Erik Grams was 12 years old when he first went camping in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness in northern Minnesota. Ever since that trip, he’s been coming back again and again. It’s his favorite place in the world.
“I really feel – when I’m in the Boundary Waters – that I’m in my element,” said Erik.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2025/02/back-to-the-boundary-waters/
I Speak for the Fish is a monthly column written by Great Lakes Now Contributor Kathy Johnson, coming out the third Monday of each month. Publishing the author’s views and assertions does not represent endorsement by Great Lakes Now or Detroit Public Television.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2025/02/i-speak-for-the-fish-hornyhead-chubs-are-cooler-than-their-name-implies/
A project to keep invasive carp species from reaching the Great Lakes could be in jeopardy as the state of Illinois halted its work, seeking assurances from the Trump administration that federal funding for the more than $1.1 billion project will not be revoked. Read the full story by Detroit Free Press.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250217-carp-barrier-halted
The Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa has objected to permitting Enbridge’s proposed Line 5 reroute under the Clean Water Act, saying the project will violate the tribe’s water quality standards. Read the full story by the Superior Telegram.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250217-line5-tribal-opposition
Waves of Yemeni immigrants came to the United States in the 1950s and 1960s settled in Michigan to work in the Great Lakes shipping industry. Today, around 30,000 people of Yemeni heritage are believed to live in Michigan. Read the full story by Bridge Michigan.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250217-great-lakes-sailors
U.S. Rep. Marcy Kaptur, D-Toledo, Ohio, recently introduced a bill, with a frequent Republican ally, requiring the federal government to promote cultural and historic attractions in the Great Lakes. Read the full story by the Sandusky Register.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250217-great-lakes-bill
A team of 20 divers scoured 40,000 square meters of the Grand River in downtown Grand Rapids, Michigan. In just two weeks, the team found, identified, marked, tagged, and relocated every native freshwater mussel within their search area. Read the full story by Great Lakes Now.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250217-mussel-surveys
Iceboats, some a century old, are the speedsters and yachts of frozen lakes. Iceboating flourished in Madison, Wisconsin, partly because of the city’s lakes and a culture that embraced wintertime activities. Read the full story by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250217-iceboat-speed
The sea lamprey nearly destroyed fishing in the Great Lakes. The new 90-minute film “The Fish Thief: A Great Lakes Mystery,” tells the story of the people who tackled the mystery of why lake trout, one of the most prized fish in the Great Lakes, nearly vanished. Read the full story by the Watertown Daily Times.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250217-sea-lamprey-documentary
Michigan’s Great Lakes are 33.19% covered in ice, the highest coverage so far in 2025 with Lake Erie in the lead, the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration said. Altogether, the Great Lakes are seeing more ice this year compared to 2023 and 2024. Read the full story by Lansing State Journal.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250217-ice-cover
This year’s National Invasive Species Awareness Week is February 24-28, 2025. Anyone who enjoys gardening or the outdoors needs to stay informed. Read the full story by the Utica Observer-Dispatch.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250217-spotted-lantern-fly
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has published the results and recommendations that came from a 2021-22 Waterway Benefits Study of the St. Louis River Estuary. The study was conducted to explore the estuary community’s deep connections to the St. Louis River, Lake Superior, and local streams to help increase access and guide decision-making.
During the study, 532 residents were surveyed about their experiences with Lake Superior, the Estuary, and local streams in the previous year. Follow-up interviews were conducted later with 42 survey participants about their relationships with water. This fact sheet offers an overview of the study’s findings.
Other project partners include the Lake Superior National Estuarine Research Reserve and the University of Minnesota Duluth.
