Great Lakes

https://greatlakesecho.org/2026/02/16/research-centers-in-the-great-lakes-region-change-the-scope-of-global-freshwater-ecology/

Akia Thrower

The Swale Tale

On: October 7, 2025

In: Eric Kastelic, Great Lakes, groundwater, Lucie Carignan, monitoring, pine, remote sensing, Research, ridge, ridge and swale, ridges sanctuary, Steve Loheide, swale, tree core, trees, water levels, wri

How an unusual Door County landscape is helping researchers learn how Great Lake water levels affect groundwater and forests in coastal areas

Landscapes tell a story. That can be obvious to the casual observer traveling around the state, whether it’s taking a scenic fall drive through the Driftless Area in southwest Wisconsin, exploring the potholes and drumlins of Kettle Moraine State Forest near Milwaukee, or kayaking among the water-etched sea caves off Lake Superior’s Apostle Islands.

To the trained eye, those landscapes also tell a story, but one goes beyond a quick photo and may provide answers to important research questions. University of Wisconsin-Madison Professor Steven Loheide, graduate student Eric Kastelic, Freshwater@UW summer students Lucie Carignan and Ella Flattum, and collaborators are focusing their collective scientific gaze on a particular section along Door County’s southeast coast for clues to a decades-old question: How do Great Lakes water level changes affect groundwater and forests along our coasts?

A video thumbnail links to a Youtube video highlighting the research.

Watch the video now.

The Ridges Sanctuary is a 1,700-acre nature preserve tucked along the bottom half of Door County as it pokes into Lake Michigan just above the community of Bailey’s Harbor. Initially established in 1937 as Wisconsin’s first land trust, the sanctuary is a National Natural Landmark noted for a rich concentration of rare plants, including 25 species of orchids. What really sets this place apart from other preserves, however, is the 30 or so swales and crescent-shaped ridges that line the sanctuary from west to east.

These are the areas where Loheide, Kastelic, and team have concentrated their efforts. The sandy formations represent former beaches caused by changes in Lake Michigan water levels during the past millennia. Each is peppered with black and white spruce, balsam fir, and white pine. Between these ridges are swales, which are wet, lower areas, each containing their own collection of diverse marsh and bog flora.

A drone photo of a ridge and swale ecosystem from above, showing parallel strips of forest and wetland next to Lake Michigan.

In ridge and swale ecosystems, forested ridges and marshy wetlands run in long strips parallel to the shore, like here at the Ridges Sanctuary.

“What we’re interested in is how the Great Lakes and the changing water levels within the Great Lakes affect the ridge and swale ecosystems,” said Loheide. “There’s a tight connection between the surface water, the Great Lakes, and then the groundwater, which is underneath the subsurface but is feeding the wetlands and feeding the forests in these systems.”

Scientists have known for some time that water levels fluctuate in all five Great Lakes. Historically they change not just annually but over several decades with the record high being more than 6 feet higher than the record low. For Loheide, what he and his fellow researchers are most interested in are more recent water level changes.

“On short, seasonal scales, you might have a foot of variability from high water levels in one year to low water levels in that same year,” explained Loheide. “But when you look at it at a longer time frame, we see that there are cycles. For instance, in the early 2000s through about 2012-2013, we were in a low water state. That whole time, there were still ups and downs every year, but we were at low water levels, and then we went from near record lows then to record highs in 2017, 2018, and 2019. That really quick swing is something that we’re interested in.

“There’s always been a lot of variability, but we’re seeing what seems to be sometimes faster changes from low water level conditions to high water conditions, so more extremes. And we’re actually going through the same thing right now,” said Loheide. “The high-water levels of 4-6 years ago are now dropping to below average water levels on Lake Michigan.”

Those faster water level changes could have greater impact on coastal ecosystems, and that’s where Loheide’s team has zeroed in their research efforts.

“Even since last year, lake levels have gone down about 10 inches. What does that mean for the groundwater system? Are we draining water out of the groundwater system? How much change in storage is there of our groundwater resource, and how does that affect other hydrologic and ecological processes?”

An illustrated cross-section graphic shows how the water from a lake merges with groundwater to form swales between ridges.

Great Lakes water levels impact the groundwater levels within ridge and swale ecosystems, as seen here in a cross-section created by Lucie Carignan.

Not just water and systems may be impacted, Loheide added. “We’ve been studying trees and groundwater in Wisconsin for over a decade now, and we’ve been surprised by some of the things we’ve learned, that groundwater is used by trees. Even in a wet climate like Wisconsin where we get a lot of rain, we’re seeing that trees, particularly if they’re in sandy soils that drain really quickly, do depend on shallow groundwater, and if they have access to shallow groundwater, they do better.”

Given we know Great Lake levels fluctuate and those levels are connected to our coastal ecosystems, the team is looking at the Ridges and those funky swales lining the landscape to help them sketch out the rest of the story. “Our interest in the swales is knowing that we have lake levels that are driving changes in groundwater levels, how does that affect the ecosystem?” Loheide noted. “How does that affect tree growth? How does that affect whether the forest might be vulnerable to either drought conditions where there’s limited water availability and the trees don’t have access to shallow groundwater, versus what happens during really high lake stages, and you end up with the roots of the plants being saturated, having low oxygen availability that can be fatal to the trees?”

The team has developed an ecohydrological observatory at The Ridges, which besides the cool name is also a great way to continuously monitor groundwater levels and changes that occur daily as the trees start to use water, from when the sun rises higher in the sky and exerts its considerable influence on the flora to when things start to shut down in the evening.

Loheide’s team, however, is looking beyond daily data. “We’re really hoping to leverage long-term data sets, and that’s coming from the trees themselves. If we core the trees, we can see variability in the annual growth. When conditions are good, when you’re getting the right amount of rain, when groundwater’s at the right level, we see larger growth rings. But, we see narrow growth rings during dry years or years where groundwater is not available, or even when groundwater’s too shallow,” said Loheide. “So that gives us an opportunity to not just have the data we collect during this two-year project, but to have a record that extends over a hundred years with some of these older trees.”

Graduate student Eric Kastelic and undergraduate researcher Lucie Carignan check in on a groundwater monitoring well that they installed at the Ridges Sanctuary, which gives them groundwater level measurements multiple times every hour.

Close up of Eric Kastelic's hand holding a pencil-sized tree core.

By taking tree cores of red and white pine trees, the research team can analyze tree growth patterns going back almost 150 years.

The two-year project window Loheide references comes from funding through the Aquatic Science Center’s Water Resources Institute. Additional work was done by Joe Binzley (Hilldale Undergraduate Researcher 2025, UW-Madison) and collaborators from the Ridges Sanctuary, UW-Platteville TREES Lab, and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.

Loheide said that the findings his team develops could be used to better understand how extreme changes in water levels impact groundwater and flora not only at the Ridges but also for other areas throughout the Great Lakes.

“We’re hopeful that we can use remote sensing tools to try to compare other sites, and if satellite data can show us how transpiration or water use might be changing,” Loheide said. “There are new satellites out there that are at fine scale that we might actually be able to see and map out the spatial variability within ridge and swale wetlands, and then also compare among them what the response is.

“We’re excited about what the future holds.”

The post The Swale Tale first appeared on Wisconsin Sea Grant.

Learn more about the event.

https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/news/the-swale-tale/

Andrew Savagian

Join us for “Students Ask Scientists” on October 7

On: September 17, 2025

In: Ashley Lemke, Education, Great Lakes, Students Ask Scientists, underwater archaeology

10,000 Years of Archaeology Below the Great Lakes

Ashley Lemke will discuss underwater archaeology and the Great Lakes.

The Great Lakes of North America were once at much lower water levels, and during these times, people, plants, and animals inhabited shorelines that are now submerged. Underwater archaeological research has revealed that 9,000 years ago people were hunting animals and using stone tools on the Alpena-Amberley Ridge, a feature that now lies 100 feet beneath the waves of Lake Huron.

Join Ashley Lemke, an Associate Professor of Anthropology at the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee, for an overview of her work as an archaeologist on land and underwater.

Lemke is an internationally recognized expert for her innovative work in underwater archaeology and commitment to expanding the frontiers of archaeological science through technology, collaboration, and education.

Learn more about Lemke and her work.

When: October 7, 2025, 1-2 Central Time
Target audience: Middle school students and up and their educators
Please pre-register for Zoom-based event

Questions? Contact Anne Moser or Ginny Carlton.

