After an exceptionally warm and dry fall, the Saint Lawrence River — a vital economic corridor in Canada — has reached abnormally low levels in Québec. Read the full story by Le Monde.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20251020-stlawrence-drought
All five Great Lakes are currently around 4 to 5.5 degrees Fahrenheit warmer than their long-term average for the last three decades. Read the full story by Wisconsin Public Radio.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20251020-greatlakes-warmfall
When the Erie Canal opened in New York 200 years ago, on Oct. 26, 1825, it forever changed the landscape, trade, and communities throughout the area between the Hudson River and the Great Lakes. Read the full story by Fast Company.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20251020-erie-canal
The Ontario government pushed forward TC Energy’s proposal to build a large pumped storage project on Lake Huron’s Georgian Bay, despite early expert advice it would be costly and not meet the province’s current energy needs. Read the full story by BarrieToday.com.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20251020-georgianbay-pumpedstorage
In Northville, Michigan, part of the Rouge River — sealed inside a 1,200-foot concrete tunnel in 1962 to create land for fairgrounds and, later, a racetrack — has finally been uncovered, the centerpiece of a $350 million redevelopment reshaping the city. Read the full story by the Detroit Free Press.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20251020-rougeriver-project
Park trails along Lake Michigan’s shoreline in Michigan and Wisconsin are eroding due to more frequent extreme precipitation events, plus increased foot traffic from visitors in undesignated recreation areas. Read the full story by WCMU Public Media.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20251020-trail-erosion
Every year, the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum holds a private memorial ceremony for those with a connection to the Edmund Fitzgerald on the anniversary of the ship’s sinking. In honor of this year’s 50th anniversary, there will also be a ceremony for the public. Read the full story by WBUP – Marquette, MI.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20251020-shipwreckmuseum-fitzgerald
When the U.S. Coast Guard closed its Grand Marais, Minnesota, station in 2022, it left a gap in safety coverage along a large stretch of Lake Superior. In response, the Grand Portage Band of Lake Superior Chippewa has launched what the tribe says is the first Indigenous-led coast guard in the nation. Read the full story by Minnesota Public Radio.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20251017-indigenous-coast-guard
A fresh wave of midges — tiny, non-biting insects — has swarmed parts of Northeast Ohio this week, creating a rare sight for mid-October. Ohio Department of Natural Resources officials said the late-season emergence is tied to Lake Erie’s lingering warmth. Read the full story by The Plain Dealer.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20251017-midge-emergence
Village of Fredonia, New York, officials are urging residents to conserve water in any way they can due to a lack of rain. According to village officials, the water reservoir is in extreme danger of reaching a critically low point, which could hamper the village’s ability to produce and supply adequate drinking water. Read the full story by Spectrum News 1.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20251017-drought-conservation
The success of a sturgeon restocking program along the Maumee River led the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to expand it this year to the Cuyahoga and Sandusky rivers. On October 4, the Ohio DNR had 2,000 baby lake sturgeon released into the Cuyahoga River. Read the full story by The Toledo Blade.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20251017-sturgeon-restocking
Ohio state lawmakers are proposing legislation to ban oil and gas drilling under Lake Erie. While federal law currently prohibits drilling under the Great Lakes, the bill’s sponsors say the state needs to enact its own protections. Read the full story by WTVG – Toledo, OH.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20251017-drilling-ban-legislation
In a proclamation, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer dedicated Oct. 19-26 as Microplastics Awareness Week. The week includes events in which the public can learn about microplastics, participate in cleanups and discover practical solutions to reduce plastic waste at home. Read the full story by Michigan Public.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20251017-microplastics-proclamation
For the first time in its history, the St. Croix Chippewa Indians of Wisconsin released lake sturgeon into Clam Lake as part of efforts to restore the ancient fish. The tribe has been working for years to bring sturgeon back to the Clam River system, which is home to a remnant population of the native fish. Read the full story by Wisconsin Public Radio.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20251017-sturgeon-release
Community members, environmental professionals, and researchers will gather later this month for the 18th Annual Freshwater Summit, an event focused on the latest research and regional efforts to protect the Great Lakes. Read the full story by WWTV – Traverse City, MI.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20251017-freshwater-summit
From invasive species and pollution to the escalating impacts of climate change, Lake Michigan and the other Great Lakes are grappling with a host of environmental challenges. But in Chicago, scientists and environmentalists are on the front lines, dedicating their time to finding solutions. Read the full story by WLS-TV – Chicago, IL.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20251017-environmental-solutions
