacted by Wisconsin River, Lake Michigan, Lake Superior, Fox River (Wisconsin), and Menomonee River. Collaborative projects involve institutions like United States Geological Survey, National Park Service, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point, Carleton College, and industry partners including ExxonMobil, Chevron, and Barr Engineering. The Survey conducts paleontological fieldwork at sites connected to the Cretaceous and Pleistocene records with specimen exchanges involving Field Museum of Natural History, Peabody Museum of Natural History, and Royal Ontario Museum. Programs address hazards coordinated with Federal Emergency Management Agency, climate studies in concert with National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and geochemical analysis supported by collaborations with Argonne National Laboratory and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.

Publications and Maps

The Survey issues reports, bulletins, and geologic maps that are widely used by agencies such as the U.S. Geological Survey, planners at the Wisconsin Department of Transportation, engineers at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and academics at institutions like University of Wisconsin–Madison and University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee. Series include county geologic maps, groundwater assessments, and paleontological monographs comparable to publications from the Geological Society of America, American Geophysical Union, USGS Professional Papers, and state surveys including the Minnesota Geological Survey. Historic and modern map products inform stakeholders like City of Milwaukee, City of Madison, Wisconsin, Dane County, Wisconsin, and regional utilities including Alliant Energy, WE Energies, and municipal water authorities. The Survey maintains digital geospatial datasets compatible with platforms used by Esri, National Map, and research repositories at DataONE.

Educational Outreach and Public Services

Outreach includes school programs coordinated with Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, public lectures in partnership with Wisconsin Historical Society, field trips for groups from Boy Scouts of America, Girl Scouts of the USA, and teacher workshops aligned with standards from National Science Teachers Association, Next Generation Science Standards, and university courses at University of Wisconsin–Madison. The Survey offers expertise to municipalities such as Milwaukee, Green Bay, La Crosse, Wisconsin, and conservation organizations including The Nature Conservancy, Wisconsin Land Trust Council, and Rural Wisconsin Health Cooperative. Public services include groundwater testing used by U.S. Environmental Protection Agency programs, sinkhole assessments for county governments, and fossil identification services supporting collectors who consult museums like the Milwaukee Public Museum and Wisconsin Historical Museum.

Facilities and Collections

Collections and facilities include core repositories, fossil collections, thin section libraries, and geochemical archives housed in facilities on the University of Wisconsin–Madison campus and shared spaces with the Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene, Wisconsin Historical Society Museum Services Center, and labs affiliated with Lawrence University and St. Norbert College. Specimens and cores are curated with cataloging standards comparable to the Smithsonian Institution and exchanged with museums such as the Field Museum, Peabody Museum, and Royal Ontario Museum. Laboratory capabilities support radiometric dating, petrographic analysis, and stable isotope work in collaboration with Argonne National Laboratory, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, and university mass spectrometry facilities.

Category:Geological surveys Category:University of Wisconsin–Madison institutions Category:Natural history museums and collections in Wisconsin