On:
In: Authors, book, Books, Authors, Art and Music, Drinking Water, Feature Homepage, Gary Wilson, History and Culture, infrastructure, Latest News, News, water, Water Quality and Restoration Efforts
Book chronicles human, water connection from nomadic to modern times

If you want to peg the date when humans began the trek to modernity facilitated by a relationship to water, start 10,000 years ago, says Giulio Boccaletti, author of Water: A Biography. That’s when nomads became settlers, began farming and their existence started to depend on rivers and streams.

The book continues through the millennia to modern times when America constructed the Hoover Dam and created the Tennessee Valley Authority which Boccaletti says “became a model for the world.”

Boccaletti is a scientist and an honorary research associate at the Smith School of Enterprise and the Environment at University of Oxford.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2023/01/book-chronicles-human-water-connection-from-nomadic-to-modern-times/

Gary Wilson

On:
In: Advocacy, Charles Stewart Mott Foundation Partnership, Climate change, Collaboration, Great Lakes Commission, infrastructure, Latest News, News, Politics, Policy, Environmental Justice, Science, Technology, Research, The States, water, Water Quality and Restoration Efforts
Multi-state group prepares Great Lakes basin for effects of climate change

Climate change is already affecting the Great Lakes. One group is urging the Great Lakes states and Canadian provinces to coordinate their efforts to make the Great Lakes basin more resilient to those changes.

Climate change contributed to the rapid rise in Great Lakes water levels a few years ago.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2023/01/group-great-lakes-basin-effects-climate-change/

Michigan Radio

On:
In: CIGLR, water, Water quality

Until now, such a two-year water quality environmental technology degree was nonexistent.

The post New Northwestern Michigan College two-year degree readies students for water technology jobs first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.

Original Article

Great Lakes Echo

Great Lakes Echo

http://greatlakesecho.org/2023/01/13/new-northwestern-michigan-college-two-year-degree-readies-students-for-water-technology-jobs/

Guest Contributor

On:
In: Charles Stewart Mott Foundation Partnership, Collaboration, Drinking Water, Latest News, legislation, Michigan, News, Policy, Politics, Policy, Environmental Justice, Protect, The States, water, Water Quality and Restoration Efforts
Join Bridge, Circle of Blue to discuss Michigan lawmakers’ water priorities

By Rebecca Fedewa, Bridge Michigan

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/2023/01/bridge-circle-of-blue-discuss-michigan-water-priorities/

Bridge Michigan

On:
In: water, wells

Michigan, Ohio and Pennsylvania have each received a $25 million grant from the federal government through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to plug orphan wells.

The post Federal funds aid efforts to plug orphan wells first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.

Original Article

Great Lakes Echo

Great Lakes Echo

http://greatlakesecho.org/2023/01/05/federal-funds-aid-efforts-to-plug-orphan-wells/

Guest Contributor

On:
In: water

Into October, there were higher air temperatures in the entire northwest region than ever before.

The post Lake Erie algae in 2022 worse than predicted; it plateaued rather than peaked first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.

Original Article

Great Lakes Echo

Great Lakes Echo

http://greatlakesecho.org/2023/01/02/lake-erie-algae-in-2022-worse-than-predicted-it-plateaued-rather-than-peaked/

Guest Contributor

On:
In: road salt, salt, Waste, water

Measurements from a 2021 study show that Lake Michigan’s salt content has risen up to fifteen times its natural level since the 1800s, but the effects of these high levels are only now being understood.

The post Volunteers find high road salt levels in Michigan waterways first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.

Original Article

Great Lakes Echo

Great Lakes Echo

http://greatlakesecho.org/2022/12/28/volunteers-find-high-road-salt-levels-in-michigan-waterways/

Guest Contributor

On:
In: grains, Land, water

The initiative took a holistic approach in developing Kernza, thinking about how the plant could benefit farmers and the environment.

The post Perennial grains: great for beer, bread and the fight against climate change first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.

Original Article

Great Lakes Echo

Great Lakes Echo

http://greatlakesecho.org/2022/12/19/perennial-grains-great-for-beer-bread-and-the-fight-against-climate-change/

Guest Contributor

On:
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.

