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Citizen Science Opportunities: How can you get involved in scientific research?

For some, getting to contribute to scientific research might sound like a far-fetched possibility.

Jason Frenzel, stewardship coordinator at the Huron River Watershed Council, is one of the countless people working to change that assumption.

The HRWC is one of many organizations in the Great Lakes region that offer people, most with little prior scientific training, the opportunity to participate in science.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

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Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/06/citizen-science-opportunities/

Noah Bock

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In: animals, Feature Homepage, fish, Fish, Birds and Animals, Kathy Johnson, Latest News, News, reptiles, Research, Research, Data and Technology, salamanders, wetlands
I Speak for the Fish: April showers bring vernal pools and baby salamanders

I Speak for the Fish is a new monthly column written by Great Lakes Now Contributor Kathy Johnson, coming out the third Monday of each month. Publishing the author’s views and assertions does not represent endorsement by Great Lakes Now or Detroit Public Television.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

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Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/06/fish-vernal-pools-baby-salamanders/

Kathy Johnson

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In: canada, Feature Homepage, Latest News, microplastics, News, Ontario, plastics, Research, Research, Data and Technology, science, Science, Technology, Research
Plastic Impact: Canada launches multi-year study of microplastics in water and soil

A four-year research project looking into the impact of microplastics on freshwater ecosystems and on agricultural soils will have important implications for the Great Lakes, said its principal researcher.

Funded by the Canadian government, the $1-million project was announced in May. It will measure microplastic levels in wastewater from treatment plants draining into Ontario rivers and streams that feed into the Great Lakes.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

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Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/06/canada-microplastics-study-wastewater-impact/

Sharon Oosthoek

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In: Algae Blooms, Charles Stewart Mott Foundation Partnership, Collaboration, Commercial Fishing, harmful algal blooms, Latest News, News, Research, Research, Data and Technology, Science, Technology, Research, toxic algae
Marine Blooms of Harmful Algae Increasing in Europe, Much of the Americas

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.

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Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/06/marine-blooms-harmful-algae-increasing/

Circle of Blue

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In: Chicago, Cleveland, Feature Cleveland, Feature Homepage, Feature-Chicago, forever chemicals, Forever Chemicals Featured, Illinois, Indiana, Latest News, New York, News, Ohio, PFAS, Research, Research, Data and Technology
Raining PFAS: Amount of PFAS found is outpacing legacy contaminants

A decades-long monitoring project in the Great Lakes basin has started checking for PFAS in rain. It’s finding the forever chemicals across the basin in large amounts.

Those numbers aren’t published yet, but PFAS are showing up in concentrations higher than legacy contaminants like mercury, PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls) and pesticides.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/06/raining-pfas-outpacing-legacy-contaminants/

Andrew Blok

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In: Collaboration, Lake Huron, Latest News, Lighthouses, Museums and Cultural Institutions, Michigan, News, Research, Research, Data and Technology, shipwrecks
BEN is back! Autonomous vessel launches into Lake Huron from Rogers City, Michigan

By Darby Hinkley/The Alpena News

This article is part of a collaboration between The Alpena News and Great Lakes Now at Detroit Public Television to bring audiences stories about the Great Lakes, especially Lake Huron and its watershed.

ROGERS CITY — BEN gets around.

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Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/06/autonomous-vessel-rogers-city-lake-huron/

The Alpena News

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In: Collaboration, Lake Huron, Latest News, Michigan, News, Research, Research, Data and Technology, shipwrecks
Marine archaeology research crew up from University of Texas

By Darby Hinkley, The Alpena News

This article is part of a collaboration between The Alpena News and Great Lakes Now at Detroit Public Television to bring audiences stories about the Great Lakes, especially Lake Huron and its watershed.

ALPENA — A trio of researchers who have been studying the Alpena-Amberley Ridge are joined this month by a group of undergraduate students from the University of Texas at Arlington.

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Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/06/marine-archaeology-research-texas-lake-huron-shipwrecks/

The Alpena News

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In: Environmental Justice, Equity and Environmental Justice, Habitat Restoration, John Hartig, Latest News, News, Research, Research, Data and Technology, Science, Technology, Research
Great Lakes Moment: The US-Canada ecosystem-focused approach to restoration

Great Lakes Moment is a monthly column written by Great Lakes Now Contributor John Hartig. Publishing the author’s views and assertions does not represent endorsement by Great Lakes Now or Detroit Public Television.