The post How people connect to the St. Louis River Estuary first appeared on Wisconsin Sea Grant.Blog | Wisconsin Sea Grant
https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/blog/how-people-connect-to-the-st-louis-river-estuary/
Current watches, warnings, and advisories for Brown County (WIC009) WI
Current watches, warnings, and advisories for Brown County (WIC009) WI
https://api.weather.gov/alerts/urn:oid:2.49.0.1.840.0.56c0d37cb50168f8398029cda5bc91681883010f.001.1.cap
Current watches, warnings, and advisories for Brown County (WIC009) WI
Current watches, warnings, and advisories for Brown County (WIC009) WI
https://api.weather.gov/alerts/urn:oid:2.49.0.1.840.0.e223ebf6c881f9b61aa3ff15b52ad5419f00706d.001.1.cap
Current watches, warnings, and advisories for Brown County (WIC009) WI
Current watches, warnings, and advisories for Brown County (WIC009) WI
https://api.weather.gov/alerts/urn:oid:2.49.0.1.840.0.1e20ea2b12c9f4a6d69c35acc5c72c38258d27da.001.1.cap
Current watches, warnings, and advisories for Brown County (WIC009) WI
Current watches, warnings, and advisories for Brown County (WIC009) WI
https://api.weather.gov/alerts/urn:oid:2.49.0.1.840.0.1a6e7f8b6a72257ed280465e6a4a34e6ce134296.001.1.cap
Green Bay, WI
https://www.weather.gov/grb/021525_winterstorm
Current watches, warnings, and advisories for Brown County (WIC009) WI
Current watches, warnings, and advisories for Brown County (WIC009) WI
https://api.weather.gov/alerts/urn:oid:2.49.0.1.840.0.be85ee22830e6a57b9156241df661df56dce0c64.002.1.cap
Current watches, warnings, and advisories for Brown County (WIC009) WI
Current watches, warnings, and advisories for Brown County (WIC009) WI
https://api.weather.gov/alerts/urn:oid:2.49.0.1.840.0.0592e84fb637755a10e448a544fd02e0ccdfcc6f.003.1.cap
Current watches, warnings, and advisories for Brown County (WIC009) WI
Current watches, warnings, and advisories for Brown County (WIC009) WI
https://api.weather.gov/alerts/urn:oid:2.49.0.1.840.0.4f85bcec51313219679d4cf6b32d93a04c06d030.003.1.cap
Current watches, warnings, and advisories for Brown County (WIC009) WI
Current watches, warnings, and advisories for Brown County (WIC009) WI
https://api.weather.gov/alerts/urn:oid:2.49.0.1.840.0.b3ec3ddbbf678aa9538ad1d61076a01e811b143b.003.1.cap
Current watches, warnings, and advisories for Brown County (WIC009) WI
Current watches, warnings, and advisories for Brown County (WIC009) WI
https://api.weather.gov/alerts/urn:oid:2.49.0.1.840.0.9ff9aa77abc95655dfa855b4e9bf0fa5494223ec.004.1.cap
Biological collection specialists are divers who travel around the country relocating freshwater mussels and other vulnerable aquatic species before river restoration projects begin.
In September of 2024, a team of 20 divers scoured 40,000 square meters of the Grand River in downtown Grand Rapids, Michigan. In just two weeks, the team found, identified, marked, tagged, and relocated every native freshwater mussel within their search area.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2025/02/saving-mussels-one-dive-at-a-time/
No Matter the Time of Year, AIS Prevention Helps Your Waters Original Story: WI DNR The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and partners ask anglers to help prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species while fishing this winter. Even in harsh winter conditions, anglers can help prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species [...]
The post Battle on Bago & Beyond – Protect Your Waters from Invasive Species appeared first on Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance.
Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance
https://fwwa.org/2025/02/14/battle-on-bago-beyond-protect-your-waters-from-invasive-species/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=battle-on-bago-beyond-protect-your-waters-from-invasive-species
NOAA Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory
NOAA Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory
https://noaaglerl.blog/2025/02/14/fall-in-love-with-the-science-behind-noaa-glerls-valentines/
President Donald Trump has made rethinking international trade policy a centerpiece of his second administration. While Congress generally has the authority to regulate international trade, it has also delegated some of this authority to the president. On Feb. 1, Trump announced he would be imposing 25% tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico, with a 10% tariff on Canadian energy.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2025/02/what-the-recent-tariff-news-means-for-the-great-lakes/
Current watches, warnings, and advisories for Brown County (WIC009) WI
Current watches, warnings, and advisories for Brown County (WIC009) WI
https://api.weather.gov/alerts/urn:oid:2.49.0.1.840.0.46676df77ecd6a4fb82916832f5219a4a5f711f4.002.1.cap
Invasive Species? Horticultrist Melinda Myers Can Help! Managing invasive plants on your property can be overwhelming. We will discuss various strategies to help you manage these unwanted plants. Preventing their introduction into your landscape is the best place to start. Then slow the spread of those present by cutting back the plants or mowing [...]
The post Free Webinar: Strategies to Manage Invasive Species on Your Property appeared first on Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance.
Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance
https://fwwa.org/2025/02/14/free-webinar-strategies-to-manage-invasive-species-on-your-property/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=free-webinar-strategies-to-manage-invasive-species-on-your-property
New York state lawmakers announced a group of five bills aimed to reduce PFAS exposure. The five bills would: ban the use of PFAS in consumer and household products, cosmetic products, and menstrual products; regulate PFAS as an air pollutant; and require the disclosure of PFAS levels in all permitted facilities discharging waste. Read the full story by Great Lakes Now.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250214-new-york-pfas
In a sweeping proposal, Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers announced Tuesday that his budget will include more than $145 million to address PFAS contamination. The bulk of the money would fund PFAS testing for municipal drinking water systems, but it would also help private well owners test for the chemicals. Read the full story by Wisconsin Public Radio.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250214-wisconsin-pfas
The Michigan Department of Natural Resources gets a good chunk of its budget from the sale of hunting and fishing licenses. But licenses aren’t selling like they used to, and some are wondering: even if fees go up, how long will this system work? Read the full story by Interlochen Public Radio.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250214-dnr-funding
Last year, Vice President J.D. Vance, then an Ohio senator, was part of a bipartisan coalition calling to increase funding for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative. Advocates hope he hasn’t changed his mind. Read the full story by WBEZ Chicago.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250214-glri-funding
Aamjiwnaang First Nation and the Canadian federal government will work together on a pilot project to address environmental racism and contaminants in the air, water, and soil. The nation, located in Sarnia, Ontario, has spent decades fighting to stop pollution from a cluster of petrochemical plants known as Chemical Valley that surround it. Read the full story by The Narwhal.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250214-aamjiwnaang-pollution
The Palisades nuclear plant, which sits on the Lake Michigan shore near South Haven, Michigan, stopped operations in 2022. The unprecedented proposal to bring the shuttered nuclear plant back online reached a new level Wednesday as a panel of federal administrative judges heard arguments over the regulatory process for the proposal. Read the full story by Michigan Public.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250214-palisades-restart
The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy has proposed additional water quality protections in Oakland County, Michigan, amid a years-long dispute with neighboring Macomb County over accusations of sewage discharged into the Red Run Drain, contributing to beach closures and the growth of large masses of algae in Lake St. Clair downstream. Read the full story by Michigan Advance.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250214-county-sewage
Lake Erie is more than 90% covered with ice but that doesn’t mean it’s safe to be walking on the frozen water. Conditions are particularly hazardous for fishermen at least for the next few days, as winter weather is expected to bring shifting winds that will blow the ice around. Read the full story by The Plain Dealer.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250214-erie-ice
Several Metro Detroit water systems exceeded the previous lead limit of 15 ppb in 2024, with more communities nearing the new 12 ppb standard, while Republican lawmakers in Congress aim to repeal Biden’s lead regulations via the Congressional Review Act, potentially barring federal mandates on lead service line replacement or stricter lead limits in water. Read the full story by Planet Detroit.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250214-michigan-lead
More than 300 dead wild birds have been discovered in five Michigan counties, including Allegan, Shiawasee, Ingham, Eaton and Washtenaw. The Michigan Department of Natural Resources doesn’t expect serious impacts to Michigan’s duck, goose or swan populations statewide, although areas where waterfowl concentrate in the remaining ice-free water may see more die-offs. Read the full story by WDET – Detroit, MI.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250214-avian-flu
Current watches, warnings, and advisories for Brown County (WIC009) WI
Current watches, warnings, and advisories for Brown County (WIC009) WI
https://api.weather.gov/alerts/urn:oid:2.49.0.1.840.0.c4bc52b1bfcfd9f85ef67d77ad19a84eb1bab3c8.001.1.cap
Current watches, warnings, and advisories for Brown County (WIC009) WI
Current watches, warnings, and advisories for Brown County (WIC009) WI
https://api.weather.gov/alerts/urn:oid:2.49.0.1.840.0.89deac58148ee700ab12b89759b3f24e98ca949c.002.1.cap
Invasive carp are headed toward the Great Lakes, advancing up the Mississippi and Illinois Rivers where they have already wreaked havoc. The Brandon Road project – a series of underwater deterrents and barriers at an existing lock in Illinois – is our best chance to stop them before they threaten the region’s $5.1 billion fishing and $16 billion recreational boating industries.
