At least 84 waterspouts (whirling columns of air and water mist) were recorded over the Great Lakes last week, for the first time in 2020. Read the full story by WDIV-TV – Detroit, MI.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200810-waterspouts
Climate change is worsening toxic algal blooms in Lake Erie, posing a threat to tourism and recreation. Read the full story by Inside Climate News.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200810-toxic-green-slime
City and state officials in Oswego County, New York, broke ground on more than $6 million of improvements to Wright’s Landing Marina that will make the marina more flood resistant and pedestrian friendly. Read the full story by The Palladium Times.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200810-oswego-waterfront
State environmental regulators from the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy say minimal damage is anticipated for a small Hillsdale County dam following a partial breach. Read the full story by The Detroit News.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200810-dam-damage
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers announced that for each of the Great Lakes, except Lake Superior, water levels have likely reached their peak for the year and are predicted to decline. Read the full story by WWMT-TV – Kalamazoo, MI.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200810-lakes-peak
Nature is returning to the craters left from the lakes that were drained when two dams failed during torrential rain in mid-Michigan in May. Read the full story by The Associated Press.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200810-plants
Despite all the investments, Chicago and communities on the North Shore are once again scrambling to cope with the effects of an overflowing Lake Michigan. Read the full story by The Chicago Tribune.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200810-higher-lake-michigan
Demand is booming for boating in the Great Lakes states due to the coronavirus crisis, and that’s fueling interest in vessel ownerships and boat-sharing memberships. Read the full story by The Detroit News.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200810-michigan-boating
Shoreline communities around the Great Lakes are urging the federal government to invest more than $500 million in waterfront protection efforts and more than $20 billion in federal water infrastructure funding. Read the full story by The Voice News.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200807-water-infra
The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy is accusing Boyce Hydro of impeding the department’s ability to assess the remaining danger from two collapsed dams that flooded Midland County earlier this year. Read the full story by the Detroit Free Press.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200807-midland-dam
Milwaukee’s 467-acre port will undergo major upgrades to build an agricultural export facility and construct a new connector rail-line at the port. Read the full story by Urban Milwaukee.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200807-mke-port
While Lake Michigan water temperatures are above-average this year, some areas along the Michigan coast have seen fluctuations of 30-degrees Fahrenheit due to upwelling of colder waters from the bottom of the lake to the surface. Read the full story by WBCK – Battle Creek, MI.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200807-lake-mich-temps
Researchers at Loyola University in Chicago are trapping invasive red swamp crayfish on the Chicago River system near Lake Michigan to understand their ecological dynamics and develop possible control mechanisms for slowing their spread. Read the full story by the Chicago Sun Times.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200807-crayfish
In the eyes of the law, water bodies remain largely unprotected. Legal scholar Kelsey Leonard says granting legal personhood to water bodies like the Great Lakes can transform how we value this vital resource. Read the full story by NPR.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200807-legal-rights
A group of six swimmers from Holland, Michigan, are attempting to do a 40-mile swim relay-style across Lake Michigan from Two Rivers, Wisconsin, to Ludington, Michigan. Read the full story by the Holland Sentinel.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200807-swim-lake-mich
With the recent high-water levels on Lake Superior, high-waves and storms have caused large runoff landslides, rock falls, tree blow-downs and new sand deposits along the Apostle Islands shorelines. Read the full story by the RiverTowns.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200807-lake-superior
Replacement work on a section of Line 5 running under the St. Clair River through Marysville, Michigan has been completed. Read the full story by the Port Huron Times Herald.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200806-enbridge
A hot summer has helped to push Lake Superior’s average water temperature several degrees above the long-term normal for this time of year. Read the full story by the Thunder Bay News Watch.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200806-superior-temperatures
As he canoed the shores of Lake Huron for a month, Waasekom of the Saugeen Ojibway Nation, considered his role as a steward of the land and water and sought to remind others of their responsibilities to protect both. Read the full story by Collingwood Today.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200806-canoe-journey