The post Join us for “Students Ask Scientists” on October 7 first appeared on Wisconsin Sea Grant.

https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/news/join-us-for-students-ask-scientists-on-october-7/

Ginny Carlton

Great Lakes slightly colder than usual ahead of summer

On: May 29, 2025

In: GLNC, Great Lakes, great lakes news collaborative, lake erie, Lake Huron, Lake Michigan, Lake Ontario, Lake Superior, Latest News, News, water temperature

Great Lakes slightly colder than usual ahead of summer

By Emilio Perez Ibarguen, Bridge Michigan

The Great Lakes News Collaborative includes Bridge Michigan; Circle of Blue; Great Lakes Now at Detroit PBS; Michigan Public, Michigan’s NPR News Leader; and The Narwhal who work together to bring audiences news and information about the impact of climate change, pollution, and aging infrastructure on the Great Lakes and drinking water.

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2025/05/great-lakes-slightly-colder-than-usual-ahead-of-summer/

Bridge Michigan

Great Lakes Ice Cover Near Average for the 2025 Season

On: May 8, 2025

In: Communication, Great Lakes, ice, ice cover

Each spring, NOAA’s Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory (GLERL) conducts an analysis of how Great Lakes ice conditions progressed throughout the previous winter. This analysis, which compares the past winter’s conditions to historical trends, helps us understand the key factors … Continue reading →

GLERL Communications Team

https://noaaglerl.blog/2025/05/08/great-lakes-ice-cover-near-average-for-the-2025-season/

A new use for an old technology

On: February 11, 2025

In: biomagnification of nanoplastics, desalinization plants, Great Lakes, Haoran Wei, Lake Explorer II, Lake Mendota, Mohan Qin, nanoplastics, NOAA, Sarah Janssen, semipermeable membranes, U. S. Environmental Protection Agency, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Reverse osmosis membranes could revolutionize nanoplastic sampling in the Great Lakes

Nanoplastics continue to build up, largely unnoticed, in the world’s bodies of water and inside people’s bodies. Image of Lake Mendota by Marie Zhuikov, Wisconsin Sea Grant.

The target is small. Very small. Researchers have shined the light on environmental dangers posed by microplastics – small pieces of plastic from clothing and packaging that pollute waterways. Now, however, they are also focusing on nanoplastics, which are even smaller plastic particles – invisible to the naked eye and even under a regular microscope, and smaller in diameter than a human hair.

Linked to cardiovascular and respiratory diseases in people, nanoplastics continue to build up, largely unnoticed, in the world’s bodies of water and inside people’s bodies. They’re everywhere. Researchers think nanoplastics may be more harmful than microplastics because, “The smaller their size is, the higher toxicity they have,” said Haoran Wei, assistant professor in the department of civil and environmental engineering at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. “There’s a higher surface area on nanoplastic particles, which can accumulate more toxic chemicals and other contaminants on their surfaces. They’re small enough to get into living cells, so can directly harm creatures in the Great Lakes.”

Unfortunately, the presence and distribution of nanoplastics in the Great Lakes is still largely unknown. One reason is that current sampling methods are onerous – requiring collection and transport of hundreds to thousands of gallons of water from the lakes into the lab for analysis.

There’s got to be a better way, right? Thanks to Wisconsin Sea Grant funding, Wei and Mohan Qin, also an assistant professor at the department of civil and environmental engineering at UW-Madison, are working to solve the problem by looking at a new use for an old technology.

Haoran Wei (right) explains how microplastic and nanoplastic samples are analyzed in the lab while Ziyan Wu, a Ph.D. student on the project, watches. Image credit: Marie Zhuikov, Wisconsin Sea Grant

Desalinization plants have long used semipermeable membranes to take salt out of seawater through reverse osmosis. The membranes, made of polymers, have tiny pores that allow pressurized water to flow through them but catch things like salt. They can also catch nanoplastics. Qin and Wei are developing a portable membrane filtration device that researchers can use on a ship to process large volumes of water out on the lake instead of bringing the water back to the lab. They’ll collect the nanoplastics on a series of membranes and just bring those, or a concentrated water sample, back to the lab for analysis.

Sarah Janssen, a supervisory research chemist with the U.S. Geological Survey, is going to help Qin and Wei with the project this summer in coordination with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to collect water samples on their Lake Explorer II research vessel from lakes Superior and Ontario. But before they head out on the ship, they’ll test the membrane filter device with purified water in the lab and later with water from some local lakes, like Lake Mendota.

Mohan Qin describes environmental issues caused by nanoplastics while standing next to a different plastics research project conducted atop the Limnology Building at UW-Madison, which looked at how light degrades microplastics. Image credit: Marie Zhuikov, Wisconsin Sea Grant

Wei said that if successful, their project will be the first to develop a sequential membrane filtration sampler that collects and concentrates nanoplastics from a large volume of lake water. “And we definitely will be the first ones to carry this filter on a boat in connection with nanoplastics,” he said.

Qin and Wei will be helped by four college students and hope this method can be used by other agencies and water industries for microplastic and nanoplastic sampling. They also plan to work with Sea Grant’s Emerging Contaminants Scientist, Gavin Dehnert, to bring information about the project to Tribal communities and to participate in events like UW-Madison’s Day at the Capitol. “All my students love Capitol Days,” said Qin. “They will have the opportunity to work with people from the real world and talk about the problems researchers are working on.”

This project is related to a microplastics and food web project that Wei leads which was recently funded by NOAA. He said the goal of that project is to figure out if microplastics and nanoplastics can get into the Great Lakes food web. “We want to see if they get biomagnified up the food chain,” Wei said. “We’re going to do a lot of analysis and bioaccumulation experiments.”

The post A new use for an old technology first appeared on Wisconsin Sea Grant.

https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/news/a-new-use-for-an-old-technology/

Marie Zhuikov

How an infamous Great Lakes shipwreck became trendy on TikTok

On: November 7, 2024

In: Great Lakes, water

By Clara Lincolnhol As the gales of November approach, social media users are channeling an infamous Great Lakes shipwreck as tongue-in-cheek inspiration for a new fall aesthetic. It began with a video comedian Django Gold posted to TikTok in September. “Brat Summer is over. It’s time for Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald Fall,” Gold says […]

The post How an infamous Great Lakes shipwreck became trendy on TikTok first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.

http://greatlakesecho.org/2024/11/07/how-an-infamous-great-lakes-shipwreck-became-trendy-on-tiktok/

Clara Lincolnhol

Head to Tail Fish Showcase invites producers and consumers to think beyond the fillet

On: October 14, 2024

In: 100% Great Lakes Fish, aquaculture, Christy Remucal, commercial fisheries, Great Lakes, Great Lakes commercial fishing, Great Lakes St. Lawrence Governors and Premiers, Sharon Moen

GSGP Executive Director David Naftzger hands a participant an Icelandic energy drink made with fish collagen. Photo: Front Room Studios

On Oct.1, the Head to Tail Fish Showcase celebrated Great Lakes fish products — with not a fillet in sight.

The event aimed at elevating awareness of the Great Lakes St. Lawrence Governors & Premiers (GSGP) 100% Great Lakes Fish initiative, a project that seeks to find commercial uses for all parts of harvested Great Lakes fish. Typically, the fillet, which represents only 40% of the fish, is consumed while the remaining 60% is discarded or used in animal feed and fertilizers.

That fish waste, however, can be turned into pharmaceuticals and other high-value products like fish leather and collagen supplements.

“Our goal is to drive more value through the fishery, create more jobs, create rural economy development and really improve the sustainability of our fishery,” said David Naftzger, executive director of GSGP.

Businesses who join the initiative pledge to use 100% of harvested fish by the end of 2025. So far, 30 Great Lakes commercial fishing and aquaculture operations have signed on, 11 of which are from Wisconsin.

Fish leather was a featured product at the event. Photo: Front Room Studios

“Wisconsin companies have been a real leader and helped to send a message to the rest of the region and to the rest of the fish value chain that there’s raw material available. We want to see it used productively and we want to create some partnerships that can make that happen,” said Naftzger.

The private event was held at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee School of Freshwater Sciences for an audience of media and business, academic and government partners. Representatives from UW-Milwaukee, the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation, Department of Natural Resources and Wisconsin Coastal Management Program offered remarks in support of the program.

