A new Michigan Senate bill would address the regulation, inspection, and re-evaluation of septic systems. If passed, Michigan would become the last state with a comprehensive septic code intended to prevent contamination of drinking water. Read the full story by Great Lakes Echo.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20260211-septic-code
The state of Michigan wants more detail from Enbridge about the impact its proposed oil pipeline tunnel may have on archeological sites and coastal wetlands as federal regulators clear a path to permit the long-delayed project under the Straits of Mackinac. Read the full story by MLive.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20260211-line5-decision
After a population crash around 2015, Chinook salmon numbers have rebounded, but recent data suggests another shift may be occurring. Read the full story by the Detroit Free Press.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20260211-chinook-salmon
Didymosphenia geminata — “didymo” for short — also has another, much less scientific, nickname: rock snot. Researchers say it’s native to North America and may have been in Michigan longer than previously thought, but now it is spreading in the state’s waterways. Read the full story by Michigan Public.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20260211-rock-snot
Two tech companies want to make northern Minnesota a destination for research and testing of autonomous vehicles, including unmanned underwater submarines in Lake Superior. Read the full story by Minnesota Public Radio.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20260211-superior-auvs
Despite a colder-than-average winter in the Great Lakes and across the country, climate change may reduce ice cover on the Great Lakes over the long term. Declines in ice cover could impact fish populations. Read the full story by WPBN-TV – Traverse City, MI.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20260211-climate-fish-impacts
The Ohio Lake Erie Commission announced the second round of funding is open for a grant program to help communities restore habitats, combat invasive species, and clean or divert storm water with infrastructure techniques. Read the full story by Spectrum News 1.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20260211-erie-funding
Five more solar-powered signs will help alert beachgoers to rip currents and dangerous conditions at Muskegon, Michigan beaches starting summer 2026. The warning system uses red, yellow, and green lights similar to a traffic signal to indicate swimming conditions. Read the full story by MLive.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20260211-beach-warnings
An 80-mile-long ice crack runs along Lake Erie from Cleveland to the north shore of Lake Erie near Port Bruce in Canada. In addition to photos from satellites, there are now drone images from right on top of the crack. Read the full story by MLive.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20260211-erie-crack
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers released the final version of its Environmental Impact Statement on Enbridge’s proposed Line 5 tunnel project, starting a 30-day waiting period before making its final decision on whether to grant the pipeline company a permit to move forward with the proposal. Read the full story by Michigan Advance.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20260209-line5-report
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Canadian officials met in Chicago last week to discuss shared priorities and success stories throughout the Great Lakes watershed following the 2025 State of the Great Lakes Report. Read the full story by Ideastream Public Media.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20260209-state-of-greatlakes
A proposal to build an underwater line to transmit electricity from Canada to Erie County is once again seeking government approvals. Read the full story by the Erie-Times News.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20260209-erie-electricity
Although Lake Erie’s surface had been nearing a complete freeze — a state it has not reached in 30 years — the chances of it reaching 100 percent have now waned after strong north winds over the weekend disrupted the amount of ice coverage. Read the full story by The Chronicle.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20260209-erie-freeze
The 2026 lake sturgeon fishing season on Black Lake in Michigan’s Cheboygan County lasted only 48 minutes for 679 registered anglers — 31 minutes longer than last year. The harvest limit for the 2026 season on Black Lake was six lake sturgeon. Read the full story by the Alpena News.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20260209-sturgeon-fishing
Concerns over data centers in Michigan have led to advocates pushing for the Michigan Legislature to enact a one-year moratorium on the construction of new data centers until more comprehensive regulations can be put into place. Read the full story by Great Lakes Echo.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20260209-mi-data-centers
The Edsel & Eleanor Ford House received a $7 million NOAA grant in 2023 to restore Michigan’s Ford Cove, improve wildlife habitat along Lake St. Clair and improve visitor access. Now, the restoration project has entered its second phase featuring a “highly visible shoreline transformation.” Read the full story by the Detroit News.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20260209-ford-house-restoration