Deanna van Dijk, a professor of geology, geography, and environmental studies at Calvin University in Grand Rapids, Michigan, had 1,250 tons of sand delivered to campus on Tuesday, August 4 for hands-on study of sand dunes. Read the full story by MLive.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200806-sand-dunes
In what might be the last hope to keep the invalidated Lake Erie Bill of Rights alive, Toledo activist Mike Ferner implored Ohio’s Sixth District Court of Appeals to think outside the box and be brave enough to put the world’s 11th largest freshwater lake first. Read the full story by the Toledo Blade.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200806-Erie-BOR
Annual harmful algae blooms on a western New York lake in recent years has resulted in an innovative research project being conducted by the state Department of Environmental Conservation and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for a possible, short-term solution to the problem. Read and view the full story by Syracuse.com.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200806-algal-bloom-study
City communications director Matthew Grant said councillors are expected to hear a confidential update Monday on “the subject of potential charges” regarding a 24 billion-litre sewage spill into Chedoke Creek. Read the full story by the Hamilton Spectator.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200806-sewergate
Asian carp continue to affect the fishing industry and damage ecosystems on the Illinois River. Sorce Enterprises is working on harvesting and utilizing them as a nutritional food source while providing jobs to local communities. Read the full story by WMDB -TV – Peoria, IL.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200806-invasive-carp
The contest will reward mask wearing by letting people submit short videos of themselves wearing masks at restaurants, stores, parks, hotels, or attractions in the Indiana Dunes or nearby Porter County communities for the chance to win prizes. Read the full story by the Northwest Indiana Times.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200806-indiana-dunes
The Great Lakes just experienced their first waterspout “outbreak” of the 2020 season. Wednesday marked the fifth consecutive day dozens of waterspouts were reported over the lakes, with the majority over Lakes Michigan, Erie, and Ontario. Read the full story by Yahoo! News.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200806-water-spouts
The state of Michigan and five Ottawa and Chippewa tribes have more time to renegotiate their expiring agreement governing fishing in the Great Lakes. The decades-old agreement, set to be renegotiated this summer, now will be extended through the end of 2020 to give the parties more time to strike a deal. Read the full story by the Traverse City Record-Eagle.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200805-fishing-rights
A scientist who monitors the annual algal bloom in Sandusky Bay has noticed a big surprise: The bloom hasn’t shown up yet. Read the full story by the Sandusky Register.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200805-algal-bloom
As severe weather hits parts of the East Coast, some parts of Western New York are seeing their own wild weather. A waterspout on Lake Erie on Tuesday evening was caught on video. Read the full story by Spectrum News.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200805-waterspout
It appears a big boat party is on for this weekend in metro Detroit, despite the pandemic. Muscamoot Bay, known as a hotspot on Lake St. Clair on summer weekends, is the site of the annual “Raft Off” the first Saturday in August every year. Read the full story by WWJ- Southfield, MI.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200805-boat-party
A company that owns two mid-Michigan dams that failed in May has filed for bankruptcy. By filing for Chapter 11, the company’s creditors and those seeking damages will face another obstacle. Read the full story by MLive.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200805-dam-bankruptcy
According to a recent report from the International Joint Commission’s (IJC) Great Lakes Science Advisory Board, there has been a decline in the fish populations in the offshore regions of Lakes Huron, Michigan, Ontario and Superior, while Lake Erie’s overall fish numbers are strong. Read the full story by The Toledo Blade.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200805-Mussels
Michigan’s new standards for seven per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance (PFAS) compounds in drinking water — some of the toughest, most comprehensive standards on the chemicals anywhere in the country — took effect Monday. Read the full story by the Detroit Free Press.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200805-PFAS
With the exception of Lake Superior, each of the Great Lakes have likely reached their peak water levels for the year, according to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Read the full story by Interlochen Public Radio.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200805-water-level
