Federal Yoshino made it to Duluth-Superior on Tuesday afternoon, but while the saltie is the first oceangoing ship to arrive this season its journey didn’t start from the ocean. Read the full story by Duluth News Tribune.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250409-duluth-saltie
A recent study suggests that the creation of the Great Lakes occurred nearly 200 to 300 million years ago, much further back than originally thought, via a hot spot from underneath the Earth’s crust. Read the full story by the Chicago Tribune.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250409-greatlakes-formation
The Muskegon, a 19th-century ship turned sandsucker barge, sank in Lake Michigan in 1911 and is now a shipwreck nature preserve in Indiana. Read the full story by the Herald-Times.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250409-indiana-shipwreck
The Great Lakes Science Center in Cleveland, Ohio is launching a new weekly series of sensory-friendly Sunday morning programming in April, and a new Sensory Space, all designed to make the museum more accessible for all community members. Read the full story by the Plain Dealer.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250409-greatlakes-sciencecenter
A new study has found that climate change is erasing a fundamental annual phenomenon in Lakes Michigan and Huron, with potentially serious consequences for life in the water. Read the full story by Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250407-lakemichigan-lakehuron-climatechange
A large drop in the water levels in the Great Lakes is making it more challenging for people to launch their boats in Lake Huron and navigate shallower water. Some harbors in Northeast Michigan, like the one in Harrisville, have a depth of only about 12 feet, which is enough to accommodate most power boats, but concern is rising that if water levels continue to fall, launching a boat could become a serious issue. Read the full story by The Alpena News.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250407-waterlevels-greatlakes
A small-ship cruise operator is about to make a comeback in the U.S. Victory Cruise Lines is relaunching this month with Great Lakes and Canada cruises. American Queen Voyages’ founder John Waggoner is reviving the brand with two 190-passenger ships, Victory I and Victory II. Read the full story by USA Today.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250407-greatlakescruises-victorycruiseline
Following a drier-than-average fall, tourism industry observers are heading into spring with one eye on the sky, hoping that a strong wet season will replenish below-average Great Lakes levels for smooth sailing this season. Read the full story by Crain’s Grand Rapids Business.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250407-michigan-marinas-lower-water-levels
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is working to rehabilitate the lake sturgeon population into a self-sustaining future in the Milwaukee River. Read the full story by The Post-Crescent.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250407-sturgeon-milwaukeeriver
When raindrops fall in Northeast Ohio, they begin a journey — one shaped by millions of years of geological history and guided by invisible boundaries in the land. Some of that water will eventually make its way north to Lake Erie, while other droplets will flow south toward the Ohio River, and ultimately, the Gulf of Mexico. The deciding factor? A subtle but significant line called a watershed divide. Read the full story by WKYC-TV – Cleveland, OH.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250407-northeastohio-lakeerie-ohioriver
Since the Great Lakes Fishery Commission’s lamprey program launched, sea lamprey populations have declined by about 90 percent, restoring commercial and sport fishing across the Great Lakes. However, experts say that work was imperiled by February’s U.S. federal staffing cuts. Read the full story by OrilliaMatters.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250407-greatlakes-sealamprey-dogecuts
The Michigan Maritime Museum in South Haven, Michigan, will host a presentation this month on efforts to preserve a World War II Tuskegee airplane that crashed into Lake Huron in 1944. Read the full story by WSJM – Benton Harbor, MI.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250407-maritimemuseum-southhaven-worldwar2
Approximately 4,250 adult trout were stocked by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) in the Huron River at the Proud Lake Recreation Area in Oakland County and the Spring Mill Pond at the Island Lake Recreation Area in Livingston County, Michigan. The fish are retired broodstock from Michigan’s state fish hatcheries. Read the full story by WHMI – Howell, MI.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250407-fish-stocked-huronriver-springmillpond
The Lake Ontario National Marine Sanctuary encompasses 1,722 square miles of eastern Lake Ontario waters and bottomlands adjacent to Jefferson, Wayne, Oswego and Cayuga counties in the state of New York. The sanctuary area contains 41 known shipwrecks and one aircraft representing events spanning more than 200 years. The advisory council will meet for the first time later this month, a crucial step in the build-out of the newly designated sanctuary. Read the full story by Oswego County News Now.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250407-noaa-advisorycouncilmeeting-marinesanctuary
The heavy rain that soaked the Chicago, Illinois, area on Wednesday is being studied as part of a research project at the Shedd Aquarium, where scientists are examining how extreme weather impacts wildlife in the Chicago River. Read the full story by CBS Chicago.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250404-sewer-overflow-impacts
The Singapore-flagged Patagonman docked in Port Milwaukee on Sunday, March 30, after sailing through the Atlantic Ocean and unloading cargo in Ontario. It corresponded with the opening of the St. Lawrence Seaway, which connects the Great Lakes to the Atlantic Ocean. Read the full story by Spectrum News 13.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250404-seaway-opening
