Surface Water Integrated Monitoring System (SWIMS) Database
The Surface Water Integrated Monitoring System (SWIMS) is a DNR system that holds chemistry (water, sediment, fish tissue) data, physical data, biological (macroinvertebrate, aquatic invasives) data and more. SWIMS is the state's repository of monitoring data for Clean Water Act work and is the source of data sharing through the Water Quality Exchange Network [exit DNR].
Department fisheries and water quality biologists use the system to locate monitoring stations, store water quality data and link to fisheries datasets housed at the U.S. Geological Survey. SWIMS is also used by citizen volunteers to store monitoring results for lakes, streams and wetlands.
To meet Department development standards, the SWIMS user interface has undergone a redesign. Along with meeting these development standards, the additional goals of this redesign are to update SWIMS with a modern look, create a standardize layout, and to allow users to do and manage more in the SWIMS database.
Timeline for the SWIMS User Interface Transition
- March 2023: New SWIMS user interface links become available to the general user (The old UI will still be available and accessible at this time)
- May 2023: Users will be automatically directed to use the new SWIMS UI
- June 2023: Full transition to the new SWIMS UI
Please contact DNR SWIMS staff if you have any questions on this new interface or this user interface transition.
Access the system
- NEW SWIMS interface link: https://apps.dnr.wi.gov/swims/
- General non-DNR users log in with your WAMS ID and Password
- DNR Users log in with your WAMS ID and Password
- Help and tips for using SWIMS
Volunteers
Data in SWIMS
River and stream data in SWIMS
SWIMS holds a wide variety of river and streams data, including baseline, targeted and evaluation monitoring, grant projects, grant final reports and river/watershed planning work.
Monitoring data
- Baseflow Monitoring
- Continuous Meter Data
- Large Rivers Studies
- Streams Tech Team Report Links
- Tier I Rivers Projects
- Tier I Streams Projects
- Tier I Watershed Projects
- Tier II & III Special Project Monitoring
- Tier III Polluted Runoff Monitoring
- Use Designation, Assessments
Grants
River grants and associated data includes:
Great Lakes data in SWIMS
SWIMS holds a variety of Great Lakes data, including monitoring, grants and planning data for tributaries to the Great Lakes. A tremendous number of stakeholders and partners also monitor and store data for the Great Lakes including the USGS, Metropolitan Treatment Plants (Green Bay, Milwaukee), Army Corps of Engineers and many others.
Monitoring data
Great Lakes monitoring data includes:
- tributary studies that evaluate contaminant transport loads to Areas of Concern;
- sediment evaluations to determine transport paths and depositional areas;
- evaluations of specific areas for habitat restoration, evaluation or protection; and
- research studies to examine and describe the extent of large-scale issues such as Cladophora in the Great Lakes.
Grants
Great Lakes grant data includes:
- Great Lakes Protection Fund projects;
- Capacity Grants for Area of Concern; and
- Great Lakes Restoration Initiative.