According to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Lake Superior’s water levels are sitting roughly 18 centimeters below the long-term average, and 16 centimeters below the level of a year ago. Read the full story by SNnewswatch.com.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250711-water-levels
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency contractors resumed the deployment of 8,100 tons of activated carbon used to remediate industrial pollutants along the St. Louis River – Lake Superior’s largest river – in the second phase of the $36 million project. Read the full story by the Pine Journal.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250711-river-cleanup
The National Museum of the Great Lakes in Toledo, Ohio, is connecting young people to engineering and education through a hands-on summer program that will instruct participants how to design, build and race mini-boats made from recycled material to teach about buoyancy, balance and sustainability. Read the full story by WTOL-TV – Toledo, OH.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250711-summer-program
A lake trout recently caught off Sheboygan, Wisconsin, may offer a sign of the long-term success of Great Lakes restoration efforts. Read the full story by the Huron Daily Tribune.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250709-laketrout-restoration
It’s been 50 years since a freighter sank in the Great Lakes. But in the summer of 2024, one freighter came dangerously close. Read the full story by Great Lakes Now.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250709-freighter-final-voyage
Michigan fish and wildlife regulators will receive an expert presentation this week on the troubles facing lake whitefish as populations of the iconic Great Lakes species plummet in lakes Michigan and Huron. Read the full story by Bridge Michigan.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250709-michigan-fishing-regulator-greatlakes-whitefish-crisis
Coming soon to the Michigan Maritime Museum in South Haven, Michigan, will be a film series featuring stories about underrepresented communities connected to the Great Lakes. Read the full story by WSJM – Benton Harbor, MI.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250709-michigan-maritime-museum-film-showcase
The surface temperature in the western basin of Lake Erie is currently 26 degrees Celsius (78.8 degrees Fahrenheit), and even higher in some places. Elevated water temperature is a contributor to the formation of blue-green algae, which can produce toxins that are harmful to humans and pets. Read the full story by CBC News.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250709-lakeerie-increase-surface-temperature
Local municipalities and environmental partners are coming together in a landmark effort to build climate resilience along the shores of Lake Huron. Maitland Conservation is launching the Southern Lake Huron Coastal Adaptation Strategy, a comprehensive initiative aimed at protecting 56 kilometers of shoreline from the increasing impacts of climate change. Read the full story by CKNX News Today.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250709-lakehuron-shoreline-climate
Scientists and students at the University of Michigan Biological Station in Pellston, Michigan, will host a public open house where visitors can learn about the station’s ongoing scientific studies, including the Great Lakes Piping Plover Conservation Team. Read the full story by MLive.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250709-pipingplover-captive-um-bio-station
A simmering debate over the use of forward-facing sonar to catch fish is heating up on Northwestern Ontario’s Eagle Lake with its world-class muskie fishery. A group of lodge owners on the lake is urging anglers to voluntarily avoid using the advanced technology, out of fear it’s threatening the health of the muskellunge population. Read the full story by Bradford Today.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250709-fishfinder-technology-muskie-population
Scientists are trying new strategies to manage invasive mussels in Lake Michigan after decades of ecological disruption caused by the fast-spreading species. Read the full story by WISN-TV – Milwaukee, WI.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250709-invasivemussels-lakemichigan
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is providing $3.7 million in grants to four organizations to help farmers manage their nutrient applications in the watershed of Lake Erie’s Western Basin. Read the full story by The Plain Dealer.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250707-lake-erie-funding
The water levels in the Great Lakes are continuing their seasonal rise into the summer months, with predictions for them to peak later in July or August. Read the full story by Erie Times-News.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250707-lake-levels
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said in a bulletin issued Thursday that “patches” of cyanobacteria, commonly called blue-green algae, have been detected via satellite in western Lake Erie. Read the full story by the Toledo Blade.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250707-lake-erie-bloom
The Biigtigong Nishnaabeg First Nation announced that it will contribute $1 million toward reestablishing Ontario’s Peninsula Harbour Port as a modern, functional transportation hub. Organizers have said the facility, to be constructed on the site Marathon Pulp’s former mill, will be the only commercial port between Thunder Bay and Sault Ste. Marie. Read the full story by Timmins Today.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250707-marathon-port