Wisconsin Sea Grant helped organize the event. Interim director Christy Remucal said that the initiative aligns well with the program’s focus on sustainable fisheries and aquaculture and commitment to fostering academic, industry and government collaboration.

“I think the 100% Great Lakes Fish Initiative really encapsulates the mission of our work for sustainable resources,” said Remucal. “We’re really proud to be part of this partnership.”

During the event, participants could try a variety of non-filet fish dishes prepared by Third Coast Provisions in Milwaukee, including whitefish roe sliders, pickled herring kimbap, whitefish liver pate, buffalo walleye cheeks and whitefish chili. Restaurant co-owner Cameron Whyte said the team enjoyed finding creative ways to use different parts of the fish.

A participant picks up a small plate of pickled herring kimbap. Photo: Front Room Studios

“They sent us some really cool products to try, and it was really kind of a fun opportunity for us to flex our culinary muscles and do something a little different,” said Whyte.

The event also featured non-food items, such as locally produced fish leather, fertilizer and dog treats. Several products from Iceland, such as a fish collagen-infused energy drinks and supplements were also on display.

Naftzger explained that the 100% Great Lakes Fish initiative is modeled after Iceland’s efforts to use all parts of harvested cod. According to GSGP, over 90% is now used, and the value of products made from cod has risen from $12 to $4,000. What was once waste is now an ingredient in beverages, cosmetics and medicinal bandages.

For Door County commercial fisherman Charlie Henriksen, who attended the event, the increase in value of Lake Michigan whitefish doesn’t need to be dramatic for impacts to be felt.

“If six dollars of that trickles back to us, or even if the value of that fish doubles to us, it’s a game changer,” said Henriksen. “It makes our businesses viable, and it gives us a lot of hope.”

The post Head to Tail Fish Showcase invites producers and consumers to think beyond the fillet first appeared on Wisconsin Sea Grant.

https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/news/head-to-tail-fish-showcase-invites-producers-and-consumers-to-think-beyond-the-fillet/

Jenna Mertz

Landing Blitz: Protecting our Waters

On: July 2, 2024

In: 2024, AIS, aquatic invasive species, Bay of Green Bay, Butte des Morts, Clean Boats Clean Waters, Fond du Lac, Fox-Wolf Basin, Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance, FWWA, Great Lakes, Green Bay, invasive species, Lake Butte des Morts, Lake Poygan, Lake Winnebago, Lake Winneconne, Lower Fox River, Outreach, Outreach and Education, Upper Fox River, watershed, WDNR, WI DNR, Winnebago Waterways

4th of July and Aquatic Invasive Species

Happy 4th of July!

The Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance is joining the international effort to prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species this July 4^th weekend! The annual Landing Blitz campaign runs June 26th – July 6th, 2024. Clean Boats, Clean Waters (CBCW) boat inspectors and educators will meet boaters at lake and river launches to remind them that by taking simple prevention steps, we all play a vital role stopping the spread of aquatic invasive species (AIS) like zebra mussels.

Joining with the Great Lakes Landing Blitz, Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance joins all the Great Lakes states and provinces to educate boaters that simple clean up steps and draining water from the boat and live wells can help to prevent the spread of AIS. Many boaters will be greeted at landings and access points by volunteers and regional aquatic invasive species prevention partners sharing the simple but powerful message: YOU can protect lakes and rivers form aquatic invasive species impacts.

“It only takes a minute to remove plants, animals, mud or debris from boats, trailers and equipment and to drain all water from bilges, livewells and bait buckets,” said Erin McFarlane, the Statewide CBCW Educator with Extension Lakes. “These simple steps help keep invasive species from hitching a ride from one lake or river to another.”

No matter where you launch, always remember before you leave the launch to:

Inspect boats, trailers and equipment for attached aquatic plants or animals.
Remove all attached plants or animals
Drain all water from boats, motors, livewells and other equipment
Never move live fish away from a waterbody (out of water = dead)
Dispose of unwanted bait in the trash
Buy minnows from a Wisconsin bait dealer
Only use leftover minnows when either 1) fishing with them on the same body of water or 2) on other waters if no lake/river water or other fish have been added to the container.

Following these steps ensures boaters comply with Wisconsin state law, which prohibits the transport of aquatic invasive species.

Have a safe holiday weekend and thanks for helping protect our waterways!

Photo Credit: Sophia Koch

Questions? Comments? Contact Chris Acy, the AIS Coordinator covering Brown, Outagamie, Fond du Lac, Calumet, and Winnebago Counties at (920) 460-3674 or chris@fwwa.org!

Follow the Fox Wolf Watershed Alliance’s Winnebago Waterways Program on our Winnebago Waterways Facebook page or @WinnWaterways on Twitter! You can also sign-up for email updates at WinnebagoWaterways.org.

Winnebago Waterways is a Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance program. The Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance is an independent nonprofit organization that identifies and advocates effective policies and actions that protect, restore, and sustain water resources in the Fox-Wolf River Basin.

Check out the Keepers of the Fox Program at https://fwwa.org/watershed-recovery/lower-fox-recovery/

Reporting invasive species is a first step in containing their spread. Maintaining and restoring our waters and landscapes can reduce the impacts even when we don’t have other management options to an invasive species.

The post Landing Blitz: Protecting our Waters appeared first on Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance.

Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance

https://fwwa.org/2024/07/02/landing-blitz-protecting-our-waters/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=landing-blitz-protecting-our-waters

Chris Acy

Great Lakes, Great Read shared-reading initiative announces book selections

On: April 22, 2024

In: Anne Moser, Great Lakes, Great Read, Laura Sauser, literacy, WiLS, Wisconsin Library Association, Wisconsin Water Library

As part of today’s Earth Day commemorations, the Wisconsin Water Library at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, supported by Wisconsin Sea Grant, and the Wisconsin Library Association announced the books selected for a basin-wide shared-reading experience, Great Lakes, Great Read.

“The Water Walker” by Joanne Robertson is the children’s selection and the adult selection is “The Best Part of Us” by Sally Cole-Misch.

Illustration of person walking past pine trees.

“The Water Walker” is the story of a determined Ojibwe grandmother, a “nokomis,” named Josephine Mandamin who walks to raise awareness of the need to protect “nibi” (water). Robertson wrote and illustrated the book, which was published in 2017.

Published in 2020, Sally Cole-Misch’s award-winning novel, “The Best Part of Us”, explores a family’s ties to an island in the Canadian waters of an inland lake just north of Lake Huron—how those ties are tested both through natural processes and family dynamics. A calm lake and an island in the background.

“The Great Lakes have shaped Wisconsin as we know it. These inland seas provide drinking water and fuel our agriculture, shipping, manufacturing and recreation,” said WWL Senior Special Librarian Anne Moser. “These two books will bring the lakes alive in new and evocative ways. We hope readers will reflect on the lakes and be inspired, become passionate and feel more connected to them.”

WLA Executive Director Laura Sauser said, “All Wisconsinites are encouraged to read these titles, and we also hope to be a catalyst for libraries throughout the upper Midwestern states and Canadian provinces to engage patrons through a range of activities.”

Both selected authors will be featured in a free webinar series happening on Sept. 25 and Oct. 2 and 9. All events will start at 6 p.m., CT, and will be open to the public.

Both selected authors will be featured in a free webinar series happening on Sept. 25 and Oct. 2 and 9. All events will start at 6 p.m., CT, and will be open to the public. In November, the authors will visit Wisconsin for a variety of events. Please check the Wisconsin Great Lakes, Great Read webpage, https://go.wisc.edu/85b96h, later this summer to learn more.

Currently, the website offers further details on the authors, their books, book discussion questions, an email list signup option and other resources.

This initiative is supported by an Ideas to Action grant from WiLS. Wisconsin Sea Grant and the University of Wisconsin Water Resources Institute support the Wisconsin Water Library.

The post Great Lakes, Great Read shared-reading initiative announces book selections first appeared on Wisconsin Sea Grant.

https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/news/great-lakes-great-read-shared-reading-initiative-announces-book-selections/

Moira Harrington

Underwater mapping expands knowledge spanning from the St. Louis River to the Great Lakes

On: April 2, 2024

In: Brandon Krumwiede, Collaborative Benthic Habitat Mapping in the Nearshore Waters of the Great Lakes, Great Lakes, Lake Superior, lidar, Lily Cartier, Michael Anderson, NOAA, River Talks, sonar, St. Louis River Estuary, underwater mapping

Brandon Krumwiede describes mapping projects during his River Talk. Image credit: Michael Anderson

By Lily Cartier, University of Minnesota Duluth

Knowledge of the oceans is more than a matter of curiosity, our very survival may hinge on it.

