Aquatic Invasive Species Snapshot Day 2026

Event Information

Date

August 8th, 2026

Time

8:30am - 12:30pm

Cost

Free

A dark blue square in the upper left hand corner with white text. The right half side of the graphic is an orange shape of Wisconsin state. Blue dots with black binoculars in them mark locations of the 2026 Snapshot Day events. In the lower left hand side there is a group photo of people standing outside on a sunny day.

Join the statewide search for aquatic invasive species!

An Overview of Snapshot Day

Snapshot Day is a statewide, one-day event connecting volunteers, water lovers, and local conservation groups in a search for aquatic invasive species (AIS). You can help protect Wisconsin’s rivers, lakes, and wetlands from these invasive plants and animals that may negatively impact habitat, wildlife, recreation and health. This event is coordinated in partnership with UW-Madison Division of Extension, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, local partners, and YOU!

Check out our results from 2025! And for an even more detailed look at Snapshot Day, check out our volunteer handbook.

What You’ll Do

You will meet at a local training site of your choosing, hosted by one of our local partners. After a short training on how to identify target aquatic invasive species and how to follow search protocols, volunteers will look for invasive species at critical monitoring sites, and potential invasive species will be verified and cataloged with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources to guide species control and conservation management plans. This is a free event and no experience or special equipment is required.

This is event is recommended for ages 8 and up; minors must be accompanied by an adult.

Sample Schedule

8:30 AM – 9:00 AM Sign in at your Snapshot Day location and receive monitoring site assignments.

9:00 AM – 9:30 AM Brief training tailored to your monitoring sites.

9:30 AM – 11:30 AM Search for aquatic invasive species at monitoring sites.

11:30 AM – 12:30 PM Return to your Snapshot Day training location to report your finds!

*Times may vary slightly by location

Locations

Beloit, WI
Cedarburg, WI
Chippewa Falls, WI
Crandon, WI
Elkhart Lake, WI
Elkhorn, WI
Ellsworth, WI
Hartland, WI
Kewaunee, WI
Lake Tomahawk, WI
Luck, WI (event will take place on August 7th)
Madison, WI
Manitowish Waters, WI

Mountain, WI
Palmyra, WI
Racine, WI
Richland Center, WI
Roberts, WI
Shiocton, WI
Spring Green, WI
Sturgeon Bay, WI
Tomahawk, WI
Trempealeau, WI
Turtle Lake, WI (event will take place on August 7th)
West Bend, WI

Event Background

Snapshot Day began in 2014 and was originally organized by River Alliance of Wisconsin. Snapshot Day is currently organized by University of Wisconsin-Madison Division of Extension in close partnership with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR). Funding is provided by the WDNR. Snapshot Day is held in coordination with Starry Trek, an AIS search event held in Minnesota on the same day, hosted by Minnesota Aquatic Invasive Species Research Center and University of Minnesota Extension.