The proposed plan to expand Billy Bishop airport for jets could degrade water quality in Toronto’s Inner Harbour on Lake Ontario and negate the benefits of multi-billion-dollar infrastructure upgrades intended to keep it clean, according to a new city report. Read the full story by the CBC.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20260713-toronto-harbor
A group of marine archaeology enthusiasts will take to a southwestern Ontario beach this summer to learn more about the fatal shipwreck of the SS Erie Belle that happened more than a century ago. Read the full story by the CBC.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20260713-erie-belle
Heavy rain this spring, combined with ample snowmelt runoff into some Great Lakes, have boosted the water levels from below normal to above normal. Only Lake Superior is still below the long-term average for July. Read the full story by MLive.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20260713-water-levels
This episode of the podcast “On Hand” recounts the story of one man’s love for Lake St. Clair, the “heart-shaped” lake, and the song it inspired him to make. Read the full story by Michigan Public.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20260713-lake-st-clair
A new book details how Downriver Detroit’s close connection to the Detroit River and shaped a region where industry and the natural environment were constantly intertwined. Read the full story by Great Lakes Echo.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20260713-downriver
The hot weather last week has pretty well taken care of the colder-than-normal water coming out of the long winter. The exception is Lake Superior, which is still quite cold and colder than average. Read the full story by MLive.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20260713-water-temps
Michigan’s Saginaw Bay-area Fire Departments participated in a “Open Water Rescue with Boat Operations” class on Lake Huron; training included identifying hazards, risk-benefit analysis, cold water survival and incident command. Read the full story by Huron Daily Tribune.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20260713-water-training
Wolves that steal backpacks and enter tents have prompted officials at Isle Royale National Park to temporarily close one of the park’s 36 campgrounds. Read the full story by Wisconsin Public Radio.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20260713-isle-royale-wolves
Sometime over the next few months, the University of Wisconsin-Superior is set to debut a new classroom that is unlike any other. The Sadie Ann, a 65-foot vessel described as a floating classroom, will be used for both research and instruction on Lake Superior. Read the full story by Wisconsin Public Radio.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/202607010-new-classroom-vessel
A small earthquake, with a 2.9 magnitude on the Richter scale, struck below Lake Michigan, off the coast of a Chicago suburb, on Wednesday, July 8, according to the United States Geological Survey. Read the full story by The Detroit Free Press.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/202607010-lake-michigan-earthquake
A bacteria contamination advisory is in effect at Ohio’s Maumee Bay State Park, covering both the inland swim area and Lake Erie, after water testing showed E. coli levels exceeding state standards. Read the full story by WTVG-TV – Toledo, OH.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/202607010-maumee-bacteria-advisory
An estimated 3.6 million cubic yards of contaminated sediment remains on the U.S. side of the Detroit River and the price tag for the cleanup is about $1 billion. Read the full story by Planet Detroit.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/202607010-detroit-river-contamination
Little yellow buoys that monitor weather and wave action are being deployed in Green Bay, Wisconsin, so people can check real-time conditions before they head out on the water. Read the full story by WBAY-TV-Green Bay, WI.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/202607010-green-bay-buoys
After hearing 90 minutes of public opposition to data center development, Michigan’s Garfield Township Planning Commission voted unanimously this week to advance a zoning amendment that could pave the way for a moratorium on the facilities. Read the full story by MLive.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/202607010-data-cetner-pause
Late-season snowmelt and weeks of steady rain caused lakes Michigan and Huron to rise 13.4 inches, the largest April increase on record. As of early July, lakes Michigan and Huron have returned to ideal conditions. Read the full story by the Benzie County Record Patriot.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/202607010-lake-michigan-water-level
A coastal geomorphologist at Michigan State University breaks down what’s happening where the land meets Great Lakes water and how lakeshore residents can use this summer’s calmer conditions to prepare for the future. Read the full story by the Huron County View.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/202607010-great-lakes-shoreline-outlook
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Migratory Bird Conservation Commission recently granted numerous partners $9 million in North American Wetlands Conservation Act funds. The money will benefit three programs in Great Lakes states. Read the full story by The American Hunter.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/202607010-waterfowl-funding
For more than 20 years, 21 beaches across five counties in Michigan have been monitored weekly throughout the summer months. Beach monitoring tracks factors that affect water quality and results are posted publicly allowing residents and visitors to check water quality before heading to their favorite swimming spots. Read the full story by the Keweenaw Report.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/202607010-beach-monitoring
Two sailors with Great Lakes roots are preparing to compete in the prestigious Admiral’s Cup, an elite international yacht racing competition returning in 2026 after a long hiatus. The pair, who learned to sail on the Detroit River and Lake St. Clair, will represent the United States as part of a team competing against some of the world’s top sailors off the coast of the United Kingdom. Read the full story by MLive.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20260708-greatlakes-sailors-prestigious-yacht-races