Microcystin, the toxic chemical produced by Harmful Algal Blooms (HAB), has now been detected in the air as well as the water during HAB season. Researchers are collecting samples and investigating the effects of what this may mean for individuals spending time near Lake Erie during HAB season. Read the full story by the Toledo Blade.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250707-hab-air
A barge that twice sank in Lake Michigan and sparked environmental concerns has now been moved to a legally authorized site. Read the full story by Huron Daily Tribune.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250707-barge
For the first time in six years, the iconic light from the Two Harbors Lighthouse beacon 25 miles northeast of Duluth will once again sweep across Lake Superior. Read the full story by the Minnesota Public Radio.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250707-duluth-lighthouse
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Office of National Marine Sanctuaries is hosting the “Get into Your Sanctuary” photo competition, with a new sanctuary to participate in this year after Lake Ontario National Marine Sanctuary was designated in 2024. Read the full story by CNY Central.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250707-sanctuary-photos
Each year, Michigan’s Department of Natural Resources recruits teams of volunteer lighthouse keepers to staff the Tawas Point Lighthouse in two-week shifts. Read the full story by Michigan Public.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250707-lighthouse-keeper
The U.S. Supreme Court announced Monday it will review whether Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel’s lawsuit seeking to shut down a section of Enbridge’s Line 5 pipeline beneath a Great Lakes channel belongs in state or federal court. Read the full story by the Associated Press.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250702-line-5
The Detroit River Canadian Cleanup has released its annual report for 2024-25 outlining restoration milestones for the Detroit River, successfully restoring 11 of the 14 beneficial use impairments with expected removal of the Detroit River from the areas of concern list by 2028-29. Read the full story by CKLW – Windsor, ON.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250702-detroit-river-aoc
Chicago has more lead service lines than other cities in the country, and replacements are not planned to be complete until 2076. Read the full story by Great Lakes Now.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250702-chicago-lead-pipes
The Ohio Legislature’s attempt to hobble H2Ohio through steep budget cuts is mystifying many given the results have demonstrated noticeable reductions in runoff. Read the full story by The Plain Dealer.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250702-h2ohio
After nearly four decades and $80 million of cleanup efforts, Muskegon Lake in Michigan is finally on track to being delisted as a Great Lakes Area of Concern after restoration activities concluded in 2022. Read the full story by MLive.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250702-muskegon-lake
Representative Bill Huizenga of Michigan is calling on the U.S. Senate to reinclude funding for a new Great Lakes heavy icebreaker in its reconciliation bill after the provision was left out of the Senate version of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. Read the full story by WorkBoat.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250702-icebreaker-cuts
An environmental group is suing to stop construction on the expansion of a tailings basin holding back mine waste near Lake Superior. Read the full story by Duluth News Tribune.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250702-tailings-basin-lawsuit
A group that represents a cross-section of business and environmental interests said in a news release it is “deeply concerned and disappointed” by a proposed $105 million cut to H2Ohio’s budget. Read the full story by The Toledo Blade.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250702-eriefoundation-h2ohio
The Sauble Beach sign was changed to reflect a court decision last year that solidified ownership of a roughly two-kilometer section of land along the Lake Huron shoreline to the Chippewas of Saugeen First Nation. The sign now reads “now reads “Welcome to Saugeen Beach.” Read the full story by CBC News.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250702-sauble-beach
Gabby, the oldest Great Lakes piping plover, had two new chicks at Sleeping Bear National Lakeshore. Read the full story by MLive.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250702-piping-plover
Artificial intelligence data centers consume massive amounts of water for cooling servers and generating electricity. It is currently unknown exactly how much water these centers are already withdrawing from the Great Lakes and what future withdrawals will be. Read the full story by Cleveland Magazine.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250630-ai-water-use
Researchers at Michigan State University are using genealogy to determine if the lake whitefish population in the Great Lakes is too low. Read the full story by WILX-TV – Lansing, MI.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250630-whitefish-research
The non-profit group Waterkeeper Alliance announced the results of a study conducted across 19 states, which revealed PFAS contamination in 98% of the waterways tested including Great Lakes states. Read the full story by Great Lakes Now.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250630-pfas-contamination
