The Maitland Valley Conservation Authority is seeking to complete a land survey for a Lake Huron shoreline hazard update in Ontario. Read the full story by the Shoreline Beacon.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210226-mvca-mapping
University of Windsor researchers have received a grant of more than $1 million to collect data and lay the groundwork for establishing an early-warning system to protect water treatment systems in Southwestern Ontario from harmful algal blooms. Read the full story by the Windsor Star.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210226-habs-funding
Waukegan’s $9 million renovation of its century-old water plant, which almost doubled its output capacity, was recently recognized as one of the top projects of 2020 by a multistate professional organization. Read the full story by the Chicago Tribune.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210226-water-plant
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Office of National Marine Sanctuaries will consider the Lake Erie Quadrangle for national marine sanctuary designation until Feb. 22, 2026, according to a news release issued Thursday. Read the full story by Lake Erie News Now.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210226-erie-designation
Two guys decided to have a little fun on Lake Superior Wednesday. Video captured up the North Shore past Brighton Beach of two guys in their wet suits hopping from ice chunk to ice chunk. Read the full story by KQDS-TV- Duluth, MN.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210225-superior-ice-chunks
Three Wisconsin roads have received new National Scenic Byway designations from the Federal Highway Administration, cementing them as some of the state’s best places for scenic drives. The Wisconsin Lake Superior Scenic Byway and Door County Coastal Byway have both been declared National Scenic Byways. Read the full story by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210225-wisconsin-routes
The National Park Service is proceeding with plans to rehabilitate seawalls at Perry’s Victory and International Peace Memorial after determining the work will have no significant environmental impact. Read the full story by the Toledo Blade.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210225-memorial-seawalls
Due to westerly winds and above-freezing temperatures, ice has been breaking away from Lake Michigan. On Monday, WGN’s tower camera on top of the Hancock Center captured ice floes breaking away from the shore. Read the full story by KXAN-TV- Chicago, IL.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210225-ice-breaking
Historic Fishtown, one of northwest Lower Michigan’s scenic gems, is highlighted in a new video advertisement for Carhartt and Guinness. The two brands collaborated for a St. Patrick’s Day-themed piece that highlights hard work, a wintry northern Michigan vibe and St. Patrick’s Day. Read the full story by the Traverse City Record-Eagle.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210225-fishtown
Cleanup on the Kalamazoo River is about to begin after a repair project on the Morrow Dam allowed sediment to wash miles downstream. Survey crews were working along the river on Wednesday and the project could start as soon as this weekend. Read the full story by WOOD-TV- Kalamazoo, MI.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210225-river-sediment
Although several local, regional and Great Lakes-centric walleye plans exist, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources has drafted the first statewide walleye plan focused on inland waters — and is asking the public’s help in finalizing it. Read the full story by the Iron Mountain Daily News.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210225-walleye-plan
Legislation to simplify seawall permitting during high water periods on the Great Lakes and codify the state’s authority to regulate beach structures set off conflicts between Republicans who are upset the bill no longer allow property owners to install erosion protections without getting a permit. Read the full story by MLive.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210223-thunder-bay
An old amusement park in Ohio will see new life as a public park and wetland as it is repurposed to help reduce algal blooms from Chippewa Lake, Ohio’s largest glacial lake. The project is supported by the H2Ohio initiative. Read the full story by the Great Lakes Echo.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210224-ohio-amusement-park
American shipping companies operating the U.S. Great Lakes fleet will invest nearly $87 million at shipyards and facilities across the region this year, according to new figures released by the Lake Carriers’ Association. Annual maintenance work to the U.S. “laker” vessels allows ships that are 40 and 50 years old, or even older, to continue to sail the Great Lakes. Read the full story by Lake Superior News.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210224-laker-upgrades
The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency wants to change the rules on water quality to increase the agency’s flexibility in classifying water quality as degraded. The rule changes are supported by numerous industry groups but have been opposed by environmental and tribal stakeholders. Read the full story by MinnPost.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210224-mn-wq-rules
The Nature Conservancy began work on an ecosystem restoration project in Ohio. The 280-acre Sandhill Crane Wetlands project will restore a portion of the historic Irwin Wet Prairie, which played a role in naturally treating nutrient runoff into nearby streams which led to Lake Erie. Read the full story by WTOL-TV — Toledo, OH.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210224-sandhill-crane-wetland