Two former biologists from the EPA’s Great Lakes Toxicology and Ecology Division in Duluth, Minnesota, have joined five other fired EPA employees in federal lawsuits alleging they were unlawfully terminated for signing a public letter criticizing the Trump administration’s environmental policies. Read the full story by the Minnesota Star Tribune.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20260708-duluth-biologists-epa-filed-lawsuit
Eight New York State Park beaches were closed to swimming due to water quality concerns, including elevated bacteria levels, harmful algal blooms, and impacts from recent rainfall. State officials continue to monitor beach conditions through regular testing and advise visitors to check water quality updates before swimming. Read the full story by the Democrat & Chronicle.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20260708-newyork-beaches-closed-bacteria-algae-rainfall
The Black River in northern Ohio has moved a major step closer to being removed from the U.S. EPA’s Great Lakes Areas of Concern list after federal regulators approved the removal of its final environmental impairment, known as “Degradation of Benthos,” which measures the health of bottom-dwelling aquatic organisms. The milestone reflects decades of cleanup and restoration work that transformed a river once heavily polluted by industrial activity, with formal delisting expected after final state and federal review processes are completed. Read the full story by Spectrum News.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20260708-black-river-us-epa-greatlakes-area-of-concern
Michigan Department of Natural Resources officials say the Fisheries Division faces ongoing financial challenges despite receiving one-time funding in the new state budget, because most of its budget comes from fishing license revenue that has not increased in more than a decade while operating costs continue to rise. Agency leaders warn that without a long-term funding solution, staffing cuts and reductions in fish stocking programs—including salmon and walleye efforts that support both Great Lakes ecosystems and local economies—may be necessary. Read the full story by Michigan Public.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20260708-michigans-fisheries-division
The 77-foot schooner Inland Seas will visit Two Rivers and Manitowoc, Wisconsin, on July 28–29, offering public sails and hands-on educational programs that teach participants about Great Lakes ecology, maritime history, and sailing. Operated by the nonprofit Inland Seas Education Association, the vessel gives residents and visitors a chance to experience Lake Michigan while learning about the region’s freshwater resources and environmental stewardship. Read the full story by the Manitowoc Herald Times Reporter.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20260708-schooner-sails-two-rivers-manitowoc
After a year-long pause caused by low Lake Huron water levels and the retirement of the previous operators, Turnip Rock boat tours in Port Austin, Michigan, are returning under new owners. Favorable spring rains raised lake levels by about 20 inches, allowing the popular excursions to resume, and the new operators have added online booking while continuing to offer scenic trips past Turnip Rock and the nearby lighthouse. Read the full story by the Huron Daily Tribune.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20260708-turniprock-boat-tour-port-austin
A new study highlights how the endangered black-crowned night heron has adapted to urban life, with its largest remaining Great Lakes-region colony now nesting on the grounds of Lincoln Park Zoo in downtown Chicago. Researchers found the birds are successfully using city parks, the Chicago River, and even structures along Lake Michigan for feeding and breeding, making the urban colony a critical refuge for a species that has declined due to widespread wetland loss. Read the full story by Great Lakes Echo.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20260708-windycity-wetlandbird-chicago
As part of the annual Great Lakes Landing Blitz education campaign at boat launches across the region, boaters and anglers are being urged to help stop the spread of aquatic invasive species by following simple practices such as cleaning, draining, and drying boats and gear. The campaign highlights the importance in preventing the spread of invasive species like zebra mussels and other harmful aquatic organisms. Read the full story by the Duluth News Tribune.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20260708-editorial-boaters-anglers-invasive-species
Eighty years ago, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources created the Northern Highland Fishery Research Area. For decades, anglers on the five lakes in the research area have reported catch rates, what they were fishing for and lures they used, to help inform research. Read the full story by Wisconsin Public Radio.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20260706-wisconsin-research-lakes
In mid-June, the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy held a final hearing on Enbridge’s request to discharge up to 5 million gallons of water per day into Lake Michigan as part of the construction process for a tunnel to bury its Line 5 pipeline. A decision on the permit, one of three needed from the agency, is expected in early July. Read the full story by Northern Express.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20260706-line-5-updates
Two biologists who were fired from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency lab in Duluth last year after signing a public letter criticizing the Trump administration are suing to get their jobs back. Read the full story by Minnesota Public Radio.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20260706-duluth-epa-lawsuit
The U.S. Coast Guard has delayed deploying some lighted buoys in the Great Lakes due to unanticipated maintenance needs. Read the full story by Up North Live.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20260706-uscg-buoys-delay