Original Article

Great Lakes Echo

Great Lakes Echo

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

Guest Contributor

On:
In: Commentary, water

When we were thinking about a new museum devoted to one of the most beautiful and interesting things on our planet – ice – we had to think hard about how best to display and preserve this delicate substance. So welcome to the Museum of Ice, Michigan’s largest museum, open daily (weather permitting) between December and March. Just step outside anywhere in the state and you’re in the museum.

The post December: A Visit to the Museum of Ice first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.

Original Article

Great Lakes Echo

Great Lakes Echo

http://greatlakesecho.org/2022/12/02/december-a-visit-to-the-museum-of-ice/

Guest Contributor

On:
In: Capital News Service, Waste, water

Universities across the globe are monitoring wastewater on their campuses for viruses like COVID-19. It is a practice that has raised some medical privacy concerns, although researchers say there is no way to link the detection of the virus in wastewater with an individual who is sick. 

The post Don’t hide your poo — and here’s why first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.

Original Article

Great Lakes Echo

Great Lakes Echo

http://greatlakesecho.org/2022/11/30/dont-hide-your-poo-and-heres-why/

Guest Contributor

On:
In: Algae, Echo, water

For the first time, a genome sequence has been developed for an unfamiliar species of harmful algae that’s been blooming in the Great Lakes. 

The post Researchers in Minnesota acquire first genome for doli algal bloom first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.

Original Article

Great Lakes Echo

Great Lakes Echo

http://greatlakesecho.org/2022/11/28/researchers-in-minnesota-acquire-first-genome-for-doli-algal-bloom/

Guest Contributor

On:
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.

Original Article

Great Lakes Echo

Great Lakes Echo

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

Guest Contributor

On:
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.

Original Article

Great Lakes Echo

Great Lakes Echo

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

Guest Contributor

On:
In: Echo, lakes/rivers/wetlands, Michigan, toxins/chemicals, water

A new book details the decades-long cleanup of Detroit's River Rogue, which was once one of the most polluted watersheds in America. However, there is still more work to be done.

The post Book details how a watershed community rescued one of the nation’s most polluted rivers first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.

Original Article

Great Lakes Echo

Great Lakes Echo

http://greatlakesecho.org/2022/10/10/book-details-how-a-watershed-community-rescued-one-of-the-nations-most-polluted-rivers/

Guest Contributor

On:
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.

Original Article

Great Lakes Echo

Great Lakes Echo

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

Guest Contributor

On:
In: CIGLR, fish, water

Shipping vessels make Lake Superior one of the loudest freshwater lakes in the world, but ice makes it one of the quietest during winter. The winter silence plays a key role in conserving the lake’s marine animals.

The post Study: Why are Lake Superior’s quiet winters so important? first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.

Original Article

Great Lakes Echo

Great Lakes Echo

http://greatlakesecho.org/2022/10/04/study-why-are-lake-superiors-quiet-winters-so-important/

Guest Contributor

On:
In: award, Charles Stewart Mott Foundation Partnership, Collaboration, Events and Special Broadcasts, Feature Homepage, Great Lakes Conferences Conferences, Milwaukee, News, US Water Alliance, water, Water Quality and Restoration Efforts, Wisconsin
Great Lakes News Collaborative nets US Water Prize

In front of an international crowd of water researchers, policymakers, community organizers and other officials, the US Water Alliance announced the Great Lakes News Collaborative as the recipient of the 2022 award for “Outstanding One Water Communication.”

The awards presentation took place during the Alliance’s One Water Summit in Milwaukee.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2022/09/great-lakes-news-collaborative-nets-water-prize/

GLN Editor

On:
In: Echo, Green Gavel, Michigan, water

An Ottawa County, Michigan, electroplating company and two of its top officers have pleaded guilty to violating the federal Clean Water Act by discharging wastewater with excessive amounts of zinc.

The post Guilty pleas in Clean Water Act prosecution first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.

Original Article

Great Lakes Echo

Great Lakes Echo

http://greatlakesecho.org/2022/09/07/guilty-pleas-in-clean-water-act-prosecution/

Guest Contributor

On:
In: Commentary, water

As anyone who lives in Michigan knows, March and April are the wet months. But like so many things that Anyone knows, this is only about half true. The amount of precipitation (the water in rain and snow) doesn’t change much from month to month in Michigan.

The post August: Dibs on the Water first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.

