A Beach Hazards Statement is in effect for the Lake Michigan shore near South Haven, Michigan, today. Northwest winds at Holland State Park will push water toward the north pier causing swimmers to get caught in the structural current and be pushed out away from shore. Read the full story by WOOD-TV – Grand Rapids, MI.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230721-swimming-hazards
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service personnel will apply lampricides to the Pentwater River in Oceana County, Michigan, between July 18-23. The public is asked to minimize contact with the Pentwater River in Oceana County and agricultural irrigation must be suspended 24 hours before and after treatment. Read the full story by MLive.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230721-lampricide-application
The Senate Appropriations Committee voted to provide the Army Corps of Engineers the full $235 million it had asked for to continue construction on a new Soo Lock at Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan. Read the full story by The Detroit Free Press.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230721-lock-funding
The Harbor Princess, a boat with a storied history on two Great Lakes, has settled into its new home in Petoskey, Michigan, to offer sunset cruises on the Little Traverse Bay. The ferry service for the last few years has been port-hopping around the bay with stops to pick up and drop off passengers in Petoskey and neighboring Bay Harbor and Harbor Springs. Read the full story by MLive.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230721-sunset-cruise-ship
Nearly 800 shipwrecks in Wisconsin lakes and waterways have been catalogued by the Wisconsin Historical Society Maritime Preservation Program and the University of Wisconsin Sea Grant Institute. With the right equipment and skills, it is possible to visit several of them, with many becoming popular tourist attractions for curious scuba divers, snorkelers, kayakers and boaters. Read the full story by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230721-shipwreck-exploration
Two ferries to Michigan’s Beaver Island make about 360 round trips to the island each year, bringing people, animals, buildings supplies, groceries — anything you can think of that would be delivered to an island in the middle of Lake Michigan. Plans to build a third ferry are underway after the state legislature appropriated $14 million in 2022. Read the full story by MLive.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230719-beaver-island
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230719-plovers
A group of Michigan artists, managers and advocates seeking to strengthen and promote links between Great Lakes arts and science as a way of inspiring Great Lakes stewardship will hold its first in-person meeting on July 27 at the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge. Read the full story by The News-Herald
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230719-art
Nearly 63% of beaches tested in the Great Lakes region last year had at least one day of fecal contamination that exceeded the EPA’s Beach Action Value. That tool helps states determine whether a beach is safe enough to go swimming. Read the full story by Public News Service.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230719-epa-bacteria-beaches
The wreck of an early wooden schooner that capsized on Lake Michigan 9-1/2 miles southeast of Sheboygan in September 1885 has been listed in the National Register of Historic Places. Read the full story by the Sheboygan Press.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230719-sheboygan-shipwreck-nationalregister
The Ontario government is investing $6 million to support 30 multi-year projects that will help protect, conserve, and restore the Great Lakes, including two shoreline projects in Niagara. The investments will help reduce plastic litter and control excess nutrients and road salt entering lakes, rivers, and streams. Read the full story by The Niagara Independent.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230719-cleanup-shores-niagara
Organizations which work to protect Lake Superior are benefitting from an injection of multi-year funding from the province as part of a larger $6 million initiative to protect, conserve, and restore the Great Lakes. The Ontario government has announced 30 “science on the ground” projects so far, which aim to address a variety of challenges. Read the full story by Fort Frances Times.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230719-greatlakes-cash-rehabilitation
“Drink ‘em and sink ‘em” was the practice of fishermen who threw their beer and pop cans and bottles into the Great Lakes over 40 years ago. Don Fassbender, president of Great Lakes Scuba, a lake preservation dive club, once saw old cans underwater as far as he could see beneath Lake Superior. He posted a video of the dive on YouTube, showing the garbage he found and collected. Read the full story by the Gladwin County Record & Beaverton Clarion.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230719-scubadivers-greatlakes-cleanup
Ships carrying an estimated 12 million tons of cargo have passed through the St. Lawrence Seaway system into the Great Lakes through the end of June, roughly the same amount as last year. Read the full story by The Northwest Times of Indiana.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230719-internationalshipping-greatlakes
A ship that hasn’t been seen for almost a century and a half has been confirmed as found. The Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum in Paradise, Michigan announced an expedition on Lake Superior last year that led to the discovery of the Satellite, a tugboat that sank June 21, 1879. Read the full story by the Manistee News Advocate.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230719-shipwreck-lakesuperior