–President John F. Kennedy

While this inspiring quote is about the oceans, the same could be said about two waterbodies that we know and love locally: the St. Louis River and Lake Superior.

But how much do we really know about these waters? Brandon Krumwiede, a Great Lakes geospatial coordinator for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), told listeners at the March River Talk held at the Lake Superior Estuarium in Superior that what lies at the bottom has largely been unknown and unmapped.

Krumwiede said that full-fledged mapping of the St. Louis River Estuary was not undertaken until 1943, driven by World War II and the importance of local ship-building and steel production.

“It was really important to map out the river and the estuary so that we had safe navigation, commerce could commence, and all the vessels that were being built in the Twin Ports could be shipped overseas,” Krumwiede said.

After that, estuary mapping efforts languished. Currently, there is not a comprehensive modern picture of the St. Louis River Estuary or the Great Lakes. It is difficult to know the health of the plants, animals and water in the area without knowing what lies below the surface.

Along with an assortment of government and local agencies, NOAA gained funding from the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative in 2020 for a project called the Collaborative Benthic Habitat Mapping in the Nearshore Waters of the Great Lakes. The team uses benthic habitat mapping to measure the water levels in the Great Lakes. The goal is to map any part of the Great Lakes that has a depth of 80 meters or less. As of now, the project has mapped about 13% of the Great Lakes.

This underwater mapping is done through two different methods. The first is called “sonar,” a process that uses sound waves to map the area. This uses small survey boats that move up and down the area that is mapped. The second is called “lidar,” which stands for light detection and ranging. This mapping technique uses green lasers on vessels or drones to map the substrate.

“At night, with a bathymetric lidar survey, you[‘ll] see this plane spinning around a green laser all over the beach. It looks like a UFO,” Krumwiede said.

Both types of underwater mapping come with pros and cons – the main one being the reliance on good weather while the data is taken. As you can imagine, lake conditions in northern Minnesota and Wisconsin are not often optimal for boats and small vessels. This study has a short season of about May to early November, at the latest.

Krumwiede wished they would have prepared better for the warm weather we had this winter. “This season would have been amazing. We should have had survey boats here year-round because we were ice-free,” he said.

Why is mapping the river and Great Lakes vital?

“It’s really important to think about, how do we ensure that we get the data that’s needed to make sure we make the right decisions and manage these natural resources into the future. For our generation and future generations down the road,” Krumwiede said.

The final River Talk for the season will be held at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, April 10, at the Lake Superior Estuarium. Keith Okeson with the Lake Superior Chapter of Muskies Inc., will present, “Muskies and the St. Louis River.”

The post Underwater mapping expands knowledge spanning from the St. Louis River to the Great Lakes first appeared on Wisconsin Sea Grant.

Blog | Wisconsin Sea Grant

https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/blog/underwater-mapping-expands-knowledge-spanning-from-the-st-louis-river-to-the-great-lakes/

Wisconsin Sea Grant

NOAA GLERL Physical Scientist receives NOAA National Ocean Service Peer Recognition Award

On: March 6, 2024

In: Coast Guard, Communication, GLERL, Great Lakes, Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory, Lake Huron, National Ocean Service, NOAA

NOAA GLERL Physical Scientist James Kessler recently received a NOAA National Ocean Service (NOS) Peer Recognition Award for outstanding day-to-day collaborative efforts involving crosscutting programmatic tasks that contributed to the accomplishments of the NOS mission. Peer Recognition “Rafting” Awards recognize … Continue reading →

https://noaaglerl.blog/2024/03/06/noaa-glerl-physical-scientist-receives-noaa-national-ocean-service-peer-recognition-award/

Q&A with NOAA scientists: Causes and impacts of 2024’s historically low Great Lakes ice cover

On: February 22, 2024

In: Communication, Great Lakes, ice, lake erie, Lake Huron, Lake Michigan, Lake Ontario, Lake Superior, lakes, observations, Research, science, technology, winter

Many people have questions about the historically low Great Lakes ice cover this winter, and we’ve got answers! NOAA GLERL’s Bryan Mroczka (Physical Scientist) and Andrea Vander Woude (Integrated Physical and Ecological Modeling and Forecasting Branch Chief) answer the following … Continue reading →

https://noaaglerl.blog/2024/02/22/qa-with-noaa-scientists-causes-and-impacts-of-2024s-historically-low-great-lakes-ice-cover/

PFAS in municipal drinking water: New grant designed to improve risk communication in Wisconsin

On: February 6, 2024

In: Bret Shaw, Cristina Carvajal, Gavin Dehnert, Great Lakes, Lyn van Swol, PFAS, Public Health Madison & Dane County, risk communication messaging, UniverCity Alliance, UW-Madison Extension, Wisconsin, Wisconsin Department of Health Services, Wisconsin Dept of Natural Resources, Wisconsin Eco-Latinos

The PFAS research team: Lyn van Swol, Bret Shaw, Cristina Carvajal, Gavin Dehnert. Image credit: Hannan Hein of University of Wisconsin-Madison

A team from the University of Wisconsin-Madison received a grant from Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant to study PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) messaging to water users in Wisconsin with a special focus on Latinos, since they are the largest and fastest-growing minority group in the state.

PFAS, sometimes called “forever” chemicals, are found in various products and can contaminate drinking water. High levels of PFAS have been linked to health risks, such as increased cholesterol levels, decreased vaccine response, risk of thyroid disease, lower birth weights and reduced fertility in women. However, health risks at lower levels are uncertain. Communicating these risks effectively to increase understanding, avoid undue fear and provide recommendations for behaviors people can do to reduce risks is crucial to the 70% of Wisconsinites who depend on municipal water supplies.

“The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources now requires monitoring for PFAS in municipal water supplies and reporting when any are detected at over 70 parts per trillion,” said Lyn van Swol, principal investigator and a professor with UW-Madison’s Department of Communication Arts. “Given these new requirements and uncertainty about the health effects of PFAS, particularly at lower levels, public health educators are struggling with how to communicate with the public about the presence of PFAS in their municipal water supplies.”

Van Swol and the grant team will work to develop effective communication strategies about PFAS risks, focusing on engaging messages that encourage actions such as using water filtration systems. They will do this in three parts. First, they will gather data on people’s internet searches related to PFAS information. Second, they will test specific messages with municipal water users, and finally, test which messages engage social media audiences.

They will share their results via webinars, news releases and collaborations with Spanish-speaking media. The team will also develop resources for environmental and health communication professionals designed to enhance public understanding and proactive response to PFAS exposure in their communities.

The grant team is comprised of van Swol and Bret Shaw, professor with the Department of Life Sciences Communication and an environmental communication specialist with UW-Division of Extension; Gavin Dehnert, emerging contaminant scientist with Wisconsin Sea Grant; and Cristina Carvajal of Wisconsin Eco-Latinos.

Other partners include UW-Madison Extension, the Wisconsin Department of Health Services, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Public Health Madison & Dane County and the UniverCity Alliance.

The study is part of a larger project coordinated by Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant that addresses PFAS knowledge gaps in the Great Lakes region.

The post PFAS in municipal drinking water: New grant designed to improve risk communication in Wisconsin first appeared on Wisconsin Sea Grant.

https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/news/pfas-in-municipal-drinking-water-new-grant-designed-to-improve-risk-communication-in-wisconsin/

Marie Zhuikov

NOAA GLERL Deputy Director Jesse Feyen receives AMS STAC 2023 Coastal Environment Committee Outstanding Service Award

On: February 2, 2024

In: American Meteorological Society, AMS, coastal science, Communication, environmental science, Great Lakes, Jesse Feyen, NOAA, NOAA GLERL, Research, science

Congratulations to NOAA Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory Deputy Director Jesse Feyen on receiving an American Meteorological Society (AMS) award this week! Dr. Feyen was awarded the Scientific and Technological Activities Commission (STAC) 2023 Committee on Coastal Environment Outstanding Service … Continue reading →

https://noaaglerl.blog/2024/02/02/noaa-glerl-deputy-director-jesse-feyen-receives-ams-stac-2023-coastal-environment-committee-outstanding-service-award/

Once They Were Pets. Now Giant Goldfish Are Menacing the Great Lakes.