Original Article

Great Lakes Echo

Great Lakes Echo

http://greatlakesecho.org/2022/08/05/august-dibs-on-the-water/

Guest Contributor

On:
In: invasive species, TikTok, water

In our newest TikTok, Echo reporter Caroline Miller discusses a recent study that documents the first sighting of an invasive species, European frogbit, in Wisconsin and says that it could threaten native plants, fish and invertebrates.

The post Rising water makes Lake Michigan wetlands vulnerable to invaders: TikTok edition first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.

Original Article

Great Lakes Echo

Great Lakes Echo

http://greatlakesecho.org/2022/07/04/rising-water-makes-lake-michigan-wetlands-vulnerable-to-invaders-tiktok-edition/

Guest Contributor

On:
In: Commentary, Echo, water

July is our warmest month, its steamy days and sticky nights giving us a little taste of the tropics. When we look for ways to beat July’s heat, we often end up in the water – sprinklers, backyard pools, or one of Michigan’s many lakes. So let’s take a few minutes on this hot July day to think about how cool water is.

The post July: Stay cool first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.

Original Article

Great Lakes Echo

Great Lakes Echo

http://greatlakesecho.org/2022/07/01/july-stay-cool/

Guest Contributor

On:
In: Commentary, water

The Clean Water Act provides us with 50 years of useful imperfection. We should apply it's lessons to the environmental challenges facing us today - and perhaps be a less patient as we chase perfect solutions.

The post Fifty-year-old pollution law is proof that we can address other wicked challenges first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.

Original Article

Great Lakes Echo

Great Lakes Echo

http://greatlakesecho.org/2022/06/29/fifty-year-old-pollution-law-is-proof-that-we-can-address-other-wicked-challenges/

Guest Contributor

On:
In: Books, Climate change, Echo, water

For decades, people have largely ignored the Earth’s decay, treating climate change as a problem that can be postponed. Ranae Lenor Hanson, a retired professor and activist, rejects that fallacy and defends the Earth, its waters and all its creatures in her book Watershed: Attending to a Body and Earth in Distress.

The post Finding home in our own bodies can rekindle connection to nature first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.

Original Article

Great Lakes Echo

Great Lakes Echo

http://greatlakesecho.org/2022/06/28/finding-home-in-our-own-bodies-can-rekindle-connection-to-nature/

Guest Contributor

On:
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.

Original Article

Great Lakes Echo

Great Lakes Echo

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

Guest Contributor

On:
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.

Original Article

Great Lakes Echo

Great Lakes Echo

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

Guest Contributor

On:
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.

Original Article

Great Lakes Echo

Great Lakes Echo

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

Guest Contributor

On:
In: AP, Budget, Drinking Water, Equity and Environmental Justice, legislation, Municipalities, News, Pennsylvania, Policy, Politics, Policy, Environmental Justice, The States, water, Water Quality and Restoration Efforts
Pennsylvania public water utilities say Senate bill will force up rates

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Legislation criticized by opponents as a vehicle for-profit water companies to take over municipal water authorities in Pennsylvania by imposing expensive regulations on them passed the Republican-controlled state Senate on Tuesday.

Opponents also warned that the bill will precipitate ratepayer increases when water authorities must meet the new regulations or after they are forced to sell out to for-profit water companies.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2022/06/ap-pennsylvania-senate-bill-rates/

The Associated Press

On:
In: Capital News Service, Michigan, water, Water quality

Michigan watersheds are still wracked with pollution from decades ago, along with new runoff. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s MI Healthy Climate Plan would make preserving land and water a statewide priority. 

The post Watershed groups fight decades-old pollution first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.

Original Article

Great Lakes Echo

Great Lakes Echo

http://greatlakesecho.org/2022/06/06/watershed-groups-fight-decades-old-pollution/

Guest Contributor

On:
In: Climate change, infrastructure, Latest News, News, Policy, Politics, Policy, Environmental Justice, Science, Technology, Research, The Catch, water, Water Quality and Restoration Efforts
The Catch: Policy news facing the Great Lakes region

This month of The Catch features stories from our partners in the Great Lakes News Collaborative. The collaborative’s investigation of the cost of water in the Great Lakes region was the focus of the latest episode.