Lake whitefish have survived and fed Michiganders for centuries, but celebrations of this culturally and economically important fish have taken a bittersweet tone as they near collapse. Read the full story by Michigan Public.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250630-whitefish-collapse
Aquatic Invasive Species Awareness Week, scheduled for June 29-July 5, highlights the importance of stopping the spread of nonnative aquatic plants and organisms, known as AIS (Aquatic Invasive Species), that threaten Michigan’s ecosystems. More than 50 AIS Landing Blitz events will be held across Michigan and other Great Lakes states and provinces where local partners will offer tips to boaters and anglers on preventing invasive species spread. Read the full story by Up North Voice.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250630-ais-week
In Lake Erie, warmer waters, earlier in the season are extending the duration of algal blooms and increasing the rate of potentially toxic cyanobacterial growth. Read the full story by The Conversation.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250630-algae-blooms
A science teacher at Ashley Community Schools in Michigan was chosen to work aboard an Environmental Protection Agency research vessel on the Great Lakes for a week. Teacher, Deann Smith, plans to pass on knowledge gained to her students. Read the full story by WNEM-TV – Bay City, MI.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250630-teacher-expedition
The Ohio House and Senate passed the state budget Wednesday which includes a nearly 40% cut to the H2Ohio Program. Environmentalists warn the cuts will affect the state’s ability to cut phosphorus runoff from farms into Lake Erie and the algal blooms that come from it. Read the full story by WKSU – Kent, OH.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250630-erie-phosphorus
Four of the five Great Lakes are below last year’s water levels, but the U.S. Army Corps of Engineer’s monitoring reports indicate level are soon to rise. Read the full story by The Cool Down.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250630-water-levels
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has announced nearly $4 million will support farmer water quality efforts in the Western Lake Erie Basin. Great Lakes Program Office Director says awarded projects are in response to feedback from the agricultural industry and farmers. Read the full story by Brownfield Ag News.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250630-water-quality-efforts
A 253-foot-long superyacht owned by billionaire John Henry, who owns the Boston Red Sox and the Boston Globe newspaper, has been sighted on the St. Lawrence River. A seaway ship watcher’s network says superyacht sightings have become increasingly common on the St. Lawrence. Read the full story by WWNY-TV-Watertown, NY.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250630-st.lawrence-super-yacht
An invasive fish that’s getting dangerously close to the waters of Lake Michigan, is slowly finding a new fate in the form of a dog treat. And pets are taking the bait. Read the full story by WLS-TV – Chicago, IL.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250627-invasive-fish-dog-treats
‘Ship goo’ was found oozing out of a University of Minnesota Duluth research vessel’s rudder shaft. DNA sequencing revealed it was a previously unknown microbe species. It seems to thrive in a warm, oxygen-free environment. Read the full story by the Duluth News Tribune.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250627-ship-goo
Biologists released lake sturgeon into the Great Lakes this June. The ancient species is a longtime resident of the regional waters around Michigan and efforts have been ongoing to conserve their numbers. Read the full story by WJBK-TV – Detroit, MI.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250627-sturgeon-recovery-efforts
As the Fourth of July approaches, travelers are heading to the Great Lakes to celebrate. In Michigan, Lake Michigan near Saint Joseph has warmed up due to recent hot weather, making it more appealing for swimmers, while Lake Huron near Caseville remains quite chilly. Read the full story by WDIV-TV – Detroit, MI.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250627-water-temperatures
The Inland Seas Education Association is kicking off a fundraising campaign that will be used to develop a new campus, expand their ship capacity, enhance facilities, grow staff, and give students the opportunity to learn about the Great Lakes in a unique way. Read the full story by WPBN-TV – Traverse City, MI.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250627-great-lakes-learning
A Superior, Wisconsin, native, Mike McCoshen, was sworn in as the new top official at the Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway Development Corp. Read the full story by the Duluth News Tribune.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250627-new-official
Transgender swimmer, Lev Goldberg, is training for a record-setting swim across the Great Lakes, with the goal of increasing trans representation and inspiring trans youth. Read the full story by CBC News.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250627-record-setting-swimmer
In Gary, Indiana, Audubon and partners are working on a vision for restoration rooted in community and climate resilience. Partners have come together to restore a 400-acre natural area as part of a broader 2,500-acre revitalization vision for the West Branch of the Little Calumet River. Read the full story by Audubon.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250627-river-restoration