The United States and Canada now have over 40 years of collaborative history in use of an ecosystem approach to protect and restore the Great Lakes.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/06/international-ecoystem-approach-restoration-great-lakes/

John Hartig

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In: Drinking Water, Feature Homepage, forever chemicals, Forever Chemicals Featured, Illinois, Latest News, Michigan, New York, News, Pennsylvania, PFAS, Policy, Research, Data and Technology, Water quality, Wisconsin
PFAS News Roundup: Companies hid dangers from FDA, professor documents stories, study shows high levels in fertilizer

PFAS, short for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are a group of widespread man-made chemicals that don’t break down in the environment or the human body and have been flagged as a major contaminant in sources of water across the country. 

Keep up with PFAS-related developments in the Great Lakes area. 

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Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/06/pfas-news-professor-stories-study-high-levels-fertilizer/

Noah Bock

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In: Algae Blooms, AP, Climate change, Feature Homepage, fish, Fish, Birds and Animals, harmful algal blooms, Latest News, News, Research, Research, Data and Technology, science, Water quality, Water Quality and Restoration Efforts
Hundreds of lakes in U.S., Europe are losing oxygen

By Drew Costley, AP Science Writer

Oxygen levels have dropped in hundreds of lakes in the United States and Europe over the last four decades, a new study found.

And the authors said declining oxygen could lead to increased fish kills, algal blooms and methane emissions.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

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Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/06/ap-hundreds-lakes-united-states-europe-losing-oxygen/

The Associated Press

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In: Collaboration, great lakes echo, Latest News, microplastics, News, Research, Research, Data and Technology, science, Science, Technology, Research
Algae may vacuum microplastics, but also indicates greater health threat

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

By Hannah Brock, Great Lakes Echo

A type of algae that a recent study found collects microfibers brings up questions about microplastic pollution impacts and how it could affect human health.

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Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/05/algae-vacuum-microplastics-greater-health-threat/

Great Lakes Echo

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In: Charles Stewart Mott Foundation Partnership, Collaboration, Drinking Water, Feature Homepage, Latest News, Michigan, microplastics, Minnesota, News, plastic, Research, Research, Data and Technology, science, Science, Technology, Research, Water Quality and Restoration Efforts
Plastic debris is getting into the Great Lakes, our drinking water, and our food

Watershed cleanups are popular ways of dealing with local plastic pollution, but once large plastic trash disintegrates into microplastics, they're nearly impossible to pick up.

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Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/05/plastic-debris-great-lakes-drinking-water-food/

Michigan Radio

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In: Charles Stewart Mott Foundation Partnership, Collaboration, Drinking Water, Feature Homepage, fish, Fish, Birds and Animals, Lake Ontario, Latest News, microplastics, News, Ontario, plastic, Research, Research, Data and Technology, science, Science, Technology, Research, Toronto, Water Quality and Restoration Efforts
Chemical Impact: Microplastic pollution more complex than we think, says new research

Microplastics act like a chemical sponge, soaking up contaminants such as persistent organic pollutants and heavy metals.

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Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/05/chemical-impact-microplastic-pollution/

Sharon Oosthoek

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In: AP, detroit river, Feature Homepage, fish, Fish, Birds and Animals, Michigan, News, Research, Data and Technology, sturgeon
Hold on! 240-pound fish, age 100, caught in Detroit River

By Ed White, Associated Press Writer

DETROIT (AP) — Now that’s a whopper — a very old whopper!

A 240-pound (108.8 kilograms) sturgeon that could be more than 100 years old was caught last week in the Detroit River by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/05/ap-240-pound-fish-sturgeon-detroit-river/

The Associated Press

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In: Climate change, Collaboration, Feature Homepage, great lakes echo, Lake Michigan, Latest News, News, Research, Research, Data and Technology, science, Science, Technology, Research
Tsunamis caused by air pressure could resuspend Great Lakes contaminants

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

By Brandon Chew, Great Lakes Echo

It was atmospheric pressure waves that produced 6-foot water waves in Lake Michigan on April 13, 2018, damaging docks and cottages and submerging breakwalls in Ludington.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/04/meteotsunami-great-lakes-contaminants/

Great Lakes Echo

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In: AP, epa, Feature Homepage, Fish, Birds and Animals, Habitat Restoration, Michigan, New York, News, Research, Research, Data and Technology, science, Science, Technology, Research, Water Quality and Restoration Efforts, wetlands
EPA awards Great Lakes grants to Central Michigan, Clarkson

MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. (AP) — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has awarded grants to Central Michigan University and Clarkson University to continue monitoring coastal wetlands and fish contaminants throughout the Great Lakes basin.