In Chicago, journalist Laura Gersony is rolling out a new biweekly offering from Circle of Blue called Fresh: A Great Lakes Policy Briefing.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2022/06/the-catch-policy-news-great-lakes-region/

GLN Editor

On:
In: canada, Drinking Water, infrastructure, Municipalities, News, Ontario, Politics, Policy, Environmental Justice, The Catch, The Provinces, Toronto, U.S. and Canadian Federal Governments, water, Water Quality and Restoration Efforts
The Catch: Current issues in Canadian water infrastructure

This month of The Catch features stories from our partners in the Great Lakes News Collaborative. The collaborative’s investigation of the cost of water in the Great Lakes region was the focus of the latest episode.

Toronto-based journalist Andrew Reeves discusses a piece he wrote for Great Lakes Now about the history and current issues in Canadian water infrastructure.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2022/06/the-catch-canadian-water-infrastructure/

GLN Editor

On:
In: Forests and Plants, infrastructure, Latest News, Michigan, News, Politics, Policy, Environmental Justice, Science, Technology, Research, septic systems, The Catch, water, Water Quality and Restoration Efforts
The Catch: E. Coli and faulty septic systems

This month of The Catch features stories from our partners in the Great Lakes News Collaborative. The collaborative’s investigation of the cost of water in the Great Lakes region was the focus of the latest episode.

Michigan Radio‘s Lester Graham discusses a story he’s been following in northern Michigan on Elk Lake, where plant life and E.Coli are showing up in previously crystal-clear water.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2022/05/the-catch-septic-systems/

GLN Editor

On:
In: invasive species, water, Wildlife

European frogbit, an invasive species, has been documented in Wisconsin, where it could threaten native plants, fish and invertebrates. The small, green, heart-shaped lily pad, forms dense mats along the surface of the water, blocking out sunlight that submergent plants need to survive.

The post Rising water makes Lake Michigan wetlands vulnerable to invaders first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.

Original Article

Great Lakes Echo

Great Lakes Echo

http://greatlakesecho.org/2022/05/31/rising-water-makes-lake-michigan-wetlands-vulnerable-to-invaders/

Guest Contributor

On:
In: Advocacy, author, Books, Books, Authors, Art and Music, Climate change, Feature Homepage, Groundwater Contamination, History and Culture, infrastructure, Latest News, Lead, Michigan, News, Politics, Policy, Environmental Justice, Research, Data and Technology, Science, Technology, Research, water, Water Quality and Restoration Efforts
Water Always Wins: “Quietly radical” book makes case for Slow Water

While growing up in California, Erica Gies became aware of the state’s water scarcity, which she told Great Lakes Now has led to a “low-key obsession about water for just about everyone in the state.”

California’s droughts have been a regular occurrence that put a spotlight on the importance of water for Gies, fostering a writing career on the topic that has spanned 15 years.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2022/05/water-always-wins-book/

Gary Wilson

On:
In: Forests, water, Water quality

While forests are known to enhance the water quality of nearby watersheds, oftentimes people don’t recognize forests' role in providing clean drinking water, according to a new study from Michigan State University. The research was conducted at three watersheds in Michigan: the heavily urbanized Detroit River Watershed, the less populated and heavily forested Au Sable River Watershed and the more populated agricultural, forested and urban Lower Grand River Watershed.

The post Study finds need for public to see connection between forests and clean drinking water first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.

Original Article

Great Lakes Echo

Great Lakes Echo

http://greatlakesecho.org/2022/05/26/study-finds-need-for-public-to-see-connection-between-forests-and-clean-drinking-water/

Guest Contributor

On:
In: Budget, Charles Stewart Mott Foundation Partnership, Equity and Environmental Justice, Feature Homepage, infrastructure, Latest News, Michigan, Municipalities, News, Policy, Politics, Policy, Environmental Justice, water, Water Quality and Restoration Efforts, Water's True Cost
Water’s True Cost

By J. Carl Ganter, Circle of Blue

This story is part of “Water’s True Cost,” a series by the Great Lakes News Collaborative focused on the rising cost of water in Michigan and the various causes leading to the state of water systems today. Find the rest of the stories in the series here.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2022/05/waters-true-cost/

Circle of Blue

On:
In: Green Gavel, Michigan, water

“Glenn’s Island” in the Allegheny River in Pittsburgh was formed of sludge illegally discharged from the nearby Aspinwall Drinking Water Plant. And some plant employees nicknamed it for retired supervisor Glenn Lijewski, who is awaiting sentencing for conspiracy to violate the Clean Water Act.