With a full day of Fourth of July celebrations, July 5th marks the dirtiest day for beaches and shores across the country. Read the full story by WDIO-TV – Duluth, MN.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20260706-superior-beach-clean
A shared lake level and the Straits of Mackinac are two reasons that Lake Huron and Lake Michigan could be considered “lobes” of one big lake. Read the full story by Michigan Public.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20260706-michigan-huron
A coalition of more than 200 business owners from throughout the Great Lakes region is calling on the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy to reject permits for Enbridge’s Line 5 tunnel pipeline, urging other business owners to sign on to a joint letter opposing the project. Read the full story by Michigan Advance.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20260706-businesses-line-5
A retired Great Lakes Michigan Department of Natural Resources research vessel tells the story of the Great Lakes’ struggle to overcome decades of overfishing and the introduction of invasive species. Read the full story by the Alpena News.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20260706-chinook
Michigan spent millions of years either submerged underwater or buried under ice. As the glaciers began to melt and water moved, this allowed marine animals like whales to travel far inland. Read the full story by WDIV-TV – Detroit, MI.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20260706-whale-remains
Submerged in Lake Michigan, Milwaukee’s new storage facility will hold millions of cubic yards of contaminated sediment scheduled for removal from the city’s waterways. Read the full story by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20260701-storage-facility
Officials with the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration predict that western Lake Erie’s algal blooms will be moderately harmful and should be visible in mid-July. Read the full story by Spectrum News 1.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20260701-habs-outlook
Researchers working to recover the endangered Great Lakes piping plover are using DNA analysis to determine the sex of captive-reared chicks, allowing them to better balance the number of males and females released at nesting sites, thus improving the odds that returning birds will find mates in future breeding seasons. Read the full story by MLive.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20260701-dna-analysis
A new study from the University of Notre Dame analyzed 42 years of studies and combined nearly 2,500 samples of algae, fish, birds and other organisms to identify trends in how PFAS moves through the food web in the Great Lakes. Read the full story by Interlochen Public Radio.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20260701-pfas-study
The newest cohort of “Freshwater Fellows,” a group of Cuyahoga County, Ohio, high school students, are taking part in the second year of the Freshwater Institute – a county-led initiative to help create the next generation of freshwater stewards. Read the full story by Spectrum News 1.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20260701-stewardship-education
Federal regulators have approved a Wyandotte, Michigan, chemical manufacturer’s plan to keep chemicals that have leached from contaminated soil into groundwater from reaching the Detroit River. Read the full story by The Detroit News.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20260701-cleanup-approval
During Wisconsin’s Great Lakes Landing Blitz, participants will greet boaters and anglers at boat landings and access points across the state. They’ll be sharing information and simple steps that can help prevent invasive species from spreading. Read the full story by WXPR – Rhinelander, WI.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20260701-invasive-species-awareness
A new report shows some fish in the St. Lawrence River are contaminated with high levels of pollutants, including PFAS or “forever chemicals.” The report, published every three to five years by the Province of Québec, monitors levels of toxins such as mercury in fish. This is the first time PFAS levels have been included in the analysis. Read the full story by CTV News.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20260701-pfas-found
Ferry crossings, international bridges, and thousands of miles of shoreline are all part of what will one day be a continuous trail spanning the entire Great Lakes known as the U.S. Great Lakes Waterfront Trail. Read the full story by WJBK-TV – Detroit, MI.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20260701-future-trail
Parasitic invasive sea lampreys were on display during the 46th annual Governor’s Lake Erie Fish Ohio Day on June 23. Read the full story by the Port Clinton News Herald.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20260701-lamprey-display
Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer has proclaimed June 28 to July 4 to be Aquatic Invasive Species Awareness Week in Michigan. Biologists say there are three important words boaters should know to help stop invasive species: clean, drain and dry. Read the full story by WLUC – TV- Neguanee, MI.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20260629-ais-awareness
After two and a half months of the Cheboygan Lock being closed to the public due to widespread flooding issues in northern Michigan, the lock has finally reopened. Read the full story by The Detroit News.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20260629-cheboygan-lock-open
Over decades, waves of the Great Lakes transform discarded trash into brightly colored gems. Among the five Great Lakes, Lake Erie is the premier destination for beach glass due to its numerous shipwrecks and rough shallow waters. Read the full story by The Plain Dealer.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20260629-erie-beach-glass
Tree swallows at a Lake Erie bird observatory are shrinking, a troubling finding that researchers say is tied to crashing insect populations in the region and world. Read the full story by The Detroit News.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20260629-bird-insect-declines