To date, the U.S. Congress has appropriated $274 million, and the States of Illinois and Michigan have provided $114 million and signed a project partnership agreement detailing their respective obligations to move the project forward. Initial contracts have been awarded for the first phase of construction. Work is underway.
On Tuesday, the project’s groundbreaking celebration was put on hold when Illinois put a temporary pause on transferring some land needed for the project. The state wants assurances from the Trump Administration that future federal funding will be available for the project so that it can be finished.
Any delay or halt of construction of this project threatens the economy and environment of the Great Lakes and opens the door to yet another invasive species to do irreversible damage to the Great Lakes and to the people who call it home.
This is yet another example of the ways federal funding is critical to the Great Lakes. While this project site is located in Illinois, it will benefit every Great Lakes state. Invasive carp don’t stop at state lines. We’re fortunate that the project, which has been guided by more than a decade of advocacy, enjoys broad support across the region and in Congress from members of both parties.
We will continue to watch this closely and will update you when there are new developments. And we’ll continue speaking out in support of the project, including in these stories this week:
WGN TV: Asian Carp barrier project on Des Plaines River delayed as federal funds hang in limbo
NBC 5 Chicago: State delays Joliet invasive carp project over ‘anticipated lack of funding’
The post Update: Keeping Invasive Carp Out of the Great Lakes appeared first on Alliance for the Great Lakes.
News - Alliance for the Great Lakes
News - Alliance for the Great Lakes
https://greatlakes.org/2025/02/update-keeping-invasive-carp-out-of-the-great-lakes/
Current watches, warnings, and advisories for Brown County (WIC009) WI
Current watches, warnings, and advisories for Brown County (WIC009) WI
https://api.weather.gov/alerts/urn:oid:2.49.0.1.840.0.9b13dd41ffd3a02d0cf352149114a8630b21af22.002.1.cap
By Emma McIntosh, The Narwhal
The Great Lakes News Collaborative includes Bridge Michigan, Circle of Blue, Great Lakes Now at Detroit PBS, Michigan Public and The Narwhal who work together to bring audiences news and information about the impact of climate change, pollution, and aging infrastructure on the Great Lakes and drinking water.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2025/02/tackling-environmental-racism-in-chemical-valley/
This article was republished here with permission from Great Lakes Echo.
By Clara Lincolnhol, Great Lakes Echo
Toledo, Ohio, has a rich Rust Belt history that influences its present-day culture. Local environmental groups and agencies are turning to public art to teach residents that the area’s natural history is just as important.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2025/02/toledos-community-art-highlights-importance-of-native-plants-for-safe-drinking-water/
Current watches, warnings, and advisories for Brown County (WIC009) WI
Current watches, warnings, and advisories for Brown County (WIC009) WI
https://api.weather.gov/alerts/urn:oid:2.49.0.1.840.0.4a044f649f2f6d91638238acfddcae7caaed335a.002.1.cap
Valentine’s Day is here, and if it slipped your mind, don’t worry—we’ve got just the thing! Whether you need a quick way to make someone smile or just want to spread the love for clean water, these Fox-Wolf Watershed-inspired valentines are here to help. Make this love last [...]
The post Last-Minute Valentines (You’re Welcome) appeared first on Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance.
Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance
https://fwwa.org/2025/02/14/fox-wolf-valentines/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=fox-wolf-valentines
By Izzy Ross, Interlochen Public Radio
This coverage is made possible through a partnership between Interlochen Public Radio and Grist, a nonprofit environmental media organization.
The elk hunting season got off to a tough start last year, and state officials say heat is at least partly to blame.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2025/02/the-early-elk-hunt-was-tough-last-year-hot-weather-is-likely-to-blame/
Current watches, warnings, and advisories for Brown County (WIC009) WI
Current watches, warnings, and advisories for Brown County (WIC009) WI
https://api.weather.gov/alerts/urn:oid:2.49.0.1.840.0.da3f61d76aa6ebffb2f82374b04d708f3e7c84aa.002.1.cap
The oldest known Great Lakes piping plover was recently spotted at her favorite wintering grounds on the Atlantic shore in Georgia. Read the full story by MLive.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250212-oldest-pipingplover-basks-southernsunshine
As expected, companion legislation aimed at reauthorizing the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative was reintroduced into the U.S. Senate this week. Read the full story by the Toledo Blade.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250212-greatlakes-reauth-bill-senate
