The Great Lakes Fishery Commission says since the pandemic, the prevalence of sea lamprey has increased in all five Great Lakes thanks to control efforts largely being suspended at the height of COVID-19. Read the full story by Toronto City News.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20241223-lamprey-populations-rise
The U.S. National Ice Center released its 2024-2025 seasonal outlook this month, predicting slightly below to near normal ice conditions across the Great Lakes — a stark turnaround from last season’s record-breaking absence of ice. Read the full story by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20241223-ice-forecast
As colder winter weather impacts Lake Erie, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers predicts water levels in the lake will continue to drop. Read the full story by the Erie Times-News.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20241223-water-level-drop
The Rouse Simmons, a three-masted schooner, unsuccessfully attempted to carry 5,000 Christmas trees through a in a fierce blizzard near Kewaunee, Wisconsin, in 1912. Read the full story by the Windsor Star.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20241223-sunken-christmas-trees
The US Environmental Protection Agency plans to finalize more than $200 million in grant funding in the coming weeks to accelerate the clean energy transition at three Great Lakes shipping ports. Read the full story by Clean Technica.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20241216-shipping-grants
One year after the proposed Icebreaker Wind demonstration project in Lake Erie got shelved, there continues to be talk — but little movement — toward erecting commercial-scale offshore wind turbines in the Great Lakes. Read the full story by The Toledo Blade.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20241216-offshore-wind
An Enbridge Energy pipeline in Jefferson County, Wisconsin spilled nearly 70,000 gallons of crude oil underground on November 11th according to federal officials. The spill is Enbridge’s worst in Wisconsin, surpassing a 2012 incident that spilled 50,000 gallons in Adams County. Read the full story by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20241216-pipeline-leak
Joel Brammeier, CEO of Alliance for the Great Lakes, has two words for those feeling anxiety about what’s in store for the Great Lakes during the incoming Trump administration: Don’t panic. Despite expected rollbacks on key environmental initiatives, the Great Lakes region has been here before. Read the full story by The Toledo Blade.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20241216-new-administration-advice
A proposed Michigan copper mine on the shores of Lake Superior is sparking fierce debate over environmental and economic priorities, as the state’s House Appropriations Committee approved $50 million in taxpayer subsidies for the controversial project. Read the full story by Newsweek.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20241216-copper-mine
The Brandon Road Interbasin Project at the Brandon Road Lock and Dam in Michigan is designed to keep invasive carps out of the Great Lakes. It’s a half mile long underwater obstacle course containing a bubble curtain, noise emitting speakers, electrified water and a navigation lock designed to flush fish downstream. Read the full story by Bloomberg Businessweek.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20241216-carp-barrier
Michigan Democrats are considering legislation to increase fees for hunting, fishing and boating by 30% or more to raise funding for the state Department of Natural Resources whose fish and wildlife programs have endured budget cuts amid funding shortages. Read the full story by Great Lakes Now.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20241216-fee-increase
Have you ever wondered where the fish you eat comes from? Only a fraction of the fish consumed today in the Badger State is caught locally. Read the full story by the Herald Times Reporter.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20241216-commercial-fishing
Getting rid of the legacy coal ash deposits from the NRG Generating State power plant along Lake Michigan in Waukegan got a little more likely with a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision keeping the green light illuminated for enforcement of a federal regulation mandating such a cleanup. Read the full story by the Chicago Tribune
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20241216-coal-ash-ruling
Lake Michigan surface temperatures peaked at over 6 degrees above normal last month, the warmest they have been in November since 1995 when record keeping began at the National Oceanic and Atmospherec Administration. Read the full story by the Chicago Tribune.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20241216-lake-warming
A bipartisan coalition of Congressional leaders want the U.S. Government to formally oppose a Canadian plan to bury 50,000 tons of high-level nuclear waste hundreds of feet underneath the Great Lakes basin. Read the full story by WCMU – Mount Pleasant, MI.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20241122-nuclear-waste
As climate change increasingly shapes the Great Lakes region’s ecology and economy, scientists plan to use underwater robots to gather previously inaccessible data they say will help communities adapt. Read the full story by Great Lakes Echo.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20241122-underwater-robots
The Great Lakes Protection Fund recently announced the appointment of Tim Eder as Chair of its Board of Directors. Eder will help the Fund continue its mission to support innovative solutions for safeguarding the Great Lakes’ future, tackling challenges like climate resilience, invasive species and water quality. Read the full story by The Sun Times News.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20241122-new-chair
