News & Stories | Water Alliance

Aerial view of a university campus showing a brick academic building in the foreground, a tall bell tower, tree-lined walkways, and surrounding campus buildings in spring.

Student documentary on the Great Lakes gains global film festival recognition

A 10-minute student-produced environmental documentary about the Great Lakes is already drawing attention from three film festivals, with more expected.

An orange and white road closed barrier sign stands in floodwater on a submerged road, with a no right turn sign partially visible and flooded trees in the background.

When flooding hits, MSU Extension is here to help

Whether you’re a homeowner, farmer, parent or concerned community leader, MSU Extension offers trusted support during severe weather.

MSU PhD Student Partners with Nepal, Thailand on Wastewater Monitoring Project

Emilia Emerson has turned research that began during her master’s into an international collaboration with professors in Nepal and Thailand.

A swollen, murky river seen through bare winter trees, with a green grassy field partially submerged in the background under an overcast sky.

Will my turf recover from recent flooding?

Recent rainfall events caused flooding on golf courses, lawns and other turf areas. Depending on how long the turf was submerged and whether soil deposition occurred will determine whether turf survives.

A large school of silver fish swimming together in clear blue water, viewed from below at an angle showing the density and movement of the group.

Fisheries and Wildlife 2026 Graduate Fellowship Award Winners

The Department of Fisheries and Wildlife is pleased to announce the 2026 award winners for its graduate fellowships. Congratulations to all award winners for this amazing accomplishment!

Promotional banner for the Smart Drainage in Practice Workshop, co-hosted by Michigan State University Extension and The Ohio State University Extension in conjunction with the Conservation Drainage Network Annual Meeting, featuring a photo of a drainage ditch beside an agricultural field.

Smart drainage in practice: A hands‑on conservation drainage workshop

Get hands-on training in automated controlled drainage systems and conservation drainage decision-support tools.

Joan Rose Awarded 2026 Lee Kuan Yew Water Prize for Pioneering Work in Water Safety

Professor Joan Rose, the Homer Nowlin Chair in Water Research at MSU and director of the MSU Water Alliance, has been named the 2026 recipient of the Lee Kuan Yew Water Prize (LKYWP).

MSU Student Wins ADDY Award, Collaborates with Filmmaker Kalyanee Mam

Alva Nguyen, a communicator with the MSU Water Alliance, received the 2026 Judge’s Choice Award from the American Advertising Federation (AAF) Lansing for his short film River Has No Borders.

Aerial view of green agricultural crop rows stretching across a landscape with a small water retention pond or wetland area visible among the fields, bordered by a tree line in the background.

Repairing your flood-damaged fields

Heavy rains and flooding have left many farm fields in need of physical repair. Along with debris, the flood waters may have deposited sand and silt drifts that could vary from just a few inches to nearly one foot deep.

WaterCube NRT Fellows Attend National Science Foundation Annual Meeting

WaterCube NRT trainees Autumn Bland and Rui Li represented MSU at the National Science Foundation (NSF) Research Traineeship Annual Meeting, Mar. 23-24, 2026.

Flooded rural property showing murky brown water surrounding trees and reaching a house in the background, with bare trees and remnants of snow visible on a grey winter day.

Heavy rains in northwest Michigan have resulted in flooding

Many orchards across northwest Michigan are impassable due to standing water in orchards. Growers are concerned about covering for early disease control with the excess water in the orchard.

MSU Student Poetry Finds a Permanent Home at Tollgate Drain Wetlands

Community members gathered at UrbanBeat in Old Town, Lansing to celebrate the permanent installation of six winning poems at Ingham County’s Tollgate Drain Wetlands.