On: January 16, 2024

In: 2024, AIS, aquatic invasive species, Bay of Green Bay, Fox-Wolf Basin, Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance, Great Lakes, Green Bay, Outreach, Outreach and Education, Water quality

Released Goldfish Grow to Monstrous Size, Destroy Habitat

Original Story: Livia Albeck-Ripka, The New York Times

Inside a fishbowl, the goldfish — a species of carp native to East Asia, bred for aesthetic delight and traditionally believed to bring good fortune — is hardly more than home décor. Usually just a few inches long, it is among the easiest of pets to keep.

But released into the wild, the seemingly humble goldfish, freed from glass boundaries and no longer limited to meager meals of flakes, can grow to monstrous proportions. They can even kill off native marine wildlife and help destroy fragile and economically valuable ecosystems.

“They can eat anything and everything,” said Christine Boston, an aquatic research biologist with Fisheries and Oceans Canada.

Over the past several years, Ms. Boston and her colleagues have been tracking invasive goldfish in Hamilton Harbour, which is on the western tip of Lake Ontario, about 35 miles southwest of Toronto. The bay has been decimated by industrial and urban development as well as by invasive species — making it among the most environmentally degraded areas of the Great Lakes.

Their study, published last month in the Journal of Great Lakes Research, could help pinpoint goldfish populations for culling, said Ms. Boston, who is the lead author. “We found out where they are before they start spawning,” she said. “That’s a good opportunity to get rid of them.”

The fast-growing female goldfish, Ms. Boston noted, can also reproduce several times in one season. “They have the resources,” she added, “and they can take advantage of them.”

Goldfish were first spotted in Hamilton Harbour in the 1960s, but largely died off in the 1970s because of industrial contamination. In the early 2000s, their population appeared to recover. Goldfish can tolerate a wide range of water temperatures, reach sexual maturation quickly, and can eat nearly anything, including algae, aquatic plants, eggs and invertebrates, Ms. Boston said.

The feral goldfish are also destructive, uprooting and consuming plants that are home to native species. They help spawn harmful algal blooms by consuming the algae and expelling nutrients that promote its growth, Ms. Boston said, creating conditions that are intolerable to native fish.

To track the goldfish, the researchers captured and sedated 19 of the larger adults and surgically implanted tags the size of AA batteries into their bellies. The tags, which sent signals to acoustic receivers around the bay, provided researchers with a map of their locations.

Eight of the fish died, but the remaining 11 led Ms. Boston and her colleagues to find that the fish tended to spend the winter in deep waters and moved to shallower habitats by spring, where they prepared to spawn.

Some options for removing the goldfish, she said, include capturing them with specialized nets deployed beneath winter ice, or using “electro fishing,” which involves stunning the fish with an electrical current and scooping them from the water. Both techniques, she added, would avoid killing the native fish.

Nicholas Mandrak, a professor of biological sciences at the University of Toronto Scarborough, said that while goldfish were introduced to North America in the late 1800s, the wild population had begun to “dramatically increase” in the past two decades. Their spawning explosion, he said, resulted partly from people in densely-populated areas releasing pets in urban ponds.

Climate change may play a role, because of the goldfish’s capacity to adapt to warming and poorly oxygenated waters, he added.

“There are literally millions of goldfish in the Great Lakes, if not tens of millions,” Dr. Mandrak said.

Despite the threat, he added, environmental managers tend to forget the goldfish. “They just assume, ‘It’s been there for 150 years — there’s nothing we can do about it.’”

The problem is not unique to Canada. In Australia, a handful of unwanted pet goldfish and their offspring took over a river in the country’s southwest. Feral goldfish have flooded waterways in the United Kingdom, and, in Burnsville, Minn., the discovery of football-size creatures in a lake in 2021 led officials to beg their constituents: “Please don’t release your pet goldfish into ponds and lakes!”

People wrongly believe that because goldfish are “small and cute” they won’t pose a problem when released into the wild, said Dr. Ricciardi. “It’s the ‘Free Willy’ syndrome.”

Goldfish, he added, are just a small part of a vast invasion of non-native species whose outcomes can be unpredictable, and in some cases, are worsened by climate change.

“Under human influence, beasts are moving faster farther in greater numbers, reaching parts of the planet they could never reach before,” he said. “We’re talking about the redistribution of life on Earth.”

Anthony Ricciardi, a professor of invasion ecology at McGill University in Montreal, noted that not all invasive goldfish become supersized, but even the small ones are problematic, outpacing native fish populations and damaging the environment.

Their football-shaped bodies can swell to a size that makes them too large a meal for predators — up to about 16 inches long. “A fish would have to have a really big mouth to eat it,” she said.

Photo Credit: Vincent Tullo (New York Times), Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Great Lakes Laboratory for Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences

Questions? Comments? Contact Chris Acy, the AIS Coordinator covering Brown, Outagamie, Fond du Lac, Calumet, and Winnebago Counties at (920) 460-3674 or chris@fwwa.org!

Follow the Fox Wolf Watershed Alliance’s Winnebago Waterways Program on our Winnebago Waterways Facebook page or @WinnWaterways on X! You can also sign-up for email updates at WinnebagoWaterways.org.

Check out the Keepers of the Fox Program at https://fwwa.org/watershed-recovery/lower-fox-recovery/

Winnebago Waterways and Keepers of the Fox are Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance programs. The Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance is an independent nonprofit organization working to protect and restore water resources in the Fox-Wolf River Basin.

The post Once They Were Pets. Now Giant Goldfish Are Menacing the Great Lakes. appeared first on Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance.

Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance

https://fwwa.org/2024/01/16/once-they-were-pets-now-giant-goldfish-are-menacing-the-great-lakes/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=once-they-were-pets-now-giant-goldfish-are-menacing-the-great-lakes

Chris Acy

PFAS experts gather to address growing chemical crisis

On: December 19, 2023

In: Drinking Water, Feature Homepage, Great Lakes, Kathy Johnson, Latest News, Michigan, News, PFAS, Politics, Policy, Environmental Justice, Protect, Summit, Water Quality and Restoration Efforts

PFAS experts gather to address growing chemical crisis

In light of the ongoing PFAS crisis, stricter groundwater regulations were part of a Michigan statewide effort to protect resident’s health and improve water quality. This was before 3M corporation sued the state to invalidate these new rules. 3M prevailed in the lower courts and the state is currently awaiting a decision for an appeal filed with the Michigan Supreme Court.

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2023/12/pfas-experts-gather-address-growing-crisis/

Kathy Johnson

New exhibit at Wisconsin Maritime Museum showcases history and management of sea lamprey in the Great Lakes

On: June 21, 2023

In: AIS outreach, Great Lakes, sea lamprey, Titus Seilheimer, Wisconsin Maritime Museum

Visitors to the Wisconsin Maritime Museum in Manitowoc can now get up close and personal with one of the Great Lake’s most infamous invasive fish, the sea lamprey. The new exhibit, entitled “Attack of the Sea Lampreys,” was made possible through a collaboration between Wisconsin Sea Grant and the Great Lakes Fishery Commission and tells the story of how sea lamprey were introduced to the Great Lakes, their impact and the ongoing efforts to manage them.

The entrance to "Attack of the Sea Lamprey," a new exhibit at the Wisconsin Maritime Museum.

The entrance to “Attack of the Sea Lampreys,” a new exhibit at the Wisconsin Maritime Museum. Photo: Kevin Cullen

Chief curator Kevin Cullen and the education team revamped an invasive species lab on the museum’s lower level to house the new exhibit. The space was largely dormant and full of locked cabinets. Said Cullen, “People would just pass by it, so it became a really good opportunity to enhance a space that was already there.”

The redesigned space provides a more interactive, sensory experience. Visitors can now open the cabinet doors to find answers to questions about sea lamprey, such as how many eggs they lay or bones they have. Content is written at a middle-school reading level, and many items are meant to be touched and handled, making the exhibit ideal for kids and families.

The irrefutable stars of the show, however, are the lamprey. Thanks to support and a custom-built tank from the Great Lakes Fishery Commission, museum-goers can enjoy watching over a dozen lamprey hanging out, their toothy maws suctioned to the side of the glass.