Central Michigan will receive $10 million to monitor approximately 1,000 wetlands over the next five years.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/04/ap-epa-great-lakes-grants-central-michigan-clarkson/

The Associated Press

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In: Collaboration, Feature Homepage, fish, Fish, Birds and Animals, history, History and Culture, Latest News, Minnesota, News, Ontario, Recreation and Tourism, recreational fishing, Recreational Hunting and Fishing, Research, Research, Data and Technology, science, Science, Technology, Research
How Microfishing Took the Angling World by (Very Small) Storm

By Ben Goldfarb, Hakai Magazine

This story originally appeared in Hakai Magazine and is republished here as part of Covering Climate Now, a global journalism collaboration strengthening coverage of the climate story.

In the world of competitive sportfishing, the name Arostegui is royalty.

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Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/04/microfishing-angling-recreational-fishing/

Hakai Magazine

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In: Beaches, Beaches, Boating, Paddle Sports and Sailing, Feature Homepage, Lake Huron, Lake Michigan, Lake Ontario, Latest News, News, Recreation, Recreation and Tourism, Research, Research, Data and Technology, Science, Technology, Research
Drownings Increase: Research shows possible connection between COVID-19 restrictions and Great Lakes drownings

As COVID-19 changed the pattern of life around the Great Lakes region in 2020, it also altered the pattern of Great Lakes drownings in unfortunate if predictable ways.

With larger than normal crowds and a fatigue with restrictions, the rise in drownings isn’t a surprise.

“You get no lifeguards, heavier beach crowds, more people who were just escaping their house in the heat, going to the beach, and you’re putting more people into a dangerous situation,” said Chris Houser, a professor in the school of environment at University of Windsor.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

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Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/04/drownings-increase-research-connection-covid-19-restrictions/

Andrew Blok

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In: Charles Stewart Mott Foundation Partnership, Climate change, Feature Homepage, fish, Fish, Birds and Animals, Latest News, News, Research, Research, Data and Technology, science
Scientists Concerned About the Bottom of the Food Web in the Great Lakes

By Lester Graham, Michigan Radio

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.

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Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/04/scientists-bottom-food-web-great-lakes/

Michigan Radio

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In: Feature Homepage, fish, Fish, Birds and Animals, Groundwater Contamination, Latest News, News, Ontario, Research, Research, Data and Technology, science, Science, Technology, Research
Bolder Fish: New study looks at how pandemic antidepressant use might affect freshwater ecosystems

As the pandemic wears on, antidepressant use is on the rise.

Claims for selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors increased by 17% in Canada between 2019 and 2020, according to one report. In the United States, the number of prescriptions filled per week for antidepressant, anti-anxiety and anti-insomnia medications increased 21% between Feb.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

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Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/04/fish-study-pandemic-antidepressant-freshwater-ecosystems/

Sharon Oosthoek

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In: Charles Stewart Mott Foundation Partnership, Climate change, Collaboration, Feature Homepage, fish, Fish, Birds and Animals, Lake Michigan, Latest News, News, Research, Research, Data and Technology, science, Science, Technology, Research
Report: Lake Michigan is ‘running a fever.’ More storms, less fish possible.

By Kelly House, Bridge Michigan, through the Institute for Nonprofit News network

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.

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Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/04/report-lake-michigan-more-storms-less-fish/

Bridge Michigan

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In: Feature Homepage, fish, Fish, Birds and Animals, Latest News, News, Ontario, Research, Research, Data and Technology, science, Science, Technology, Research, Toronto, Water quality, Water Quality and Restoration Efforts
Salt Levels: The effects of wintertime de-icing linger in Toronto-area rivers in the summer

As spring comes to the Great Lakes region and icy roads and sidewalks become a distant memory, a new study shows the salt we apply over the winter can linger in summertime rivers at alarming levels.

The University of Toronto study measured chloride in four Greater Toronto Area rivers and found it was high enough in many locations to put at least two-thirds of aquatic life at risk during early stages of their development.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

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Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/03/salt-levels-wintertime-de-icing-toronto-rivers-summer/

Sharon Oosthoek

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In: Feature Homepage, invasive species, Latest News, News, Research, Research, Data and Technology, science, Science, Technology, Research
Early Detection: When it comes to Great Lakes invasives, prevention is the only cure

Of the many possible new invasive threats to the Great Lakes, 144 stand out in particular, according to a study released in 2021.