Using historical temperature records from weather stations around the region, researchers improved their understanding of where ice might have formed and for how long it lasted spanning the last 120 years. Researchers said this new data record could help with efforts like research on fish in the winter, regional climate and improving safety on the ice. Read the full story by Interlochen Public Radio.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20260206-ice-data-insights
A new study published last month in the Journal of Great Lakes Research shows that PFAS levels in Great Lakes fish are on the decline as manufacturers have phased out some chemicals in recent decades. Read the full story by Wisconsin Public Radio.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20260206-pfas-fish
Ottawa County, Michigan, relies on two aquifers for groundwater: a shallow upper glacial aquifer and a much deeper one known as the Marshall Sandstone. When snow melts in the spring, it does help recharge the upper aquifer, but the deeper Marshall aquifer, the one many residents’ wells rely on, doesn’t get that same benefit. Read the full story by WZZM-TV – Grand Rapids, MI.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20260206-groundwater-impacts
Data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory show Lake Erie’s ice coverage surged from under 2% on January 14 to nearly 85% by January 21; coverage has increased since then, hovering near or above 95% since late January. Read the full story by The Plain Dealer.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20260206-lake-erie-ice
The U.S. Department of Justice is seeking to delay the shutdown of Enbridge Line 5 as the fight over whether or not to reroute or shut down the pipeline altogether plays out in the courts. Read the full story by WTMJ – Milwaukee, WI.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20260206-pipeline-litigation
The Soo Locks have closed to marine traffic for their annual maintenance period, but the critical Great Lakes shipping gateway remains a hub of activity as engineers and technicians work to prepare the massive structures for another shipping season. Read the full story by WBUP – Marquette, MI.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20260206-lock-maintenance
Due to such factors as its depth, climate, and orientation, Lake Ontario is not nearly as susceptible to freezing over as the other four Great Lakes. Read the full story by WROC-TV – Rochester, NY.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20260206-lake-ontario-ice
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary recently shared a video of the 414-foot bulk freighter Etruria resting upside down at the bottom of Lake Huron. Read the full story by MLive.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20260206-shipwreck-video
The S.S. Badger car and passenger ferry’s 2026 season will run from May 15 to October 11, making four-hour trips to and from Manitowoc, Wisconsin, and Ludington, Michigan. The ferry will also host some special events, including an ’80s-themed murder mystery. Read the full story by the Manitowoc Herald Times Reporter.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20260206-ferry-season
With nearly 95% ice coverage across Lake Erie, the food source destination for many animals is now inaccessible. The water is locked away from animals, including endangered species like the Little Gull. Read the full story by WEWS-TV – Cleveland, OH.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20260206-ecosystem-impacts
The recently released binational “State of the Great Lakes 2025 Report” produced by the U.S. EPA and Environment Canada shows the condition of the Great Lakes. Read the full story by the Sandusky Register.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20260204-erie-report-card
As of Tuesday afternoon, total ice coverage on the Great Lakes stands at 48.42%. It’s a significant jump that places this year well ahead of historical averages for early February. Read the full story by CBS News.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20260204-ice-cover
A group of Great Lakes ports and federal partners are launching a market study aimed at increasing cargo movements between the Great Lakes and the U.S. inland waterways system. Read the full story by WorkBoat.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20260204-ports-study
Scientists in the Midwest are asking for help from the public this winter to measure ice thickness on the Great Lakes and other inland lakes in the region, which they plan to use to improve ice-forecasting models. Read the full story by WXPR – Rhinelander, WI.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20260204-ice-thickness
As dams come down around the world, native fish are returning to their home waters. But invasive species are taking advantage of that same access. In Traverse City, Michigan, a fish obstacle course is keeping unwanted species out of a river. Read the full story by Great Lakes Now.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20260204-unwanted-river-fish
Ohio’s Port of Cleveland announced Monday that work has been completed on the stabilization of the Irishtown Bend hillside along the Cuyahoga River, a major infrastructure project officials say was necessary to prevent a potential collapse that could have blocked river traffic and disrupted regional commerce. Read the full story by WKYC-TV – Cleveland, OH.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20260204-cleveland-irishtown-bend
There’s some ice cover along the shallow parts of Lake Ontario this winter, but unlike Lake Erie, meteorologists predict it’s unlikely for Lake Ontario to freeze over. Read the full story by WHEC-TV – Rochester, NY.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20260204-ontario-ice