Following the Michigan Court of Appeals’ decision to uphold a key permit for Enbridge’s Line 5 tunnel project, members of four Native American Tribes and three environmental organizations are asking the Michigan Supreme Court to review the lower court’s decision. Read the full story by Michigan Advance.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250404-line5-court-decision
The Great Lakes region plays a vital role in bird migration, lying at the intersection of two migratory flyways. Severe weather is negatively impacting migration patterns, however, there are steps communities can take to reduce the impact on the nearly 350 species passing through. Read the full story by the Huron Daily Tribune.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250404-migration-impacts
An unexpected failure of a weld on a 54-inch steel water main caused millions of dollars in damage in Detroit, Michigan. and is prompting the Great Lakes Water Authority to look more closely at steel pipes in its 800-mile system, weighing where similar breaks could occur. Read the full story by The Detroit News.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250404-water-main-breaks
Test your knowledge of aquatic species by taking this lighthearted quiz! Read the full story by Great Lakes Now.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250404-species-quiz
Birding enthusiasts in Wisconsin and other Great Lakes states can meet the sunrise at wetlands and other locations Saturday morning for the 48th annual Midwest Crane Count, which aims to tally sandhill cranes and whooping cranes. It’s organized by the International Crane Foundation. Read the full story at Wisconsin Public Radio.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250404-sandhill-cranes
At the annual Great Lakes Day summit, leaders from the United States and Canada gather in Washington, D.C., to demonstrate their commitment to the Great Lakes. Read the full story by WBEZ – Chicago, IL.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250404-dc-gathering
Former U.S. Environmental Protection Agency leaders fear Great Lakes states with a long history of industrial pollution will suffer if protections are eliminated or weakened. Read the full story by The Chicago Tribune.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250402-epa-cuts
Last fall, fisheries biologists found a rare shore-spawning brook trout in Lake Superior along the Minnesota shoreline. It may be a sign that the once bountiful species is finally coming back. Read the full story by The Minnesota Star Tribune.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250402-rare-trout
An oil spill that occurred Thursday on the St. Clair River appears to be under control. There’s no evidence of the spill spreading, and final cleanup efforts are expected to wrap by the end of the week. Read the full story by Planet Detroit.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250402-stclair-oil
The Trump administration has reversed firings and a hiring freeze that threatened Great Lakes lamprey control efforts. Officials are now scrambling to hire staff, cautiously optimistic but acknowledging the program may need to be less ambitious this year. Read the full story by Bridge Michigan.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250402-lamprey-cuts
Oil stemming from damaged electrical transformers was visible on the Grand River in Grand Rapids, Michigan, after thunderstorms ripped through Michigan on Sunday. Cleanup operations have begun, and an environmental contractor is placing booms and pads to absorb the oil and limit its spread. Read the full story by MLive.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250402-grandriver-oil
A new light lager from Saugatuck Brewing Company is supporting the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and its lake sturgeon conservation efforts. Read the full story by WXMI-TV – Grand Rapids, MI.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250402-sturgeon-beer
Two Northern Michigan lighthouses, Charlevoix South Pier Lighthouse on Lake Michigan and the Gull Rock Lighthouse on Lake Superior, will receive more than $100,000 in grants to support ongoing preservation efforts. Read the full story by WXYZ-TV – Detroit, MI.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250402-lighthouse-preservation
The Sable Points Lighthouse Keepers Association has opportunities for volunteers to serve as day keepers at its historic lighthouses along Michigan’s Lake Michigan shoreline for the 2025 season. Read the full story by the Manistee News Advocate.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250402-lighthouse-keepers
The thawing of Wisconsin’s lakes means it’s boating season again, and a popular activity on the water is wake boating. Some advocate for rules to reel in the adverse effects of wake boating, such as damage to shoreline and transporting invasive species. Read the full story by Wisconsin Public Radio.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250402-wake-boats
Massena Village, New York, trustees tabled a resolution that would have voiced opposition to the New York Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) ending a 40-year walleye restocking program in the Oswegatchie River, a tributary to the St. Lawrence River. Read the full story by Northern News Now.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250402-walleye-stocking
On June 9, 1909, a mechanical failure at Canada’s Soo Locks led to the sinking of two ships, halting Great Lakes commercial traffic. This disaster exposed infrastructure vulnerabilities, prompting modernization efforts and highlighting potential economic repercussions from similar incidents today. Read the full story by Thumbwind.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250331-1909-soolocksdiaster
Canada’s Chamber of Marine Commerce is calling for changes to a proposed U.S. port fee plan, warning it could harm Canadian trade and supply chains. Read the full story by Brighton Today.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250331-us-canadian-trade