As Ohio farmers in Lake Erie’s Western Basin watershed face declining crop prices, increased media scrutiny and the looming threat of stricter regulations on the industry’s use and release of nutrients, they are in a constant battle to reduce their footprint on the lake and to stay in business. Read the full story by Great Lakes Now.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200805-conservation
The Oswego, IL Village Board Tuesday night will consider hiring a consultant to do an analysis concerning alternative water supply sources in the village as projections showing the aquifer that the region’s municipalities rely on for well water is depleting. Proposed new sources include Lake Michigan water through the DuPage Water Commission. Read the full story by Aurora Beacon-News.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200804-illinois-water-quality-source
The Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy is looking to protect a 166-acre property identified as of the highest priority for permanent protection in the Platte River Watershed Management Plan. The proposed preserve would protect a total of more than 6,000 feet of water frontage Platte River watershed and dubbed the Embayment Lakes Nature Preserve. Read the full story by Manistee News Advocate.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200804-nature-preserve-watershed
As sand deposits grow higher in the federal navigation channel of Waukegan Harbor, potentially imperiling shipping, the United States Army Corps of Engineers has developed a plan to use the sand recovered from dredging the port to combat erosion at area beaches. Read the full story by Lake County News-Sun.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200804-waukegan-dredge-beaches
In a bid to protect fish stocks and natural habitat in Nipissing from the harmful impacts of double-crested cormorants, the Ontario government is introducing a fall harvest for the species. Read the full story by BayToday.ca
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200804-ontario-cormorants
Water levels on Lakes Michigan and Huron have set record monthly highs each month so far in 2020 with water levels currently two inches from a record high level. Read the full story by Spectrum News.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200804-wisconsin-lake-levels
The International Joint Commission has released a report identifying why there are reduced fish populations in four of the five Great Lakes, including Huron, citing invasive species, algal blooms, and other aspects affecting water quality. Read and listen to the full story by Blackburnnews.com.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200804-fish-ijc
Michigan’s new PFAS drinking water standards went into effect this week; the restrictions include seven more common chemicals from the PFAS family. Michigan’s regulations are among the strictest in the U.S. Read and listen to the full story by Michigan Radio.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200804-michigan-pfas
Thumb Land Conservancy acquired the 42-acre Bidwell Sanctuary in Burtchville Township, MI last month in a proposal to join this property with other nearby nature preserves, creating a nearly 4.5 mile continuous park to be called Southern Lake Huron Coastal Park. Read the full story by Port Huron Times Herald.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200804-michigan-preserve
Fishing on the Great Lakes is in limbo right now, with legislation in the state Senate to change commercial fishing regulations, and five Michigan Native American tribes are in negotiations with the state over fishing rights. Read the full story by MLive.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200804-fishing-great-lakes
In an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act is a provision that would require the Department of Defense to use the most stringent applicable standard when cleaning up PFAS contamination. Read and view the full story by MLive.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200804-pfas-contamination
The Montreal Port Authority is launching a public procurement process for the construction of a new container terminal in Contrecoeur that’s valued at $750 million to $950 million and is scheduled to be ready by 2024. Building the South Shore facility will allow Quebec’s biggest port to boost capacity by about 50 per cent. Read the full story by the Montreal Gazette.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200804-montreal-port
The U.S. House of Representatives has passed a $1.3 trillion spending bill that includes money to restore the Great Lakes. Read the full story by The Plain Dealer.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200803-funding-bill
The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is using acoustic telemetry to study fish movements in the Great Lakes. Read the full story by Iron Mountain Daily News.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200803-acoustic-telemetry
The state of Michigan and five Ottawa and Chippewa tribes will have more time to renegotiate their expiring agreement governing fishing in the Great Lakes after a recent court ruling extending the negotiation timeline. Read the full story by the Traverse City Record-Eagle.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200803-fishing-rights
A study of salmon and trout in Lake Michigan showed a shift in their diets as they adapt to a decline in their prey, non-native alewives. Read the full story by Chicago Sun Times.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200803-fish-diet-study