Canadian federal investments to upgrade water infrastructure in First Nation communities do not require that engineers consider and mitigate climate change-related risks, risking infrastructure failures during extreme weather that would limit indigenous communities’ access to safe drinking water. Read the full story by Canada’s National Observer.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210224-1st-nations-water
Restored pine logs from Michigan’s 19th century logging boom were recovered from the bottom of Muskegon Lake and are now being turned into high-end electric guitars used by rock stars like the Rolling Stones and Aerosmith. Read the full story by WZZM-TV — Grand Rapids, MI.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210224-rock-on-muskegon
Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers is looking to boost state funds to address and monitor PFAS contamination across Wisconsin in his budget, targeting so-called “forever chemicals” that have been found in all five of Madison’s lakes. Read the full story by The Capital Times.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210224-pfas-wisc
Ice coverage on Lake Superior means that fishermen must adapt their fishing methods and use snowmobiles to reach their fishing nets set out on the frozen lake. Read the full story by the Daily Mail.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210224-snowmobile-fishing
The shipyard in Thunder Bay was purchased in 2017 and became part of the Heddle trajectory of growth from Hamilton, Newfoundland, Thunder Bay and then Port Weller in St. Catherine, opening what Ted Kirkpatrick, Heddle’s director of business, called a “good fit.” Read the full story by the Thunder Bay Chronicle Journal.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210223-thunder-bay
With diving the warmer waters of international tropical destinations off the table this year and Humber Bay now the only water not frozen over, this is where Mark has been heading for weekly dives. And he figures he might as well help with some trash clean-up while he’s down there. Read the full story by blogTO.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210223-toronto
When the sun came out Sunday and there was a hint of temperatures above freezing, people returned to Presque Isle State park to venture onto frozen Presque Isle Bay or explore wave dunes along the lake. Read the full story by Pittsburgh Magazine.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210223-presque-isle
There was a big drop in Great Lakes ice extent on Monday. The Great Lakes as a whole dropped from 42.9% to 34.6%. This was mainly due to brisk winds breaking up the ice and we may have seen our greatest ice extent this winter. Read the full story by WOOD-TV- Grand Rapids, MI.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210223-ice-break-up
Just over a year ago, the now-famous English Bulldog named ‘Tuff’ fell through the ice, but was saved thanks to the South Milwaukee Fire Department. Following Tuff’s rescue, the fire department launched a fundraiser to purchase water rescue equipment and to make a donation to the K9 for Warriors organization. Read the full story by WTMJ-TV- Milwaukee, WI.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210223-fire-department
The recent cold spell has meant ice fishing at more lakes in Michigan. Some anglers go after a tiny fish called smelt in the cold water. In the past, people went after them during spawning runs using dip nets. But smelt populations have crashed. Read the full story by the Associated Press.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210223-smelt-population
Anglers and researchers are noticing a number of changes on inland lakes in the upper Midwest. Sometimes you can’t catch the fish you always found in your favorite lake in the past. Read the full story by Great Lakes Now.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210223-ice-fishing
The Lake Huron shore is currently lined with inviting mountains of ice and snow, but residents should never attempt to climb on them, warns Sarnia Deputy Fire Chief. The hills may appear solid but they aren’t. Read the full story by The Sarnia Journal.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210223-shore-ice
In 2014 and 2015 the Apostle Islands Ice Caves drew thousands of people to the icy shores of Lake Superior. However, despite the recent cold snap, the National Park Service says the lake ice isn’t stable enough to allow people to view the ice caves. Opportunities to view the ice caves from frozen Lake Superior are becoming rarer. Read the full story by WXPR-Rhinelander, WI.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210223-apostle-island
Officials say they believe they’re getting closer to the next phase of groundwater contamination testing at Pellston Regional Airport in Pellston Michigan. Once completed, the testing will help experts understand the level of danger to Pellston residents and necessary strategies to mitigate the problem. Read the full story by the Cheboygan Daily Tribune.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210223-pfas
Some residents in southwestern Michigan and the Detroit area will get plumbing repairs in their homes as part of Michigan’s Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy’s “Water Leak Pilot” program, which is a new initiative to reduce water waste. Read the full story by the Associated Press.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210223-water-waste
Erie County in Pennsylvania is renewing its efforts to have the waters of Lake Erie classified as a national marine sanctuary, a designation that would protect 76.6 miles of shoreline, 759 square miles of the lake’s central basin, and more than 100 shipwreck sites. Read the full story by the Erie Times-News.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210222-erie-sanctuary