The study lists 144 fish, plants and invertebrates that could invade the Great Lakes or expand their range within them. The species were listed by the risk of damage they pose to the Great Lakes environment or culture and the likelihood they’d be introduced by one of six pathways.

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Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/03/great-lakes-invasive-species-early-detection/

Andrew Blok

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In: boardman dam, Charles Stewart Mott Foundation Partnership, Collaboration, dams, Feature Homepage, infrastructure, invasive species, Latest News, Michigan, News, Recreation, Recreation and Tourism, Research, Data and Technology, Traverse City
Last dam standing: Traverse City fish restoration project on the ropes

By Kelly House, Bridge Michigan, through the Institute for Nonprofit News network

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.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/03/dam-traverse-city-fish-restoration-project/

Bridge Michigan

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In: AP, Climate change, fish, Fish, Birds and Animals, lake erie, Latest News, News, Research, Research, Data and Technology, science, Science, Technology, Research
Scientists: Climate-whipped winds pose Great Lakes hazards

By John Flesher, AP Environmental Writer

TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. (AP) — Powerful gusts linked to global warming are damaging water quality and creating a hazard for fish in Lake Erie and perhaps elsewhere in the Great Lakes, according to researchers.

Extremely high winds occasionally churn up deep water with low oxygen and high levels of phosphorus in Erie’s central basin and shove it into the shallower western section, creating a hazard for fish and insects on which they feed.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

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Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/03/ap-scientists-climate-whipped-winds-great-lakes-hazards/

The Associated Press

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In: Algae Blooms, Charles Stewart Mott Foundation Partnership, Collaboration, Drinking Water, harmful algal blooms, lake erie, Latest News, Michigan, News, phosphorous, Research, Research, Data and Technology, science, Science, Technology, Research, toxic algae, Water Quality and Restoration Efforts
U of M team makes discovery about Lake Erie dead zone

By Lester Graham, Michigan Radio 

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.

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Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/03/university-michigan-discovery-lake-erie-dead-zone/

Michigan Radio

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In: Algae Blooms, Climate change, Drinking Water, harmful algal blooms, lake erie, Lake Superior, Latest News, Minnesota, News, Research, Research, Data and Technology, science, Science, Technology, Research, Wisconsin
Lake Superior Winter: Researchers belatedly turn their eyes to the impact of warming winters

Deep below the cold, dark surface of Lake Superior, sensors strung like pearls along a vertical steel cable sway with the currents. Recording the lake’s dropping temperatures as winter sets in, their gentle rhythm belies their worrying readings: the lake is getting warmer.

Jay Austin heaved several of these science experiments off a boat last fall – tossing concrete blocks into the deep water to anchor the cable of sensors stretching down from floating platforms just below the surface.

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Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/03/lake-superior-researchers-impact-warming-winters/

Sharon Oosthoek

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In: birds, Cleveland, conservation, Feature Cleveland, Fish, Birds and Animals, James Proffitt, Latest News, News, Ohio, recreational hunting, Recreational Hunting and Fishing, Research, Research, Data and Technology, science, Science, Technology, Research, waterfowl
Winous Point: Conservation and research plays key role in history of one of the oldest hunting clubs

Two simple, white signs marked “WPSC” on small posts are all that mark its existence to most of the public. The posts sit on either side of a narrow road that turns to gravel then  disappears shortly after into the woods and is the gateway to the oldest continuously operating – and most storied – waterfowl hunting club in North America.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

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Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/02/winous-point-conservation-research-history-oldest-hunting-clubs/

James Proffitt

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In: Charles Stewart Mott Foundation Partnership, Climate change, fish, Fish, Birds and Animals, indigenous communities, invasive species, Lake Superior, Latest News, Michigan, News, Research, Data and Technology, science
The future of Lake Superior with climate disruption

With warming temperatures, fluctuating water levels and a series of extreme storms, Lake Superior is undergoing dramatic alterations amid climate change.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/02/future-lake-superior-climate-disruption-climate-change/

