On:
In: Daily News

Michilimackinac State Park, just below the Mackinac Bridge on the southern shore of Lake Huron, in Mackinaw City, Michigan, is slated for a full revamp. The proposed project includes a pavilion, accessible picnic areas and a pergola for weddings, interpretive signage, refreshed landscaping and irrigation. Read the full story by MLive.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20260520-park-revamp

Taaja Tucker-Silva

On:
In: Daily News

Duluth Mayor Roger Reinert has been elected to the board of directors for the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative, a binational coalition of more than 450 municipalities working to advance economic growth and environmental stewardship across the region. Read the full story by WDIO – Duluth, MN.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20260518-duluth-mayor

Nichole Angell

On:
In: Daily News

Over the weekend, piping plover eggs were laid at Montrose Beach and the Waukegan shorelines in Illinois. Chicago’s original plover pair have switched mates this year, which is reportedly not uncommon according to the Lake County Audubon Society. Read the full story by WTTW- Chicago, IL.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20260518-piping-plover-breeding

Nichole Angell

On:
In: Daily News

Illinois officials are wary of moving the Brandon Road project to the Detroit area, threatening to add to the numerous lawsuits that have been filed against the Trump administration. The project is in Illinois and deserves to be managed from there, not Michigan.  Read the full story by the Chicago Tribune.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20260518-brandon-road

Nichole Angell

On:
In: Daily News

For some grape growers along Lake Erie, disaster struck in March when global beverage company, Refresco, told them they would be terminating their contracts immediately, leaving them with a surplus of grapes, and no one willing to buy them. Draft legislation in the Pennsylvania General Assembly would allow Pennsylvania’s Agricultural Business Development Center to deploy short-term disaster funding at the state level. Read the full story by WHTM-TV – Harrisburg, PA.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20260515-grape-disaster-funding

James Polidori

On:
In: Daily News

The Twin Ports Ministry to Seafarers held its annual Blessing of the Port ceremony this evening at the Lake Superior Maritime Visitor Center in Duluth, Minnesota. The event marked the beginning of the busy Great Lakes shipping season, bringing together community members, maritime officials, and shipping representatives. Read the full story by KQDS-TV – Duluth, MN.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20260515-shipping-season

James Polidori

On:
In: Daily News

A new report released by several Michigan state agencies says monitoring, farm conservation programs and wastewater upgrades are helping reduce phosphorus flowing into western Lake Erie, but it stops short of declaring a meaningful turning point in the fight against harmful algal blooms. Read the full story by MLive.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20260515-habs-report

James Polidori

On:
In: Daily News

On March 30, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency resumed dredging more than 100,000 cubic yards of sediment contaminated with coal tar and petroleum products from a 0.75-mile stretch of the Lower Rouge River Old Channel around Zug Island in River Rouge, Michigan. Read the full story by Planet Detroit.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20260515-dredging-cleanup

James Polidori

On:
In: Daily News

The Brule State Fish Hatchery in northern Wisconsin must remain open after the Wisconsin state legislature’s finance committee unanimously approved $4 million in additional spending authority for the state’s fish and wildlife account Tuesday. Read the full story by Wisconsin Public Radio.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20260515-fish-hatchery-funding

James Polidori

On:
In: Daily News

As political and business leaders push for more cargo movement across the Great Lakes, one expert says shifting freight from highways to waterways could ease truck congestion and lower emissions, but only if governments and industry make major investments first. Read the full story by CBC News.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20260515-shipping-benefits

James Polidori

On:
In: Daily News

Walleye season is in full swing across metro Detroit, with anglers taking to the waters along eastern Michigan to fish. The Michigan Department of Natural Resources has limits for all four bodies of water in the metro Detroit area for walleye sport fishing: Lake St. Clair, the St. Clair River, the Detroit River and Lake Erie. Read the full story by WXYZ-TV – Detroit, MI.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20260515-walleye-rules

James Polidori

On:
In: Daily News

The Great Lakes are home to thousands of islands, some that even include lakes with islands of their own, but 10 locations stand out for their sheer size. The largest island on the Great Lakes, Manitoulin Island, stands at 1,068 square miles and lays within Canadian waters. Read the full story by the Detroit Free Press.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20260515-largest-islands