A new book by two Calvin University professors explores an ongoing effort to restore Plaster Creek, a tributary of Michigan’s Grand River, to a healthy stream worthy of its original name: “Water of the Walleye”. Read the full story by Great Lakes Echo.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20241122-restoration-book
Michigan’s Upper Peninsula may be primed for a major hydroelectric future because of its underground mining past. Scientists at Michigan Technological University in Houghton, MI believe it may be possible for hundreds of abandoned mines to be transformed into pumped water storage facilities. Read the full story by MLive.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20241122-mine-energy-storage
More than 70 townships and several counties are suing the Michigan Public Service Commission, challenging a law put in place that gives the state authority to approve big renewable energy projects without consultation with local government. Read the full story by Interlochen Public Radio.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20241122-law-challenge
The city of Buchanan, Michigan is working with the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative to redevelop the St. Joseph Riverfront to improve public access and restore the ecosystem by focusing on improving clean water, reducing runoff, and eradicating invasive species. Read the full story by WSJM – Benton Harbor, MI.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20241122-riverfront-restoration
The Great Lakes Water Authority has partnered with Focus Hope, Michigan Works, and the City of Detroit to look for apprentices to soak up valuable knowledge from their retiring workers to keep their water services running smoothly. Read the full story by WJBK – Detroit, MI.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20241122-apprenticeship-program
The Gales of November were in full force Thursday as large waves crashed into an iconic Lake Michigan pier. A ‘Gale Warning’ was in effect by the National Weather Service who advised of winds up to 50 mph with precipitation. Read the full story by MLive.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20241122-massive-waves
Where Lake Michigan and Lake Huron connect, powerful water currents rush in opposite directions over an antiquated pipeline known as Line 5. Along the pipeline’s route from Wisconsin to Ontario, via the Straits of Mackinac, more than 1 million gallons of oil have reportedly spilled in the past 50 years. Read the full story by the Chicago Tribune.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20241101-line5-disputes
A new initiative called “100% Great Lakes Fish” is seeking new ways to use whole fish to reduce waste and support rural economic development in the process. Read the full story at WOOD – Grand Rapids, MI.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20241101-fish-production
High levels of blue green algae in Lake Erie caused hundreds of thousands of people to temporarily have unavailable drinking water in 2014. A professor from Central Michigan University is developing an affordable sensor that will be able to detect blue green algae that is an issue in the Great Lakes with a decreased turn-around time for results. Read the full story by the Morning Sun.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20241101-toxin-detection
A new study has uncovered the missing science behind why some lakes around the world emit such large amounts of carbon dioxide. A chemical reaction known as calcite precipitation releases CO2 and is a common phenomenon reported in the Laurentian Great Lakes. Read the full story by Cosmos.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20241101-lakes-release-co2
The Thumb Land Conservancy, an organization devoted to preserving natural environments in the Blue Water Area, announced it has added 80 acres of dune and swale forest to a Fort Gratiot County Park in Michigan. Read the full story by the Times Herald.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20241101-conservation-land-addition
Algae blooms in the Great Lakes are becoming increasingly common. This is why a doctoral student at the Great Lakes Institute for Environmental Research chose to focus her research on how the Thames River affects downstream cyanobacteria harmful algal blooms. Read the full story by Education News Canada.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20241101-freshwater-research
The Watershed Center Grand Traverse Bay helped to gather over a dozen highly prestigious researchers and experts at the Freshwater Summit to present, network, and discuss regional issues spanning from whitefish populations to swimmer’s itch and more. Read the full story by WPBN-TV – Traverse City, MI.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20241101-invasive-species-discussions
Ever wondered what happens in an Upper Peninsula mine? Reporters went inside the Eagle nickel and copper mine in Marquette County, Michigan, to get a firsthand look at the process. Read the full story by Bridge Michigan.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20241101-up-mining
In Ohio, Sandusky’s waterfront mural captures some of Lake Erie’s best qualities including birding, fishing, sailing and sightseeing. A new landside painting pays homage to what many can see across Sandusky Bay on a typical summer’s day all year long. Read the full story by the Sandusky Register.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20241101-erie-mural
Walleye is a big deal in Minnesota, but its popularity has gotten the fish into some pretty deep water, and it might not be available forever if overfishing continues. Read the full story by Tasting Table.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20241101-walleye-overfishing