Boaters in Ohio can kick off the season with an added layer of safety, as the Ohio Department of Natural Resources offers free vessel safety checks. These inspections ensure that boats have all legally required safety gear, including life jackets, fire extinguishers, and navigation lights, before they hit the water. Read the full story by Spectrum News.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250331-odnr-boat-safety-inspections
A sewer overflow resulted in thousands of gallons of “material” to be released in Kalamazoo, Michigan, Sunday evening into the early Monday morning hours. Read the full story by WZZM-TV – Grand Rapids, MI.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250331-kalamazoo-discharge-tenthousand-gallons
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is seeking data on the water quality of the state’s lakes, streams and rivers. Along with DNR data, submitted data will be used to assess the quality of the state’s water resources and pinpoint problem areas. Read the full story by the Tomahawk Leader.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250331-waterquality-lakes-streams-datasought
The Friends of Wisconsin Shipwreck Coast National Marine Sanctuary have announced a new program aimed at sharing the history of the Great Lakes. The First Annual Wisconsin Shipwreck Coast International Film Festival will be held at the Franciscan Center for Music Education and Performance in Manitowoc, Wisconsin, on April 4. Read the full story by Seehafer News.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250331-wisconsin-shipwreck-filmfestival-manitowoc
Great Lakes water levels fall below last year’s figures, with Lake Erie remaining near historical norms. This change follows a dry fall and increased winter evaporation. Read the full story by Planet Detroit.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250331-lakeerie-waterlevels-dive
There is no escape from microplastics in today’s world, and increasingly there is no escape from reports of the harm they may be causing to our environment and, possibly, to us. Microplastics and their impacts are a growing field of study. Read the full story by the Watertown Daily Times.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250331-microplastics-greatlakes-waterquality
Seven Indigenous Nations have withdrawn from discussions over an oil and gas liquids pipeline in Michigan, citing federal agencies’ failure to adequately engage with tribal governments during the process. The move is expected to trigger lawsuits the tribes hope will block the controversial Line 5 project. Read the full story by Grist.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250331-indigenousnations-pipelinetalks-michigan
Lake Erie is called the Walleye Capital of the World. The 2025 fishing season is set to showcase why. According to the Ohio DNR, walleye from recent large hatches are reaching trophy size. Erie anglers who are used to catching a lot of fish, can now expect to catch a lot of big fish, too. Read the full story by the Fulton Sun.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250331-driftwoodoutdoors-walleye-fishing-lakeerie
U.S. Senators Bernie Moreno (R-OH) and Gary Peters (D-MI) will co-chair the Senate Great Lakes Task Force for the 119th Congress. They will hold meetings to coordinate legislative initiatives, funding priorities, and oversight efforts to protect the Great Lakes. Read the full story by WTVG-TV – Toledo, OH.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250328-task-force
Since taking office in January, President Donald Trump and his administration has repeatedly stoked tensions with Canada, once considered the United States’ closest ally. Along with trade and tariffs, this strife has also raised questions about how the region’s water resources will be managed. Read the full story by Grist.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250328-us-canada-relations
Climate change is making it easier for Great Lakes water birds to get sick, according to a recent University of Illinois study. The study identified avian diseases in the Great Lakes, including botulism and avian influenza, that could be primed for outbreaks amid warming waters and shifting migration patterns. Read the full story by Great Lakes Echo.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250328-sick-birds
A Michigan House representative recently introduced a bill that could add a lot of regulations to fishing in Saginaw Bay. This could potentially be a massive obstacle for state licensed commercial fishers in the area. Read the full story by the Huron Daily Tribune.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250328-saginaw-bay-fisheries
While they support bolstering the U.S. shipbuilding industry, officials warned millions of dollars in fees each time a Chinese-built ship stops at a U.S. port would threaten Great Lakes shipping. Read the full story by the Duluth News Tribune.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250328-chinese-ships
U.S. and Canadian officials are monitoring a crude oil spill that was detected Thursday in the Canadian side of the St. Clair River near the Suncor Sarnia Refinery in Sarnia, Ontario. No impacts to drinking water were reported for Ontario or Michigan residents, although water intake valves were temporarily closed on the Michigan side. Read the full story by CBS News Detroit.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250328-oil-spill
After reports have surfaced of dead birds on the shores of Lake Michigan, the city of South Haven, Michigan, is urging residents to leave the carcasses alone and report die-offs of six carcasses or more. Read the full story by MLive.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250328-dead-birds
Wisconsin seems to be a consequence-free place to ditch a boat. Since Oct. 13, the owner of a local salvage company has been the only person who has shown any initiative in removing an abandoned boat, Deep Thought, from the Lake Michigan shoreline in Milwaukee. Read the full story by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250328-abandoned-boat