The F.T. Barney, a two-masted schooner, collided with another ship on Oct. 23, 1868, and quickly sank to the bottom of Lake Huron. According to the NOAA Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary, divers can clearly see its intact stern cabin, erect main mast, and a cargo hold still full of coal off the coast of Rogers City, Michigan. Read the full story by MLive.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20251017-intact-shipwreck
Michigan’s premier birding hotspot is nestled at the tip of Whitefish Point where the land juts out into Lake Michigan and acts as a natural migration corridor. Thousands of birds travel through the flyway with over 340 species on record. Read the full story by MLive.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20251015-birding-hotspot
After a dry summer and fall, The International Lake Ontario–St. Lawrence River Board says it will temporarily increase outflows from Lake Ontario this week to help recreational boaters on Lac Saint-Louis, southwest of Montreal, remove their watercraft for the season. Read the full story by CBC News.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20251015-grounded-boats
A 24-year-old adventurer canoed the Great Loop, a 6,000 mile trip between the Great Lakes and Florida. The Michigander returned home to share his journey about enduring obstacles like floodwaters, fire ants, invasive carp. Read the full story by MLive.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20251015-great-loop-paddling
Initiatives such as the Michigan Lighthouse Assistance Program and the Save Our Lights program have raised money to keep historic lighthouses along the Great Lakes coastline intact amidst initiatives to privatize their control. Read the full story by Midland Daily News.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20251015-lighthouse-funding-need
The St. Clair Region Conservation Authority is celebrating a successful first year of the Sydenham Phosphorus Reduction Initiative, a project focused on improving water quality in the Sydenham River and protecting the long-term health of Lake Erie. Read the full story by the Sydenham Current.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20251015-phosphorus-reduction
Recovery efforts have delisted the once threatened Lake Erie water snake, a native of the Great Lakes islands. The species can grow up to 3.5 feet long and their favorite prey is the round goby, an invasive, nuisance fish species. Read the full story by The Columbus Dispatch.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20251015-water-snake
Two statewide environmental advocacy groups and other local leaders met at a library in Erie, Pennsylvania to highlight the threat and urgency of mitigating harmful algal blooms and call the public to action. Read the full story by WJET – Erie, PA.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20251015-erie-algal-blooms
A brand-new luxury cruise ship, the American Patriot, will begin making regular stops in Rochester, NY next year, providing a boost to local tourism and the city’s image. Read the full story by WXXI – Rochester, NY.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20251015-cruise-stop-rochester
The Lake Superior and Mississippi Railroad brings passengers on a 2-hour through the St. Louis River estuary aboard what most call the Duluth River Train. To celebrate the railroad’s 45th anniversary, the train is open for its longest season ever. Read the full story by WIDO – Duluth, MN.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20251015-river-train
Once numbering in the thousands, now only dozens of commercial fishers remain in lakes Michigan and Huron as whitefish stock collapse; and unlike other fish crises, this one can’t be fixed by docking boats until stocks recover. Read the full story by Bridge Michigan.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20251013-whitefish-fishers
The collapse of lake whitefish stocks threatens Michigan’s environment, economy, and culture. Saving lake whitefish requires suppressing quagga and zebra mussels, but now, the infestation is only getting worse. Read the full story by Bridge Michigan.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20251013-whitefish-crisis
Park trails along Lake Michigan’s shoreline in Michigan and Wisconsin are eroding because of more frequent extreme precipitation events and increased foot traffic from visitors in undesignated recreation areas. Read the full story by The Detroit News.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20251013-trail-erosion
American and Canadian students are teaming up to prevent potential oil spills in the Great Lakes through collaborative research projects. Read the full story by the Sault Ste. Marie News.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20251013-oil-spill-research
The preliminary results for the 2025 walleye hatch have been ranked ‘Exceptional,’ the highest on the Ohio Division of Wildlife’s scale. This translates into a high probability that this year’s young will enter the fishery in 2027 in numbers of 20 million or more. Read the full story by The Columbus Dispatch.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20251013-walleye-hatch
Hundreds gathered in Rome, New York, the birthplace of the Erie Canal, to welcome the Seneca Chief, a full-scale replica of the original vessel that carried New York Governor, DeWitt Clinton, who was credited with the building of the historic waterway. Read the full story by the Utica Observer Dispatch.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20251013-erie-canal-celebration
For the past 40 years, the Split Rock Lighthouse near Beaver Bay, Minnesota, has observed the anniversary of the Edmund Fitzgerald’s sinking with a beacon lighting ceremony. This year’s event will continue that tradition. Read the full story by Minnesota Public Radio.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20251013-edmund-fitzgerald-ceremony