Michigan Radio

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In: Charles Stewart Mott Foundation Partnership, Climate change, fish, Fish, Birds and Animals, ice fishing, Latest News, Michigan, News, recreational fishing, Recreational Hunting and Fishing, Research, Data and Technology, science
On Michigan’s inland lakes, ice fishing with less ice, and fewer fish

Warming waters are hard on some fish, such as walleye, and more favorable to others, such as smallmouth bass. With so many environmental stresses, it’s difficult to gauge the future of individual lakes.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

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Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/02/michigan-inland-lakes-ice-fishing-fish-less-ice/

Michigan Radio

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In: animals, birds, Charles Stewart Mott Foundation Partnership, Climate change, fish, Fish, Birds and Animals, infrastructure, Latest News, Michigan, News, Research, Data and Technology, Rivers, science
Intense storms from climate change harming Michigan streams and rivers

Intense storm events and flooding are changing the ecology of rivers in the Great Lakes region.

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Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/02/intense-storms-climate-change-harming-michigan-streams-rivers/

Michigan Radio

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In: Agriculture, Collaboration, erosion, Great Lakes, Latest News, News, Research, Research, Data and Technology, science, Science, Technology, Research, Water quality, Water Quality and Restoration Efforts
Big Benefits from Experimental Watersheds

By Terri Cook, Eos

This story originally appeared in Eos and is republished here as part of Covering Climate Now, a global journalism collaboration strengthening coverage of the climate story.

 

During the mid-1930s, in the wake of devastating Dust Bowl–era storms, the U.S.

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Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/02/big-benefits-from-experimental-watersheds/

Eos

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In: Charles Stewart Mott Foundation Partnership, fish, Fish, Birds and Animals, forever chemicals, Forever Chemicals Featured, Latest News, Michigan, News, PFAS, recreational hunting, Recreational Hunting and Fishing, Research, Research, Data and Technology, science
PFAS is in fish and wildlife. Researchers prowl Michigan for clues.

By Kelly House, Bridge Michigan, through the Institute for Nonprofit News network

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.

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Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/02/pfas-fish-wildlife-researchers-michigan/

Bridge Michigan

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In: Drinking Water, Groundwater Contamination, Illinois, Kathy Johnson, Latest News, Michigan, News, Ontario, Research, Research, Data and Technology, Science, Technology, Research, snow, Water quality, Water Quality and Restoration Efforts
Road Salt: Researchers look at vegetables and juices for alternatives to salt

Salt-speckled sidewalks, driveways and highways are synonymous with winter in the Great Lakes region. But while road salt is highly effective at deicing surfaces, the safety that salt provides for humans places a heavy burden on freshwater ecosystems.

“We have an unhealthy addiction to road salt,” said Claire Oswald, a hydrologist and associate professor at Ryerson University in Toronto, Ontario.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/02/road-salt-reducing-usage-great-lakes-freshwater-ecosystem/

Kathy Johnson

On:
In: Climate change, infrastructure, Latest News, Michigan, Mott Foundation Partnership, News, Research, Research, Data and Technology, science, Science, Technology, Research
Water could make the Great Lakes a climate refuge. Are we prepared?

Michigan and the Great Lakes region — with an abundance of fresh water, warming winters and less fire-prone forests — stand to attract millions of new residents in the coming years looking to escape flooded coastal areas and the parched land of the West.

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Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/02/water-great-lakes-climate-refuge-prepared/

Circle of Blue

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In: clinton river, Michigan, News, Research, Research, Data and Technology, Water quality, Water Quality and Restoration Efforts
Program to study Clinton River to improve water quality

STERLING HEIGHTS, Mich. (AP) — The Clinton River, which runs through parts of Macomb County, is one of three southeastern Michigan rivers expected to be studied as part of an effort to improve water quality and wastewater treatment in the region.

The monitoring is part of the Great Lakes Water Authority’s Regional River Water Quality Monitoring Program, according to the Macomb County Public Works office.

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Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/02/ap-program-study-clinton-river-water-quality/

The Associated Press

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In: birds, Collaboration, Fish, Birds and Animals, Habitat Restoration, Latest News, News, Ontario, Research, Research, Data and Technology, science, Science, Technology, Research
U.S., Canadian researchers conduct binational birds conservation research

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

By Yue Jiang, Great Lakes Echo

They glide over the lake, waiting for the best time to catch fish.

In the blink of an eye, they dive into the water without hesitation.