The State University of New York and officials at the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation & Historic Preservation were awarded almost $25,000 to use genetics to identify and restore native beach grass along Lake Ontario. Read the full story by the Great Lakes Echo.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210222-dune-grass
Low-income neighborhoods and communities of color bear the burden of pollution and endure inadequate public services like water and sewer. These are environmental injustices, and President Joe Biden came into office pledging to correct them. Read the full story by Great Lakes Now.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210222-environmental-justice
Georgian Bay Islands National Park is gearing up for the second active season of a fight against an aggressive reed that has been called the country’s worst invasive plant: Phragmites. Read the full story by the National Parks Traveler.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210222-invasive-phragmites
The U.S. and Canadian Coast Guards continue to cooperate in the mouth of the St. Clair River as it flows into Lake Huron, to both break ice and provide commercial vessel escorts in the shipping canal. Read the full story by the Voice News.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210222-icebreaking
The recent cold snap impacts invasive species in different ways. Read the full story by the WXPR – Wausau, WI.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210222-invasive-species
An Ontarian argues that the administrative decision of the United States to block the Keystone XL pipeline will have a negative impact on the provinces of Ontario and Quebec. Read the full story by the Toronto Sun.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210222-pipelines
The National Museum of the Great Lakes is celebrating Women’s History Month a week early with a new virtual lecture series called, ‘Ladies of the Light: Michigan Women in the U.S. Lighthouse Service’ that will honor women and their role in the industry. Read the full story by WTOL-TV – Toledo, OH.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210222-lighthouse-lecture
A surfer from New York can be found riding the waves of Lake Ontario, even in the dead of winter. Read the full story by the Rochester City Newspaper.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210222-ontario-surfer
As Michigan’s ice fishing season comes to an end, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources has set ice shanty removal deadlines for the state, beginning with Lake St. Clair this past weekend. Read the full story by WJRT-TV – Flint, MI.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210222-ice-fishing
As we approach the end of our cold spell, people won’t have many more chances to hit Lake Erie for some ice fishing. The popular winter hobby has drawn hundreds over the past two weeks. Read the full story by WTOL-TV – Toledo, OH.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210219-ice-fishing-erie
Deep winter snow and prolonged ice cover on Upper Peninsula inland lakes can create conditions that present unique habitat challenges to fish. Staffers from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources Fisheries Division annually survey lakes in late winter to determine if habitat variables are suitable for survival of fish stocked. Read the full story by the Iron Mountain Daily News.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210219-breathing-ice
Salt-speckled sidewalks, driveways and highways are synonymous with winter in the Great Lakes region. But while road salt is highly effective at deicing surfaces, the safety that salt provides for humans places a heavy burden on freshwater ecosystems. Read the full story by Michigan Radio.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210219-road-salt
Wisconsin and the rest of the nation have endured frigid temperatures in recent weeks, but officials with the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore say it won’t be enough for the ice caves to form on Lake Superior this winter. The park announced the ice caves would remain closed for the remainder of the season. Read the full story by Wisconsin Public Radio.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210219-ice-caves
In a deeply personal project, Detroit photographer and writer Amy Sacka combines black-and-white images, evocative words and family memories to appreciate ice fishing and its hardy enthusiasts. Read the full story by Deadline Detroit.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210219-last-ice
Nestlé Waters North America and its controversial Ice Mountain bottled water operations in Michigan are being sold to a pair of New York private equity firms — and that has water advocates who’ve knocked heads with Nestlé for years, alleging environmental impacts from its water extraction, worried about what comes next. Read the full story by the Detroit Free Press.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210219-nestle
Hundreds of visitors are flocking to the shores of Lake Michigan and Lake Huron near the Straits of Mackinac to view huge piles of thick ice, which is crystal clear and features a deep blue tint. Read the full story by The Detroit News.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210219-blue-ice
In New York, there’s optimism that the north country could dodge a summer of flooding along Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River. After years of flooding and property damage, the group that controls water levels is voicing optimism for 2021. Read the full story by WWNY-TV – Watertown, NY.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210219-flooding
Arctic air has blanketed the Midwest through most of February; as a result, ice coverage over the Great Lakes has increased rapidly. Read the full story by WFRV-TV – Grand Rapids, MI.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210219-ice-cover