University of Toledo researchers hope to better understand how harmful algal bloom toxins affect people, especially those with health conditions like asthma. Read the full story by The Associated Press.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20241023-toxic-algae
Emerging carbon sequestration facilities in Indianna and Illinois are on the forefront of government strategies to slash fossil fuel emissions and meet climate goals. These facilities aim to permanently sequester planet-warming carbon dioxide deep underground, but if operations leak, they can pose significant risks to water resources. Read the full story by WBEZ – Chicago, IL.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20241023-carbon-storage
Nutrient runoff from agricultural fields accounts for about 80% of the nutrients that flow into Lake Erie. Farmers are working to minimize impacts by applying fertilizer pellets beneath the soil surface rather than atop where rain can wash it away. Read the full story by The Associated Press.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20241023-erie-algae
Fisheries biologists aim to help fish and other species while causing as little harm as possible in the process. On the Great Lakes, there are many guidelines and regulations in place to ensure ethical fisheries research. Read the full story by the Great Lakes Now.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20241023-fisheries-research
For now, the Environmental Protection Agency can move forward with plans to establish new, federal carbon pollution standards for power plants. A group representing businesses in the Great Lakes region said the standard change is needed and hopes for more legal victories in the future. Read the full story by WXPR – Rhinelander, WI.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20241023-carbon-rule
Last week, a Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources team began investigating the quagga mussel’s prevalence and its long-term impact in Geneva Lake. Read the full story by WUWM – Milwaukee, WI.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20241023-inland-quagga-mussels
On a foggy night 170 years ago, two ships sailing on Lake Huron collided, causing damage to both, records say. Both crews survived and today, the wooden two-masted schooners rest intact and upright at the bottom of the Great Lake. Read the full story by MLive.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20241023-sunken-ships
A former sand mining site in Ottawa County, Michigan, is now operating as a sprawling public park, open for residents to paddle the waters, explore paved paths, overlook a glistening inland lake, and even camp overnight. Read the full story by MLive.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20241023-new-park
A new webcam has been added to a shipwreck museum in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. This live video feed boasts views of the Whitefish Point Light Station, sunrises over Lake Superior, freighters, incoming storms, and even the Northern Lights. Read the full story by MLive.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20240925-lighthouse-webcam
Fisheries and Oceans Canada has a new plan to protect an endangered minnow found along the route of Ontario’s proposed Highway 413. But the federal plan falls short offering new protections for the fish. Read the full story by The Narwhal.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20240925-endangered-fish
In September of 1967, anglers poured out onto Lake Michigan in search of a new fish: salmon from the Pacific Ocean. Many people abandoned common sense in their pursuit of the fish, and some lost their lives. Read the full story by Interlochen Public Radio.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20240925-salmon-fishing
In Wisconsin’s Ashland and Bayfield counties, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will be applying lampricides to the Bad River with the goal of killing sea lamprey larvae burrowed in the stream bottom. Read the full story by Northern News Now.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20240925-lamprey-treatment
The most ambitious proposal for a marina along the Lake Erie shoreline in Hamburg, New York, includes two marinas on either side of Hoover Beach, creates small islands to protect the shore and moves Route 5 to the west. Read the full story by The Buffalo News.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20240925-marina-development
A group of Michigan State students created a play with input from experts in conservation and environmental communication. The project is part of a larger trend that blends conservation and the arts to get communities thinking about their natural areas. Read the full story by Great Lakes Echo.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20240925-theater-project
Portage Lake Garden Club members and friends cleaned up the beach at Captain John Langland Park in Onekama, Michigan, on Saturday as part of the Alliance for the Great Lake’s Adopt-a-Beach-Day. Read the full story by the Herald Review.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20240925-trash-removal
High concentrations of toxic PFAS chemicals were found in surface water foam this summer on Muskegon Lake in west Michigan. Although there are known legacy sources of PFAS in the Muskegon Lake watershed, experts say the recent increase in shoreline foaming is new and unexplained. Read the full story by MLive.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20240925-pfas-lake-foam
Jackson, Michigan, is among many communities to receive sizable state grants in a push to rehabilitate Michigan’s water infrastructure, officials said. Read the full story by MLive.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20240925-water-main-grant