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Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/02/u-s-canadian-researchers-birds-conservation-research/

Great Lakes Echo

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In: birds, Collaboration, fish, Fish, Birds and Animals, Latest News, News, Research, Research, Data and Technology, science, Science, Technology, Research
Herring gull eggs help monitor Great Lakes ecosystems

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

By Kalah Harris, Great Lakes Echo

Herring gulls are aquatic birds that feed at the water’s surface and so are restricted to feeding on prey fish at the surface and shallow nearshore waters.

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Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/02/herring-gull-eggs-monitor-great-lakes-ecosystems/

Great Lakes Echo

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In: invasive species, lake erie, Lake Huron, Lake Michigan, Lake Ontario, Latest News, News, quagga mussels, Research, Research, Data and Technology, science, Science, Technology, Research, zebra mussels
30 Years Later: Mussel invasion legacy reaches far beyond Great Lakes

The way J. Ellen Marsden remembers it, when she first suggested calling a new Great Lakes invasive species the quagga mussel, her colleague laughed, so the name stuck.

At the same time, it was no laughing matter. The arrival of a second non-native mussel, related to the already established zebra mussel, was a major complication in what was becoming one of the most significant invasive species events in American history.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/02/invasive-mussels-legacy-beyond-great-lakes/

Andrew Blok

On:
In: AP, biden administration, Climate change, epa, Latest News, News, Politics, Politics, Policy, Environmental Justice, Research, Research, Data and Technology, science, Science, Technology, Research, Trump Administration, U.S. and Canadian Federal Governments
Biden environmental challenge: Filling vacant scientist jobs

By Tammy Webber and Matthew Brown, Associated Press Writers

Polluting factories go uninspected by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Leadership positions sit vacant at the U.S. Geological Survey’s climate science centers. And U.S. Department of Agriculture research into environmental issues important to farmers is unfinished.

The ranks of scientists who carry out environmental research, enforcement and other jobs fell in several agencies — sharply in some — under former President Donald Trump, federal data shows.

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https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/02/ap-biden-environmental-challenge-vacant-scientist-jobs/

The Associated Press

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In: Algae Blooms, invasive species, lake erie, Lake Huron, Lake Michigan, Lake Ontario, Latest News, Lorraine Boissoneault, Minnesota, News, Ontario, quagga mussels, Research, Research, Data and Technology, science, Science, Technology, Research, Water quality, Water Quality and Restoration Efforts, zebra mussels
Mussel-Phosphorus Puzzle: Invasive mussels are reshaping the chemistry of the Great Lakes

Since the late 1980s, four of the five Great Lakes have played host to an increasing number of invasive mussels. First came zebra mussels, followed shortly thereafter by quagga mussels, both members of the Dreissenid family whose native range includes the waters around Ukraine.

Today, the filter-feeders comprise more than 90% of the total animal biomass of the Great Lakes (barring Lake Superior, whose depth and water chemistry make it a less suitable habitat for the two species of mussel).

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https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/01/invasive-mussels-phosphorus-chemistry-great-lakes/

Lorraine Boissoneault

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In: animals, AP, COVID-19, Fish, Birds and Animals, Lake Superior, Michigan, News, Research, Research, Data and Technology, wolves
Pandemic interrupts longtime Isle Royale wolf, moose study

By John Flesher, AP Environmental Writer

TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. (AP) — One of the world’s longest-running wildlife field studies has fallen prey to the coronavirus pandemic.

Since 1959, a research team has spent most of the winter observing the interplay between wolves and moose at Isle Royale National Park in Lake Superior.

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https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/01/ap-pandemic-interrupts-longtime-isle-royale-wolf-moose-study/

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In: Algae Blooms, AP, harmful algal blooms, Latest News, News, Research, Research, Data and Technology, science, Science, Technology, Research, Water quality, Water Quality and Restoration Efforts, watershed
One-third of America’s rivers have changed color since 1984

By Seth Borenstein, AP Science Writer

America’s rivers are changing color — and people are behind many of the shifts, a new study said.

One-third of the tens of thousands of mile-long (two kilometer-long) river segments in the United States have noticeably shifted color in satellite images since 1984.

