Illinois Featured Content

  • Building a living, floating laboratory on a lake

    Oct 15, 2025 8:45 am by Erin Bauer | Research Scientist, Illinois State Water SurveyBehind the Scenes
    Various wetland plant species are planted in a carefully arranged pattern. As the plants grow, their roots sprout new shoots that spread through the coir into the surrounding water. Photo courtesy City of Decatur

    Images

    • Various wetland plant species are planted in a carefully arranged pattern. As the plants grow, their roots sprout new shoots that spread through the coir into the surrounding water. Photo courtesy City of Decatur

    'These living laboratories will help us investigate how floating wetlands may affect nutrient levels and sediment dynamics in lake systems nationwide.'