Lead levels in drinking water in the city of Eastpointe, MI have exceeded state action levels for the second time in a year. Read the full story by The Detroit News.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230719-highleadlevels-eastpointe-drinkingwater
A new shipping facility for agricultural products officially opened in Port Milwaukee on Tuesday. It’s one of the first facilities in the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Seaway to move bulk agricultural exports, including dried distillers grains. Read the full story by Wisconsin Public Radio.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230719-portmilwaukee-ag-shipping
On Thursday, July 27, Mayor Justin Bibb will invite public comments on “initial thoughts and sketches” for an emerging plan for the Cleveland lakefront in a meeting at the Great Lakes Science Center. Read the full story by The Plain Dealer.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230719-cleveland-publiccomment-lakefront-development
Three years ago, Viking, the luxury cruise line, struck a deal with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to launch passenger cruises on the Great Lakes with a scientific bent, allowing passengers to assist with laboratory experiments. Read the full story by Bridge Magazine.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230717-science-cruises
Some environmental advocates are unhappy with some of Ohio’s new Lake Erie plans, as it is not a regulatory document. Read the full story by WTVG-TV – Toledo, OH.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230717-erie-guidelines
The director of the Central Michigan University Institute for Great Lakes Research joined two submersible owners under Lake Michigan at Beaver Island this week to assist the station’s water quality and fisheries research. Read the full story by MLive.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230717-private-submersibles
Several wetland restoration and enhancement projects have been announced for Lake Huron and Lake Erie, as part of a multi-million dollar investment from the Ontario government. Read the full story by CKXS – Wallaceburg, Ontario.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230717-wetland-restoration
A no-contact order remains in place for a section of the St. Joseph River in Southwest Michigan a week after sewage spilled into the river. A lag between the time of the spill and the warning means some people went into the Lake Michigan tributary without realizing they could be in danger. Read the full story by the MLive.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230717-kayakers-sewage
In Michigan, a project to shore up South Haven’s South Beach and protect it from erosion that occurred in 2019 due to record-high water levels on Lake Michigan is nearing completion. This past week, the United States Army Corps of Engineers began the finishing work on the project that will add approximately 57,000 cubic yards of dredged material from the Black River Channel to expand the sand on the beach that was washed away during the high-water levels. Read the full story by the South Haven Tribune.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230717-south-beach
Michigan residents are being warned to be prepared for another season of harmful algal blooms in the Great Lakes. The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy is advising people on what to do if they encounter the algae. Read the full story by WXPR – Rhinelander, WI.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230717-algae-michigan
A new state of the art wastewater treatment plant is up and running in the City of Cheboygan, Michigan. The new facility will enhance public health safeguards, better protect Lake Huron, and reduce costs through state assisted funding. Read the full story by WPBN-TV – Traverse City, MI.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230717-cheboygan-wastewater
Potash shipments at the port of Thunder Bay, ON have made a strong comeback in June reaching 31 per cent higher than June 2022. Chris Heikkinen, director of business development with the port, says the reason for the uptick is “it’s timing more than anything.” Read the full story by the Chronicle Journal.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230717-potash
In New York, Chautauqua Institution provided an opportunity last month for the public to learn more about the array of research and management efforts taking place on and around Chautauqua Lake. Read the full story by the Post-Journal.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230717-institution-event
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and partners are seeking input on their latest plan to guide restoration and protection of the Great Lakes under an updated action plan for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative from 2025 to 2029. Read the full story by Wisconsin Public Radio.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230714-epa-input
The Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society announced Wednesday the discovery of a tug boat that sank into the waters of Lake Superior 144 years ago. The historical society said the Satellite sank on June 21, 1879, either as a result of a mechanical problem or because the boat struck a floating log. Read the full story by WPBN-TV – Traverse City, MI.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230714-shipwreck
The Chicago Park District released three endangered piping plover chicks Wednesday at Montrose Beach along Lake Michigan, hoping to help the species which is nearly extinct in the Great Lakes region. Read the full story by WMAQ-TV – Chicago, IL.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230714-piping-plovers
Several types of technology are deployed along beaches in the Great Lakes region to remove trash and other marine debris, both large and small. Read the full story by WLUK-TV – Green Bay, WI.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230714-marine-debris