Cullen said initial feedback has been positive. “[Visitors] love it. I think they’re creeped out by these things and fascinated to see them.”

The creep factor is due largely to how sea lamprey feed. A parasitic fish, sea lamprey latch onto larger fish and suck out blood and body fluids. Their mouths are disc-shaped and ringed with rows of horned teeth to better grab flesh. Once suctioned onto a host, sea lamprey then use their sharp tongue to bore a hole in the fish, usually near its heart. A single lamprey can kill up to 40 pounds of fish.

A sea lamprey suctions on to the walls of a glass tank. Its mouth is disc-shaped with circular rows of teeth.

A sea lamprey suctions its mouth onto the walls of a glass tank at the Wisconsin Maritime Museum. Photo: Kevin Cullen

For many, the story of sea lamprey is the stuff of nightmares—or at least a low-budget horror film. Titus Seilheimer, the fisheries specialist with Wisconsin Sea Grant who helped the museum secure the lamprey tank, hopes the exhibit helps visitors see another story.

“It’s one of the great success stories of invasive species management,” said Seilheimer.

Originally from the Atlantic Ocean, sea lamprey arrived in the Great Lakes via shipping canals, landing in Lakes Michigan and Superior by the 1930s and 1940s. By the mid-twentieth century, the lamprey population exploded, devastating the Great Lakes fishery and ecosystem. It wasn’t until the discovery of TFM, a chemical that selectively kills lamprey, that numbers decreased.

The population of sea lamprey is now 90% lower than what it was at its peak. But because lamprey can lay up to 100,000 eggs, that success is tenuous. Said Seilheimer, “If you take your foot off the gas, you see lamprey numbers increase.” Continuous management is required to keep the population in check.

The exhibit is a reminder of how humans have shaped and continue to shape the Great Lakes ecosystem. Said Cullen, “I hope [visitors] have a sense of responsibility when they leave that how they behave in the Great Lakes basin affects others.”

“Attack of the Sea Lampreys” at the Wisconsin Maritime Museum is now open to the public.

The post New exhibit at Wisconsin Maritime Museum showcases history and management of sea lamprey in the Great Lakes first appeared on Wisconsin Sea Grant.

https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/news/new-exhibit-at-wisconsin-maritime-museum-showcases-history-and-management-of-sea-lamprey-in-the-great-lakes/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=new-exhibit-at-wisconsin-maritime-museum-showcases-history-and-management-of-sea-lamprey-in-the-great-lakes

Jenna Mertz

Ready for the Blitz? 2023 Great Lakes Landing Blitz June 29-July 9

On: June 20, 2023

In: 2023, aquatic invasive species, CBCW, Clean Boats Clean Waters, fox-wolf, Fox-Wolf Basin, Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance, Great Lakes, Great Lakes Landing Blitz, Landing Blitz, Outreach and Education

Wisconsin’s Busiest Boating Holiday; Help Prevent Invasive Species This July 4th

Every year, tens of thousands of Wisconsinites and visitors take to the water in early July to celebrate summer and the 4^th of July, the state’s busiest boating holiday. Starting this summer, our long running Clean Boats Clean Waters Landing Blitz has been fulling incorporated into the Great Lakes Landing Blitz, joining all of the Great Lakes states and provinces in the effort to educate boaters that simple clean up steps and draining water from the boat and live wells can help to prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species (AIS).

In Wisconsin, from June 30-July 9, many boaters will be greeted at landings and access points by volunteers and regional aquatic invasive species prevention partners sharing the simple but powerful message: YOU can protect lakes and rivers form aquatic invasive species impacts. Clean Boats Clean Waters boat inspectors will give out a brand new red, white, and blue boat trailer sticker with a boat graphic showing people all the places where plants, tiny animals and potentially contaminated water can hide.

Do your part to keep Wisconsin waters healthy and stop the spread of AIS by following these easy steps:

Inspect boats, trailers and equipment for attached aquatic plants or animals.
Remove all attached plants or animals and mud
Drain all water from boats, motors, livewells and other equipment.
Never move live fish away from a waterbody.
Dispose of unwanted bait in the trash.
Buy minnows from a Wisconsin bait dealer.

Following these steps helps boaters comply with Wisconsin state law which prohibits the transport of aquatic invasive species. To learn more about invasive species and their impacts to Wisconsin’s waters and economy, visit the DNR’s Aquatic Invasive Species Efforts webpage.

Photo Credit: Alyssa Reinke (FWWA)

Questions? Comments? Contact Chris Acy, the AIS Coordinator covering Brown, Outagamie, Fond du Lac, Calumet, and Winnebago Counties at (920) 460-3674 or chris@fwwa.org!

Check out the Keepers of the Fox Program at https://fwwa.org/watershed-recovery/lower-fox-recovery/

The post Ready for the Blitz? 2023 Great Lakes Landing Blitz June 29-July 9 appeared first on Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance.

Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance

https://fwwa.org/2023/06/20/ready-for-the-blitz-2023-great-lakes-landing-blitz-june-29-july-9/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=ready-for-the-blitz-2023-great-lakes-landing-blitz-june-29-july-9

Chris Acy

Great Lakes Take Global Stage

On: April 5, 2023

In: Charles Stewart Mott Foundation Partnership, Climate change, Collaboration, Drinking Water, Fish, Birds and Animals, government, Great Lakes, infrastructure, Latest News, Municipalities, News, PFAS, Policy, Politics, Policy, Environmental Justice, Protect, Science, Technology, Research, U.S. and Canadian Federal Governments, water, Water Quality and Restoration Efforts

By Brett Walton, Circle of Blue

The Great Lakes News Collaborative includes Bridge Michigan; Circle of Blue; Great Lakes Now at Detroit Public Television; and Michigan Radio, Michigan’s NPR News Leader; who work together to bring audiences news and information about the impact of climate change, pollution, and aging infrastructure on the Great Lakes and drinking water.

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2023/04/great-lakes-take-global-stage/

Circle of Blue

Low ice on the Great Lakes this winter

On: February 17, 2023

In: Communication, Great Lakes, ice, winter

Ice coverage has reached a record low in the Great Lakes for this time of year. As of February 13, 2023, only 7 percent of these five freshwater lakes was covered in ice. Read the full story on NOAA Research.

https://noaaglerl.blog/2023/02/17/low-ice-on-the-great-lakes-this-winter/

Underwater robots significantly advance our ability to study Lake Erie’s harmful algal blooms

On: December 19, 2022

In: Algae, CIGLR, Communication, GLERL, Great Lakes, hab, harmful algal bloom, lake erie, MBARI, NOAA, Publications, Research, science, University of Michigan

Newly published research from the NOAA Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory (GLERL), the Cooperative Institute for Great Lakes Research (CIGLR), and partners reveals that using underwater robots could significantly advance scientists’ ability to study the harmful algal blooms (HABs) that … Continue reading →

https://noaaglerl.blog/2022/12/19/underwater-robots-significantly-advance-our-ability-to-study-lake-eries-harmful-algal-blooms/

Lake Erie algae mucks up fishing trips

On: December 15, 2022

In: Algae, Great Lakes, water, Water quality

A Michigan State University study estimates that up to $5.9 million annually in economic activity is lost in Michigan’s small portion of Lake Erie due to harmful algal blooms.

The post Lake Erie algae mucks up fishing trips first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.

http://greatlakesecho.org/2022/12/15/lake-erie-algae-mucks-up-fishing-trips/

Decades in the making, NOAA’s newest Lake Superior and Lake Ontario forecast systems become fully operational

On: December 14, 2022

In: Communication, forecast, forecasting, GLCFS, GLOFS, Great Lakes, Lake Ontario, Lake Superior, Research, science

Did you know that NOAA operates a forecasting system that predicts water conditions on the Great Lakes? Whether you’re wondering about a lake’s temperature, currents, or water level changes, NOAA’s got you covered! This fall, NOAA implemented newly updated versions … Continue reading →

https://noaaglerl.blog/2022/12/14/decades-in-the-making-noaas-newest-lake-superior-and-lake-ontario-forecast-systems-become-fully-operational/

Study shows value of culturally appropriate environmental health resources

On: November 17, 2022

In: Echo, Endangered wildlife, fish, Great Lakes, Human health

The research collaboration among the Medical College of Wisconsin, the Inter-Tribal Council of Michigan and the Chippewa Ottawa Resource Authority in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan has demonstrated how an advisory program designed for the Anishinaabe is a useful tool for tracking fish consumption in Great Lakes tribes.