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https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/01/ap-one-third-of-americas-rivers-have-changed-color-since-1984/

The Associated Press

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In: Beaches, Beaches, Boating, Paddle Sports and Sailing, fishing, history, James Proffitt, lake erie, Latest News, News, Recreational Hunting and Fishing, remediation, Research, Research, Data and Technology
Unexploded Ordnance: Lake Erie shoreline site of long-term munitions study

In 1991, a Lake Michigan fishing vessel crew netted an object they later deposited on a beach in Sheboygan, Wisconsin. It was subsequently identified as a fully-armed Sidewinder missile. While this is an extreme example of unexploded ordnance (UXO) pollution, it highlights the issue of old military munitions in the Great Lakes.

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https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/01/unexploded-ordnance-lake-erie-shoreline-site-munitions-study/

James Proffitt

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In: AP, forever chemicals, Latest News, News, PFAS, Policy, Politics, Policy, Environmental Justice, Research, Research, Data and Technology, Wisconsin
Wisconsin releases action plan to reduce PFAS chemical use

By Scott Bauer, Associated Press

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin must prevent pollution from forever chemicals known as PFAS while developing ways to reduce the chemicals’ use, according to a 25-point action plan released Wednesday by Gov. Tony Evers’ administration after a year of study.

Nearly 20 state agencies, along with the University of Wisconsin, worked on the report to tackle the growing pollution and public concern around PFAS, which is shorthand for perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances.

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https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2020/12/ap-wisconsin-action-plan-reduce-pfas-chemical-use/

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In: Collaboration, forever chemicals, Forever Chemicals Featured, Latest News, News, Pennsylvania, PFAS, PublicSource, Research, Research, Data and Technology, science
PFAS chemicals are ubiquitous. A Pitt scientist is working to protect you from thousands of types at once.

By Oliver Morrison, PublicSource, through the Institute for Nonprofit News network

A single PFAS chemical featured in the movie “Dark Waters” last year about contamination from a Teflon plant in Parkersburg, W.Va. resulted in a $670 million court settlement. A community study showed the chemical was linked to six diseases: kidney cancer, increased cholesterol, ulcerative colitis, thyroid disease, preeclampsia and testicular cancer.

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https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2020/12/pfas-chemicals-pittsburgh-scientist/

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In: COVID-19, forever chemicals, Forever Chemicals Featured, Latest News, Michigan, Natasha Blakely, New York, News, PFAS, Politics, Policy, Environmental Justice, Research, Data and Technology, Traverse City, Wisconsin
PFAS News Roundup: Michigan health study, Wisconsin deer and fish, possible impact on COVID-19 vaccine

PFAS, short for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are a group of widespread man-made chemicals that don’t break down in the environment or the human body and have been flagged as a major contaminant in sources of water across the country.

Keep up with PFAS-related developments in the Great Lakes area.

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https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2020/11/pfas-news-roundup-michigan-wisconsin-study-vaccine/

Natasha Blakely

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In: COVID-19, Latest News, News, Research, Research, Data and Technology, science, Science, Technology, Research, wastewater
Campus Clues to COVID-19: Sewage testing key to detecting early infections

Scientists at dozens of colleges and universities around the country are hoping early detection of COVID-19 infections can come from a not-so-glamorous sampling process.

With collection devices set up in campus sewer systems, researchers are sampling waste from residence halls and other buildings for evidence of the virus.

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https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2020/11/campus-covid-19-sewage-testing-early-infections/

GLN Editor

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In: Algae Blooms, Climate change, Fish, Birds and Animals, harmful algal blooms, invasive species, lake erie, Lake Huron, Lake Michigan, Lake Ontario, Lake Superior, Latest News, Mott Foundation Partnership, News, Research, Research, Data and Technology, science, toic algae
Q & A: The Great Lakes are stressed. Climate change is making it worse.

By Kelly House, Bridge Michigan, through the Institute for Nonprofit News network

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.

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https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2020/11/great-lakes-stressed-climate-change-worse/

Bridge Michigan

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In: canada, Latest News, News, Ontario, plastic, plastics in the great lakes, Research, Research, Data and Technology, Science, Technology, Research, Toronto
Plastic Trap: New project pulls plastics out of the lakes, one floating garbage can at a time

An estimated 9,887 metric tonnes (22 million pounds) of plastics make their way into the Great Lakes every year. Now a new project aims not only to suck out some of that plastic but stop it from getting into the lakes in the first place.

It began last summer with Toronto Harbour’s installation of three Seabins – devices that look like trash cans in the water but behave like vacuum cleaners, said Christopher Hilkene, CEO of Pollution Probe.

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https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2020/11/seabins-trap-plastics-great-lakes-canada/

Sharon Oosthoek