James Polidori

On:
In: Daily News

A network of scientific buoys is being deployed across Lake Erie for the summer season to provide real-time data on wave conditions, water temperature, wind, and water quality for boaters, anglers, researchers, and weather forecasters. Officials say the buoy system improves safety and helps scientists monitor issues like harmful algal blooms and changing lake conditions throughout the region. Read the full story by Erie News Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20260513-buoy-network-lake-erie-summer

Hannah Reynolds

On:
In: Daily News

A group of anglers were caught with more than double their collective limit of walleye from the Detroit River on Friday, May 8. Michigan Department of Natural Resources says conservation officers seized 34 walleye from a group of five. Read the full story by MLive.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20260513-detroit-river-walleye-anglers-double-limit

Hannah Reynolds

On:
In: Daily News

Ontario’s new Water and Wastewater Public Corporations Act could open the door to the “financialization” of public water systems by shifting control from municipalities to arm’s-length corporations that may prioritize investor returns over public accountability and affordability. Read the full story by The Conversation.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20260513-new-ontario-water-sanitation-law

Hannah Reynolds

On:
In: Daily News

A large snapping turtle was rescued after being stranded and injured in rough Lake Michigan surf near Grand Haven, Michigan. After recovering, he was successfully released back into his native habitat, highlighting the challenges turtles can face along the Great Lakes shoreline. Read the full story by MLive.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20260513-doug-the-tank-rescued

Hannah Reynolds

On:
In: Daily News

An ongoing legal challenge over public access to Lake Michigan shorelines is now moving through Milwaukee County Circuit Court and potentially toward the Wisconsin Supreme Court. It could ultimately determine whether the public has the right to walk along Wisconsin’s Lake Michigan shoreline below the ordinary high-water mark, similar to rulings already made in Michigan and Indiana. Read the full story by WUWM – Milwaukee, WI.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20260513-lake-michigan-shoreline-courtcase

Hannah Reynolds

On:
In: Daily News

Behind the scenes of rising water levels, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers supplements the capabilities of local and state governments with specialized engineering expertise, historical data and critical flood-fighting supplies when the situation demands it. Read the full story by Niagara Frontier Publications.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20260513-support-the-shores-us-army-corps-engineers

Hannah Reynolds

On:
In: Daily News
The prescribed fires at the Sleeping Bear Dunes will assist in restoring forest habitat for species such as red pine while reducing smaller white pines, and improving habitat for Kirtland’s warblers while also reducing the threat of wildfires in the Platte Plains area of the national lakeshore. Read the full story by the Detroit Free Press. 

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20260513-park-service-burns-sleepingbeardunes

Hannah Reynolds

On:
In: Daily News

Pink salmon were accidentally introduced to the Great Lakes in the 1950s and have since spread to all five lakes. Researchers are studying their adaptability to predict how they might impact Arctic and North Atlantic ecosystems. Read the full story by People.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20260511-pink-salmon

Taaja Tucker-Silva

On:
In: Daily News

Water levels on lakes Michigan, Huron, Superior and St. Clair are forecast to remain above last year’s levels through the boating season after a spring marked by heavy snowmelt and unusually wet conditions. Read the full story by The Detroit News.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20260511-water-levels

Taaja Tucker-Silva

On:
In: Daily News

As spring rain and snowmelt continue to raise water levels across the Great Lakes region, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers says it is prepared to support communities along Lake Ontario facing potential flooding concerns. Read the full story by the Finger Lakes Daily News.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20260511-flood-risks

Taaja Tucker-Silva

On:
In: Daily News

The Soo Locks are a system of parallel locks in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, that allow ships to travel between lakes Superior and Huron by bypassing the fast-moving rapids of the Saint Marys River. Here’s the best time for visiting and viewing the locks in action. Read the full story by Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20260511-soo-locks

Taaja Tucker-Silva

On:
In: Daily News

A setback occurred during the attempted removal of the G Tug Hawaii sunk in Lake Erie. Spectators and crews watched the boat detach from the 272-foot crane, bounce off the wall of the dock, and resubmerge into the lake. Read the full story by the Erie Times-News.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20260511-tugboat-fell

Taaja Tucker-Silva

On:
In: Daily News

The Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project often visits communities and schools to educate them on drowning prevention. The organization will be working with first responders in northern Michigan. Read the full story by WPBN-TV – Traverse City, MI.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20260511-surf-rescue