The post Study shows value of culturally appropriate environmental health resources first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.

http://greatlakesecho.org/2022/11/17/study-shows-value-of-culturally-appropriate-environmental-health-resources/

Jonus Cottrell

What lies on the lakebed of the Great Lakes? NOAA ship conducts survey mission

On: November 16, 2022

In: Echo, Great Lakes

Exploring new territory, the commanding officer of the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) ship Thomas Jefferson and his crew have discovered multiple shipwrecks on the lakebed of the Great Lakes.

The post What lies on the lakebed of the Great Lakes? NOAA ship conducts survey mission first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.

http://greatlakesecho.org/2022/11/16/what-lies-on-the-lakebed-of-the-great-lakes-noaa-ship-conducts-survey-mission/

Great Lakes Aquaculture Collaborative receives support from federal government

On: November 9, 2022

In: Echo, fish, Great Lakes

An aquaculture group recently received $425,000 in federal support to strengthen the aquaculture community in the Great Lakes region. The goal for the grant is to build up the local economy of aquaculture producers.

The post Great Lakes Aquaculture Collaborative receives support from federal government first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.

http://greatlakesecho.org/2022/11/09/great-lakes-aquaculture-collaborative-receives-support-from-federal-government/

Lessons from Lake Huron: A look back at NOAA GLERL’s 2022 fieldwork for the Cooperative Science and Monitoring Initiative

On: October 25, 2022

In: benthic, Communication, Cooperative Science and Monitoring Initiative, CSMI, Great Lakes, Lake Huron, mussels, NOAA, observations, plankton, PONAR, Research, science, technology, Thunder Bay

Every summer, NOAA GLERL scientists travel far and wide across the Great Lakes region to study the biological, chemical, and physical properties of these amazing lakes. A portion of this fieldwork contributes to a larger project called the Cooperative Science and Monitoring Initiative – or CSMI – which helps us take a deeper dive into studying a different Great Lake each year. 2022 was Lake Huron’s turn to shine, and GLERL's efforts focused on benthic and spatial surveys in Thunder Bay and Saginaw Bay. Continue reading →

https://noaaglerl.blog/2022/10/26/lessons-from-lake-huron-a-look-back-at-noaa-glerls-2022-fieldwork-for-the-cooperative-science-and-monitoring-initiative/

Michigan agency plans wetlands to combat algal blooms

On: October 25, 2022

In: Great Lakes, Solutions Journalism, water

Algal blooms are wreaking havoc in Lake Erie, but the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has a plan: Wetlands.

The post Michigan agency plans wetlands to combat algal blooms first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.

http://greatlakesecho.org/2022/10/25/michigan-agency-plans-wetlands-to-combat-algal-blooms/

New technology provides hope for the Great Lakes’ polluted waters

On: October 12, 2022

In: Echo, Great Lakes, Solutions Journalism, water, Water quality

The Ohio Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and Environmental Protection Agency have demonstrated a new technology designed to reduce harmful algal blooms as part of a wide range of efforts on both sides of the Canada-U.S. border to address the threat of Eutrophication on the Great Lakes and other inland bodies of water.

The post New technology provides hope for the Great Lakes’ polluted waters first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.

http://greatlakesecho.org/2022/10/12/new-technology-provides-hope-for-the-great-lakes-polluted-waters/

UWindsor undergrad cuts research costs with DIY erosion sensors

On: October 6, 2022

In: Echo, Great Lakes, water

A University of Windsor graduate student is creating erosion sensors, called transducers, for less than 5% of the commercial cost. The devices help researchers understand how boat wakes erode the shoreline.

The post UWindsor undergrad cuts research costs with DIY erosion sensors first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.

http://greatlakesecho.org/2022/10/06/uwindsor-undergrad-cuts-research-costs-with-diy-erosion-sensors/

Mapping the Great Lakes: Underwater discoveries await

On: September 26, 2022

In: Alex Hill, Chicago, Feature Homepage, Great Lakes, Illinois, Lake Huron, Lake Michigan, Lake Ontario, Lake Superior, Latest News, mapping, Michigan, News, Recreation and Tourism, Research, Research, Data and Technology, Science, Technology, Research, shipwrecks, Tourism

Mapping the Great Lakes: Underwater discoveries await

Love staring at a map and discovering something interesting? Then “Mapping the Great Lakes” is for you. It’s a monthly Great Lakes Now feature created by Alex B. Hill, a self-described “data nerd and anthropologist” who combines cartography, data, and analytics with storytelling and human experience.

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2022/09/mapping-the-great-lakes-underwater-discoveries-await/

Alex Hill

A look back on Queen Elizabeth’s Great Lakes tour

On: September 9, 2022

In: Chicago, detroit river, Feature Homepage, Great Lakes, history, History and Culture, Illinois, Lake Huron, Lake Michigan, Latest News, mackinac bridge, Michigan, Milwaukee, News, Ontario, PBS, queen elizabeth, Recreation and Tourism, st. lawrence river, st. lawrence seaway, straits of mackinac, Tourism, Wisconsin

A look back on Queen Elizabeth’s Great Lakes tour

Queen Elizabeth II left her mark in the Great Lakes region, from joining President Dwight D. Eisenhower at the opening of the St. Lawrence Seaway to sailing on Lake Michigan and Lake Huron.

Following the Thursday news of the longest-reigning British monarch’s passing, PBS stations across the nation broadcasted programs commemorating her life and local news organizations reported on the late queen’s special connection to the region, highlighting the 45-day tour of Canada and the Great Lakes she took in 1959.

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2022/09/look-back-on-queen-elizabeths-great-lakes-tour/

GLN Editor

New under-ice observing capabilities could lead to new discoveries in the Great Lakes

On: August 10, 2022

In: autonomous underwater vehicle, autonomous vehicle, AUV, Great Lakes, ice, Lake Michigan, observations, Research, science, winter

In the world of Great Lakes research, the start of winter traditionally signals the end of fieldwork for the year...This break leads to a several-month gap in most of GLERL’s field data, but this project aims to fill that gap using the high-tech SAAB Sabertooth AUV. Continue reading →

https://noaaglerl.blog/2022/08/10/new-under-ice-observing-capabilities-could-lead-to-new-discoveries-in-the-great-lakes/

Water test: a long history and hopeful future of human impact on Great Lakes ecology

On: June 28, 2022

In: Agriculture, Collaboration, ecology, Fish, Birds and Animals, Forests and Plants, Great Lakes, History and Culture, indigenous communities, Industry, Energy, Economic Development, invasive species, Lake Huron, Lake Michigan, Latest News, Michigan, News, Research, Data and Technology, Science, Technology, Research, sediment, Water Quality and Restoration Efforts

Water test: a long history and hopeful future of human impact on Great Lakes ecology

This article was republished here with permission from Great Lakes Echo.

By Kurt Williams, Great Lakes Echo

Editor’s note: This is the last in a series of stories about profound ecological changes that test our ability to manage the Great Lakes.

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2022/06/history-future-human-impact-great-lakes-ecology/

Great Lakes water levels could increase on average from 19 to 44 centimeters in the next few decades, study says

On: June 27, 2022

In: Climate change, Duluth, Feature Homepage, Great Lakes, lake erie, Lake Huron, Lake Michigan, Lake Ontario, Lake Superior, Latest News, Michigan, Minnesota, Natasha Blakely, News, Research, Research, Data and Technology, science, Science, Technology, Research, water levels

Great Lakes water levels could increase on average from 19 to 44 centimeters in the next few decades, study says

New research into Great Lakes water levels looks farther into the future to predict how much climate change will increase lake levels in four of the five Great Lakes.

The predictions for the levels between now and 2050 show average increases from 2010-2019 levels of Lake Superior rising 19 centimeters (7.5 inches), Lake Erie 28 centimeters (11 inches) and lakes Michigan and Huron by 44 centimeters (17.3 inches).

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2022/06/great-lakes-water-levels-increase-next-few-decades/

Natasha Blakely

Water test: human impact on Great Lakes waters predates quagga mussel invasion

On: June 24, 2022

In: Great Lakes, invasive species, water, Water quality, water test

The Lake Michigan and Lake Huron waters governed by an 1836 treaty are at the heart of negotiations between Michigan, the federal government and Native American tribes to determine how much and what kinds of fish can be harvested by recreational, state-licensed and Native American commercial fishers. Much has changed since the treaty was signed, notably because of invasive mussels. But change created by human activity was underway even before the signatories to the Washington Treaty ink dried in Washington D.C. in March 1836.

