Rice Lake USGS Office to Close Next Year Under DOGE Cuts

HAYWARD, Wis (WHSM) – A Rice Lake U.S. Geological Survey office is set to close next year as the Department of Government Efficiency terminates a number of leases.

The office is operated by the agency’s Upper Midwest Water Science Center. Staffers are responsible for maintaining streamgages in the region, which provide data on water flow and quality.

According to a Wisconsin Examiner report, staffers from the office found out it would be closing when their landlords told them that their lease would not be renewed. Agency officials say the closure of the office will not affect their mission, but staffers say it will harm their ability to collect water quality data efficiently.

The data is used to help policymakers understand the current state of Wisconsin’s waterways in an effort to better inform legislation, as well as plans for bridges and dams.

Monitoring water quality has been a major focus in the Northwest Wisconsin region in recent years. Earlier this year the Rice Lake City Council finalized plans to improve water and sanitary sewer mains in the area. In St. Croix County, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will hold a public hearing on two dam removal projects along the Kinnickinnic River to prevent further degradation. The City of Eau Claire is spending millions on PFAS remediation in the water supply and Dunn County is also offering free well water testing.

The Rice Lake office’s lease is scheduled to end next July. Another USGS office in Mounds View, Minnesota is also expected to close when their lease expires.