Taaja Tucker-Silva

On:
In: Daily News

Ontario is investing $1.5 million into a new Local Blue Economy Growth Fund aimed at protecting the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River Basin through projects that improve water quality, reduce pollution, and strengthen climate resilience. The funding will support municipalities and First Nations communities with initiatives such as stormwater filtration systems, rain gardens, and other green infrastructure projects. Read the full story by CKNX – Wingham, ON.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20260508-ontario-greatlakes-protection

Hannah Reynolds

On:
In: Daily News

Wisconsin conservation groups and wildlife agencies are working to help the endangered Great Lakes piping plover recover by restoring sandy nesting habitats in places like Green Bay’s Cat Island and closely monitoring nests and chicks each breeding season. The efforts have helped the bird rebound in Wisconsin, with the state recording 11 nesting pairs in 2025 — one of the strongest totals in the Great Lakes region. Read the full story by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20260508-wisconsin-pipingplover-comeback

Hannah Reynolds

On:
In: Daily News

Federal staffing and funding delays are threatening protections for endangered Great Lakes piping plovers in Michigan as the birds return to nest along Lake Michigan shorelines this spring. Conservation groups warn that postponed seasonal hiring and support could leave nests and chicks more vulnerable to predators, human disturbance, and habitat loss during the critical breeding season. Read the full story by MLive.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20260508-greatlakes-pipingplovers-nesting-michigan

Hannah Reynolds

On:
In: Daily News

NOAA’s Thomas Jefferson is making its first routes on the Great Lakes this summer since 2022, with the task of mapping the waters of western and central Lake Erie, along with eastern Lake Ontario. The goal of this work is to improve navigation safety. Read the full story by CBS News.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20260508-noaa-research-ship-lake-erie

Hannah Reynolds

On:
In: Daily News

The U.S. Senate unanimously passed bipartisan legislation led by Gary Peters that would strengthen pipeline safety nationwide by increasing federal funding for inspections, improving cybersecurity protections, and supporting new leak-detection technology research. The bill also includes a proposal to establish a National Center of Excellence for hazardous liquid pipeline leak detection in the Great Lakes region to help prevent and respond to potential oil spills. Read the full story by The Alpena News.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20260508-bipartisanbill-us-pipeline-gary-peters

Hannah Reynolds

On:
In: Daily News

NOAA’s early 2026 forecast predicts a mild to moderate harmful algal bloom in western Lake Erie this summer, with bloom severity expected to fall between 2 and 5.5 on the agency’s scale. Scientists say the blooms are driven largely by phosphorus runoff flowing into the lake, especially from the Maumee River watershed, and can threaten drinking water, tourism, and aquatic ecosystems. Read the full story by The Plain Dealer.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20260508-lake-erie-algalblooms-forecast

Hannah Reynolds

On:
In: Daily News

People living along the Lake Ontario shoreline are keeping a close eye on water levels, which rose significantly after one of the wettest early springs on record. Despite their concern, they’re starting to see some positive signs after two devastating floods in the past decade. Read the full story by Spectrum News.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20260508-lake-ontario-levels-flooding-fears

Hannah Reynolds

On:
In: Daily News

Crews in Erie, Pennsylvania, are working to raise the historic 115-year-old tugboat G Tug Hawaii, which has been submerged in Presque Isle Bay since late 2025 after sinking near the Bayfront. Officials hope salvaging the former Great Lakes Towing vessel will preserve an important piece of regional maritime history while preventing further deterioration underwater. Read the full story by Erie Times-News.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20260508-work-ongoing-tugboat-g-tug-hawaii-lakeerie

Hannah Reynolds

On:
In: Daily News

The Great Lakes Aquarium is asking local anglers and community members to donate smelt to help feed its river otters after seasonal shortages made it difficult to secure enough of the fish. The aquarium says smelt are an important part of the otters’ diet, and donated catches can help keep the animals healthy and active. Read the full story by WUBE – Cincinnati, OH.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20260508-greatlakes-aquarium-smelt-donations-needed-otters

Hannah Reynolds

On:
In: Daily News

Explore the surprising culture of surfing on Lake Michigan, highlighting how strong winds and long stretches of open water can create surfable waves along Michigan’s shoreline. Experts explain the science behind Great Lakes wave formation and why freshwater surfing has become a unique part of life around the lake. Read the full story by Michigan Public.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20260508-surfinglakemichigan

Hannah Reynolds