The post Water test: human impact on Great Lakes waters predates quagga mussel invasion first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.

http://greatlakesecho.org/2022/06/24/water-test-human-impact-on-great-lakes-waters-predates-quagga-mussel-invasion/

Water test: One fish, two fish – where are all the whitefish?

On: June 23, 2022

In: fish, Great Lakes, water test, Wildlife

Since the early 2000s fewer young whitefish have been making it to adulthood. Understanding the decline of lake whitefish recruitment is important for fishery managers and regulators as they approach the deadline to update a 2000 consent decree that regulates recreational and commercial fishing in Lake Huron and Lake Michigan.

The post Water test: One fish, two fish – where are all the whitefish? first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.

http://greatlakesecho.org/2022/06/23/water-test-one-fish-two-fish-wheres-all-the-whitefish/

Water test: Where biology meets geometry in the Great Lakes

On: June 22, 2022

In: environmental politics, fish, Great Lakes, water test

How the shape of the Great Lakes now compares with their past is important as negotiators update the consent decree addressing commercial and recreational fishing interests in waters covered by an 1836 treaty. The deadline is at the end of June, the third such decree covering these contentious waters. The most recent one in 2000 was for 20 years, and it’s overdue for an update.

The post Water test: Where biology meets geometry in the Great Lakes first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.

http://greatlakesecho.org/2022/06/22/water-test-where-biology-meets-geometry-in-the-great-lakes/

Water test: quagga mussels hijack key Great Lakes nutrient

On: June 21, 2022

In: Great Lakes, invasive species, water, water test

The impact that quagga mussels have on the Great Lakes food web gives deep meaning to the saying, ‘food for thought.’ These prodigious filter-feeders are implicated in the decline of many Great Lakes fish species, well beyond those with commercial and recreational value.

The post Water test: quagga mussels hijack key Great Lakes nutrient first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.

http://greatlakesecho.org/2022/06/21/water-test-quagga-mussels-hijack-key-great-lakes-nutrient/

Water test: Rending the Great Lakes food web

On: June 20, 2022

In: fish, Great Lakes, water, water test, Wildlife

The food web in lakes Michigan and Huron has changed in ways that jeopardize age-old fishing traditions and raise questions about how we’ve managed them. Now negotiators are updating a legal settlement that spells out where and how much lake whitefish and lake trout can be harvested.

The post Water test: Rending the Great Lakes food web first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.

http://greatlakesecho.org/2022/06/20/water-test-rending-the-great-lakes-food-web/

Lake breeze can be harmful to health

On: May 16, 2022

In: Air Quality, Echo, Great Lakes, Nearshore

Regions 30 miles off the Lake Michigan coast are subject to a polluted lake breeze that contaminates air quality. Their toxic reach varies depending on the weather.

The post Lake breeze can be harmful to health first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.

http://greatlakesecho.org/2022/05/16/lake-breeze-can-be-harmful-to-health/

Online shipwreck game educates players

On: April 18, 2022

In: Anne Moser, Field Day Lab, Great Lakes, PBS Wisconsin, shipwreck game, The Legend of the Lost Emerald, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Wisconsin Historical Society

A free online video game for children about a Great Lakes shipwreck is now available. “The Legend of the Lost Emerald,” is a point-and-click adventure game designed for players grades 4-6. It was developed by the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Field Day Lab in partnership with Wisconsin Sea Grant, PBS Wisconsin Education and the Wisconsin Historical Society. Teacher fellows offered insights at every step of the game’s development. Funding was provided by PBS Wisconsin Education with additional help from the Wisconsin Coastal Management Program and Sea Grant.

Players must use critical thinking and historical inquiry skills to find the wreck as they step into the shoes of Jules, a maritime archaeologist, with help from a cast of diverse family members. Players dive underwater to gather clues, build evidence and uncover the real treasure – stories of shipwrecks inspired by Great Lakes history. It takes two classroom sessions to complete (about 2 hours).

“The goal of the game is to connect students with the maritime history in their own state – to go beyond the story of the Titanic,” said Anne Moser, senior special librarian and education coordinator for Wisconsin Sea Grant. “It includes topics like lake ecology, maritime archaeology, trade and commerce.”

The post Online shipwreck game educates players first appeared on Wisconsin Sea Grant.

https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/news/online-shipwreck-game-educates-players/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=online-shipwreck-game-educates-players

Marie Zhuikov

Cruise ships return to the Great Lakes

On: April 13, 2022

In: Capital News Service, Great Lakes, Recreation

After a two-year hiatus, Great Lakes cruise ships are back, and the industry is trying to prepare itself. Cruise companies will start expeditions in May and end them in October.

The post Cruise ships return to the Great Lakes first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.

http://greatlakesecho.org/2022/04/13/cruise-ships-return-to-the-great-lakes/

Global warming may impact Great Lakes beaches

On: April 7, 2022

In: Beaches, Climate change, Great Lakes, Nearshore

Global warming will produce more frequent high rainfall events in the Upper Great Lakes, which could impact sandy beaches used for recreation.

The post Global warming may impact Great Lakes beaches first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.

http://greatlakesecho.org/2022/04/07/global-warming-may-impact-great-lakes-beaches/

Meet the person making Great Lakes ice popular on TikTok

On: April 1, 2022

In: Climate change, Education, Feature Homepage, Great Lakes, History and Culture, ice, Interview, lake erie, Lake Huron, Lake Michigan, Lake Ontario, Lake Superior, Latest News, Natasha Blakely, News, science, Science, Technology, Research, Wisconsin

Meet the person making Great Lakes ice popular on TikTok

Geo Rutherford is an artist and an educator based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. But what a lot of people might recognize her from the most is the social media application TikTok, where Rutherford runs an account making pretty popular videos all about the Great Lakes.

Though originally from Colorado, Rutherford went to school at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and stuck around in Milwaukee after graduation.

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2022/04/great-lakes-ice-popular-tiktok/

Natasha Blakely

Meet the person making Great Lakes ice popular on TikTok

On: April 1, 2022

In: Climate change, Education, Feature Homepage, Great Lakes, History and Culture, ice, lake erie, Lake Huron, Lake Michigan, Lake Ontario, Lake Superior, Latest News, Natasha Blakely, News, science, Science, Technology, Research, Wisconsin

Though originally from Colorado, Rutherford went to school at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and stuck around in Milwaukee after graduation.

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2022/04/great-lakes-ice-popular-tiktok/

Natasha Blakely

Harvard historian examines Detroit slavery link to Great Lakes geography

On: March 29, 2022

In: Echo, Great Lakes, Michigan

A Harvard historian’s book about slavery in Detroit- - the last stop on the Underground Railroad – examines how that history was influenced by the region’s geography.

The post Harvard historian examines Detroit slavery link to Great Lakes geography first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.

http://greatlakesecho.org/2022/03/29/harvard-historian-examines-detroit-slavery-link-to-great-lakes-geography/

More money allocated for Great Lakes research

On: March 1, 2022

In: Capital News Service, Great Lakes, invasive species, water

Michigan Sea Grant recently announced four new research projects with one common goal — protecting the Great Lakes. It committed almost $1 million to the projects, including $225,000 from the Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy. In addition, university research partners contributed over $500,000 in matching funds. Their major topics are water use, walleye, invasive mussel larvae and harmful algae blooms.

The post More money allocated for Great Lakes research first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.

http://greatlakesecho.org/2022/03/01/more-money-allocated-for-great-lakes-research/

Even in water-rich Michigan, no guarantee of enough for all

On: February 28, 2022

In: AP, Drinking Water, economy, Great Lakes, Industry, Energy, Economic Development, lake erie, Lake Huron, Lake Michigan, Lake Ontario, Lake Superior, Michigan, News, Politics, Policy, Environmental Justice, Protect, Water Quality and Restoration Efforts

Even in water-rich Michigan, no guarantee of enough for all

By John Flesher, Associated Press

ALLENDALE, Mich. (AP) — Dale Buist knew running a commercial greenhouse would pose challenges. He just never expected a water shortage to be among them. Not in Michigan, with its vast aquatic riches.

Yet a couple of irrigation wells yielded only a trickle.