After nearly 50 years of service, the aging tugboat Arctic was dismantled and beached north of the harbor in Manitowoc, Wisconsin, in 1930. The shipwreck was surveyed in 2017, and its remains can be viewed by divers and snorkelers. Read the full story by the Herald Times Reporter.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20251013-tugboat-arctic
Michigan is seeing less daylight each day, and we’ve already felt the chill from frost in recent days, meaning the state’s inland water and Great Lakes are quickly cooling off. Read the full story by the Detroit Free Press.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20251013-lakes-cooling
A plan to redevelop the historic railroad ferry terminal grounds in the Lake Michigan village of Elberta, Michigan, received $1.75 million to create a mixed-use redevelopment and a large public park with a shoreline trail, nature preserve, and expanded lake access. Read the full story by MLive.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20251013-waterfront-revival
Scientists are using a remotely operated vehicle to explore and map nearly 100 square miles of lakebed along the Pennsylvania, New York and Canadian borders. The survey area includes the deepest areas of the eastern basin of Lake Erie, with depths ranging from 114 to 180 feet. Read the full story by Erie Times-News.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20251010-scientists-rov-lakeerie
Despite worries over rising temperatures, it turns out anglers have a greater effect on fish populations than climate change. Read the full story by Wisconsin Public Radio.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20251010-fishing-midwest-fish-populations-warming
Despite low river levels and summer heat, the Michigan DNR’s annual fish egg collection at the Little Manistee Weir in Manistee County saw strong returns this season, a welcome sign after numbers dipped in recent years. Read the full story by WGTU-TV – Traverse City, MI.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20251010-michigans-egg-collection-little-manistee-weir
The Huron River winds through woods in Ypsilanti Township, Michigan, where thousands of residents fish, canoe and swim. A proposal aims to add a 300,000-square-foot data center with a 20-acre electric substation to the landscape, raising concerns over energy usage and light, noise, water and air pollution. Read the full story by Michigan Advance.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20251010-los-alamos-national-security-ai-data-center
The U.S. states and Canadian provinces that border the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River produce $9.3 trillion in total economic activity each year. The region’s leaders are coordinating to boost that higher while also protecting the environment. Read the full story by The Daily News.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20251010-us-canadian-leaders-enhancing-greatlakes-cooperation
The state of Michigan’s budget includes notable investments in conservation and restoration. Highlights include waterfront land conservation and funding to support an effort to reintroduce Arctic grayling to select rivers in the northern lower peninsula. Read the full story by Interlochen Public Radio.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20251010-beaches-fishes-trees-northern-michigan
In Ohio, the combination of drought and the current cyanobacteria blue-green algal bloom in the Sandusky Bay could result in fish kills, but favorable fall weather is likely to arrive in time to avoid the problem. Read the full story by the Fremont News-Messenger.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20251010-fishkills-drought-algalbloom
More than 120 people recently rolled up their sleeves to tackle litter on the Cobourg shoreline of Lake Ontario, collecting 1,200 pieces of plastic and other debris as part of the inaugural Great Lakes Coastal Cleanup. Read the full story by KawathaNOW.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20251010-greatlakes-coastal-cleanup-coburg-volunteers
The mighty Edmund Fitzgerald, immortalized in song by Gordon Lightfoot, sank 50 years ago on Lake Superior. Reporters spent a week on a Great Lakes freighter, the Wilfred Sykes, that survived the storm. Read the full story by the New York Times.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20251010-edmund-fitzgerald
After decades of cleanup efforts and community engagement, Muskegon Lake, between Lake Michigan and the city that bears its name in Michigan, has been removed from a U.S. and Canadian list of most polluted sites. Read the full story by the Detroit Free Press.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20251008-muskeon-lake-delisted
At a time of rising temperatures and water levels, along with the threat of wildfires and smoke, many are reassessing where to live and Buffalo, New York, is embracing the “climate haven” tag. Read the full story by Great Lakes Now.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20251008-buffalo-climate-haven
The history of the Edmund Fitzgerald, the lives of the men who served on the ship, and the repercussions of that final voyage are the subject of a new book. Read the full story by Michigan Public.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20251008-edmund-fitzgerald-book
Chicago has more than 412,000 confirmed and suspected lead service lines — the most of any city in the country — but replacements are lagging and millions of dollars in federal and city loans dedicated to replacing lead pipes remain unused. Read the full story by Great Lakes Now.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20251008-chicago-lead-pipes
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro was elected chair of a group of leaders from across the Great Lakes region who collaborate on shared priorities. Read the full story by the Erie-Times News.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20251008-shapiro-chair