The post Alleghany River polluter cops plea in sludge ‘island’ case first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.

Original Article

Great Lakes Echo

Great Lakes Echo

http://greatlakesecho.org/2022/05/23/alleghany-river-polluter-cops-plea-in-sludge-island-case/

Guest Contributor

On:
In: Art, Commentary, Echo, water

Geo Rutherford is a self-described Great Lakes enthusiast that built a large following—the same number that the Washington Post has—by making educational TikTok videos about the Great Lakes and other lakes around the world.

The post Spooky lakes and beach trash: How a Wisconsin teacher and artist gained 1.3 million TikTok followers first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.

Original Article

Great Lakes Echo

Great Lakes Echo

http://greatlakesecho.org/2022/05/20/spooky-lakes-and-beach-trash-how-a-wisconsin-teacher-and-artist-gained-1-3-million-tiktok-followers/

Guest Contributor

On:
In: Andrew Reeves, Budget, Drinking Water, Feature Homepage, infrastructure, Latest News, News, Ontario, Politics, Policy, Environmental Justice, The Provinces, Tribal Governments and First Nations, U.S. and Canadian Federal Governments, water, Water Quality and Restoration Efforts
Ontario faces uneven investment in water infrastructure

This is part two in a two-part series looking at the cost of water in Ontario. Read part one here, and find the Great Lakes News Collaborative’s series on cost of water in Michigan here.

Just how big an underinvestment Ontario is facing when it comes to the state of its drinking and wastewater infrastructure is difficult to tabulate.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2022/05/ontario-uneven-investment-water-infrastructure/

Andrew Reeves

On:
In: Capital News Service, Michigan, Nearshore, water

Coastal restoration efforts are underway across the state as recipients of the Michigan Coastal Management Program grants begin work locally. Seventeen awards totaling more than $1.1 million will fund projects and initiatives to protect, preserve and enhance the state’s coastal resources.

The post More beach, boat access planned from coastal grants first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.

Original Article

Great Lakes Echo

Great Lakes Echo

http://greatlakesecho.org/2022/05/19/more-beach-boat-access-planned-from-coastal-grants/

Guest Contributor

On:
In: canada, Charles Stewart Mott Foundation Partnership, Energy, Energy, Clean Energy, Ethanol and Fracking, indigenous communities, Industry, Energy, Economic Development, infrastructure, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Pennsylvania, Politics, Policy, Environmental Justice, Tribal Governments and First Nations, water
FRESH: EPA Recommends Against Minnesota Mining Permit

Fresh is a biweekly newsletter from Circle of Blue that unpacks the biggest international, state, and local policy news stories facing the Great Lakes region today. Sign up for Fresh: A Great Lakes Policy Briefing, straight to your inbox, every other Tuesday.

— Laura Gersony, Fresh Editor

This Week’s Watersheds

  • The U.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2022/05/fresh-epa-minnesota-mining-permit/

Circle of Blue

On:
In: Andrew Reeves, Budget, canada, Drinking Water, Equity and Environmental Justice, Feature Homepage, infrastructure, lake erie, Lake Ontario, Lake St. Clair, Lake Superior, Latest News, News, Ontario, Policy, Politics, Policy, Environmental Justice, Science, Technology, Research, The Provinces, Toronto, U.S. and Canadian Federal Governments, water, Water Quality and Restoration Efforts
Even in Canada, where water prices are low, aging infrastructure and rising costs are a problem

This is part one in a two-part series looking at the cost of water in Ontario. Find the Great Lakes News Collaborative’s series on cost of water in Michigan here.

Canadians living in the Great Lakes basin have perhaps become spoiled at the seemingly endless availability of water.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2022/05/canada-aging-infrastructure-rising-costs/

Andrew Reeves

On:
In: Bonnie Willison, equity, Hali Jama, podcast, The Water We Swim In, water, water justice

Wisconsin Sea Grant is announcing the launch of a new podcast series, The Water We Swim In. The trailer can be found here and it features stories about the Great Lakes and people working toward equity.