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Detroit District will begin planned maintenance work in the navigation channel in Charlevoix, Michigan to replace deteriorating timber fenders along the channel revetments. Read the full story by MLive.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230714-channel-repair
Several beaches along Lake Erie’s Presque Isle are restricted for swimming due to E. coli. Officials are searching for the reason. Read the full story by the Erie Times-News.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230714-presque-isle
On July 13, 1938, five people were killed after a type of tsunami hit Holland, Michigan. Eighty-five years later, researchers say meteotsunamis in the Great Lakes occur more than some may think. Read the full story by WOOD-TV – Grand Rapids, MI.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230714-tsunamis
On rare occasions of heavy rainfall, the Chicago Metropolitan Water Reclamation District officials will reverse the flow of river water into Lake Michigan to reduce river flooding. Read the full story by WBBM-TV – Chicago, IL.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230714-chicago-river
As the summer continues to heat up, Lake Superior researchers are urging the public to look out for and report algae blooms. Read the full story by KBJR-TV – Superior, WI.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230714-superior-algae
A Holland man will attempt to swim across Lake Michigan this summer to raise money for the Holland Aquatic Center. Read the full story by WZZM-TV – Grand Rapids, MI.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230714-holland-man
Invasive, bloodsucking sea lampreys are startling fishers and tourists alike in the Great Lakes, following a population spike during the Covid-19 pandemic. Read the full story by Smithsonian Magazine.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230712-lampreys
A coalition of organizations is developing an innovative and expensive engineering project at the 96-year-old Brandon Road Lock and Dam on the Des Plaines River south of Chicago to block invasive carp from reaching Lake Michigan. Read the full story by Michigan Public Radio.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230712-invasive-carp
A triple-masted schooner that’s been turning heads for the last month as it has made its way from the East Coast to the Great Lakes is set to receive a big welcome when it sails into its new home port on Grand Traverse Bay in Traverse City, Michigan, this week. Read the full story by MLive.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230712-schooner
Explosives will be used as work progresses toward the construction of a new superlock at the Soo Locks in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, officials said. Read the full story by MLive.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230712-soo-locks
Visitors to several nature preserves in Lorain County, Ohio, can keep an eye out for new QR codes linking to a new website that provides more information on wildlife and restoration efforts. Read the full story by The Chronicle Telegram.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230712-black-river-restoration
After a decade of drastic shifts between record lows and record highs, Lake Michigan waters levels are just four inches above their long-term average for the month of July. Read the full story by WBAY -TV – Green Bay, WI.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230712-water-levels
The Ohio EPA’s Total Maximum Daily Load plan for the Maumee River watershed, submitted on June 30 to the U.S. EPA, isn’t good enough because it doesn’t regulate manure generated by large livestock operations, contends a senior attorney for the Environmental Law and Policy Center in Chicago. Read the full story by The Courier.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230712-lake-erie
Pools of dead fish and a milky substance along the north end of the former McLouth Steel property adjacent to the Detroit River in Trenton, Michigan, served as a clear warning sign that something was wrong. Read the full story by The News Herald.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230712-contamination
A study from Environment America found persistent problems with bacteria pollution along U.S. and Great Lakes coastlines. Where does beach pollution come from, and other key questions are answered. Read the full story by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230710-bacteria-beaches
Rebecca Meuninck, the new executive director of National Wildlife Federations’ Great Lakes Regional Center is looking to “expand the program to have more focus on climate resilience and making sure the communities that are most impacted by pollution and climate change are being reached by those programs and benefitting from them”. Read the full story by Great Lakes Now.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230710-national-wildlife-federation
Oswego County’s rich marine history is on display – from events to exhibits. The H. Lee White Maritime Museum in Oswego, New York hosts a new display for the 2023 season, “Shipwrecks of Upstate NY.” The exhibit offers a detailed look at the shipwrecks below Lake Ontario using 3D printed and hand-painted scale models of shipwreck sites. Read the full story by Oswego County Today.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230710-lake-ontario
Canadian energy giant Enbridge has appealed a federal court ruling in Wisconsin to shut down its Line 5 pipeline that runs through Michigan. That action was met with strong criticism from environmentalists and tribal leaders. Read the full story by the Michigan Advance.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230710-line-5