The Thousand Islands Land Trust and the Ontario Bays Initiative Land Trust are teaming up to ensure Cherry Island, in Lake Ontario’s Chaumont Bay, will remain undeveloped. They’ll also work together to protect Cherry Island’s wildlife habitat and water quality. Read the full story by WWNY-TV – Carthage, NY.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20260204-cherry-island
Unfavorable market trends, shifting trade lanes and President Trump’s trade war contributed to the nearly 15% decline in shipping. Read the full story by the Duluth News Tribune.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20260204-duluth-shipping
The Michigan Department of Natural Resources has opened applications for the 2026 Lighthouse Keeper Program at Tawas Point Lighthouse. Read the full story by WXYZ-TV – Detroit, MI.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20260204-tawas-lighthouse
The long-term cold spell that has settled over Michigan has quickly expanded the ice cover on the Great Lakes and other waterways, forcing vessels to adapt, creating fears of ice jams and providing leisure activities for those wanting to take advantage of the thick ice. Read the full story by The Detroit News.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20260202-cold-spell-ice
Researchers are partnering with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources to gather information on awareness, values and preferences for recreational burbot fishing within the Lake Superior basin. Read the full story by the Daily Mining Gazette.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20260202-superior-burbot
To prevent further spread of potentially catastrophic invasive species in the Great Lakes, the Canadian government is moving forward with tighter restrictions on all freighters. Read the full story by the Chicago Tribune.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20260202-ballast-rules
State officials are currently working to fully document the beauty, vastness, and variety of Michigan’s dunes with an enormous scientific project that could carry legal implications for coastal areas and the ability to build near them. Read the full story by MLive.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20260202-michigan-dunes
Lake Erie is completely frozen over, with surveys showing an average ice thickness of about one foot, according to the U.S. Coast Guard website. The formation poses both opportunities and risks as winter settles in for the season. Read the full story by the Star Beacon.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20260202-frozen-erie
An incidental catch of a lake sturgeon is rare. But it’s less of an angler’s tall tale than it once was, thanks to a collaborative effort to bring this legendary species back to the waters where it once swam abundantly in the eastern and central United States and Canada. Read the full story by The Toledo Blade.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20260202-sturgeon-reintroduction
Benton Harbor residents and business owners can push forward on their lawsuit alleging the state of Michigan knowingly subjected people in the southwestern Michigan town to lead-tainted water for years, according to a new ruling from the state Court of Appeals. Read the full story by the Detroit Free Press.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20260202-lead-lawsuit
The Sault St. Marie International Bridge that crosses between the United States and Canada over the St. Marys River experienced a 23.8% decrease over the past year during a time of heightened political tensions. Read the full story by WCMU Public Media.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20260202-bridge-crossings
Cargo shipments at the Port of Duluth-Superior slumped last year due to headwinds driven by unfavorable market trends, shifting trade lanes and President Donald Trump’s trade war. Read the full story by Wisconsin Public Radio.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20260202-trade-war
A Shorewood Municipal Court judge has ruled in favor of allowing less public beach access along Lake Michigan in Wisconsin – but the issue may not be settled yet. The case garnered attention as Wisconsin’s chance to finally settle the issue of where public access to Lake Michigan ends and where private landowners’ rights begin. Read the full story by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20260130-beach-access
The record-setting Arctic cold over the past week has caused ice to rapidly form on all of the Great Lakes. Each Great Lake now has more ice cover than the long-term average amount of ice. Read the full story by MLive.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20260130-icy-lakes
Researchers want help from ice fishers and others who go onto frozen lakes to collect crucial data, which could improve ice forecasting on the Great Lakes. Read the full story by Interlochen Public Radio.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20260130-ice-measurements
PFAS are posing a threat to the Great Lakes, one of America’s most vital water resources. There are many ways that PFAS enters the Great Lakes, including through rivers, groundwater, and even rain and snowfall. Read the full story by The Conversation.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20260130-pfas-origins
These fish aren’t winning any beauty pageants, but they are becoming increasingly popular among ice fishers. Researchers want to know what anglers find so special about burbots. Read the full story by MLive.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20260130-burbot-fishing