In the series, Sea Grant’s Digital Storyteller Bonnie Willison and Hali Jama, podcast intern, share inspiring interviews from community organizers, researchers and leaders navigating Wisconsin’s waters.

Sea Grant has long been invested in audio storytelling, starting in 1972 with the environmental news program Earthwatch Radio. In recent years, the program has produced a number of podcast series — Wisconsin Water News, Undercurrents: The Hidden Knowledge of Groundwater, The Fish Dish, and Introduced— several of which are award-winning.

On this upcoming season of the new podcast, Willison and Jama will:

  • Explore how redlining created the Great Lakes communities of today
  • Trace the alarming trend of swimming pool closures across the country and learn about the fight to save a Milwaukee pool
  • Talk with leaders who are working to make Wisconsin’s outdoors more accessible for people with disabilities
  • Travel to Lake Winnebago to hear about a culturally guided inter-tribal project focused on lake health and wild rice restoration
  • Cook fish and tofu soup and speak with a research group focused on the importance of fish to Asian women in Milwaukee
  • Go fishing with the Midwest Crappie Hunters, who are teaching Milwaukee’s central-city youth, elderly and veterans about fishing, the outdoors and aquatic resources
smiling woman in winter coat fishing

Jama attends a fishing clinic with Midwest Crappie Hunters in Milwaukee. Jama is a UW-Madison student studying marketing and international business with a certificate in environmental studies. (Photo: Bonnie Willison)

The series’ title, The Water We Swim In, was inspired by an interview with Brenda Coley, co-executive director of Milwaukee Water Commons. “Brenda had this great quote where she said that ‘racism is the water we swim in,’” said Willison. “People might not realize that systemic racism impacts everything in our society, just like a fish might not realize that it is swimming in water.”

The post Launch of new podcast about equity and the Great Lakes first appeared on Wisconsin Sea Grant.

Original Article

News Releases | Wisconsin Sea Grant

News Releases | Wisconsin Sea Grant

https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/news/launch-of-new-podcast-about-equity-and-the-great-lakes/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=launch-of-new-podcast-about-equity-and-the-great-lakes

Moira Harrington

On:
In: clean water, Detroit, Drinking Water, Equity and Environmental Justice, Feature Homepage, flint, Industry, Energy, Economic Development, infrastructure, Latest News, Michigan, Municipalities, News, Policy, Politics, Policy, Environmental Justice, The States, water, Water Quality and Restoration Efforts, Water's True Cost
After Decades of Neglect, Bill Coming Due for Michigan’s Water Infrastructure

This story is part of “Water’s True Cost,” a series by the Great Lakes News Collaborative focused on the rising cost of water in Michigan and the various causes leading to the state of water systems today. Find the rest of the stories in the series here.

PONTIAC, Mich.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2022/05/bill-michigans-water-infrastructure/

Circle of Blue

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In: Drinking Water, great lakes news collaborative, Great Lakes Now Events and Road/River Shows, infrastructure, Latest News, Michigan, News, Politics, Policy, Environmental Justice, water, Water Quality and Restoration Efforts, Water's True Cost
Great Lakes News Collaborative examines Water’s True Cost

As the nation prepares to pour billions of federal dollars into rescuing water systems, the Great Lakes News Collaborative investigates the true cost of water in Michigan with a special series of reports and events during May.  Reporters from Bridge Michigan, Circle of Blue, Great Lakes Now, and Michigan Radio have combined their resources for the most extensive coverage on the cost of water in Michigan to date.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2022/04/great-lakes-news-collaborative-waters-true-cost/

GLN Editor

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In: Drinking Water, Events, Events and Special Broadcasts, Great Lakes Now Events and Road/River Shows, infrastructure, News, PBS, water, Water Quality and Restoration Efforts, Water's True Cost
Join the Conversations: Events on “Water’s True Cost” will answer your questions about water infrastructure

Throughout the Great Lakes region and across the United States, water systems are aging.

In some communities, this means water bills that residents can’t afford or water that’s unsafe to drink. It’s also leading to increased pollution in some of Michigan’s most pristine lakes. From shrinking older cities and small towns to the comparatively thriving suburbs, the true cost of water has been deferred for decades.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2022/04/waters-true-cost-events/

GLN Editor