Fish and Wildlife Service News
Fish and Wildlife Service News
http://www.fws.gov/news/ShowNews.cfm?ref=%0Au.s.%C2%A0fish-and-wildlife-service-announces-final-plan-to-&_ID=36981
Climate change presents an opportunity for Michiganders to change their relationship with fire.
The post Climate change calls on us to learn to live with fire first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2021/08/27/climate-change-calls-on-us-to-learn-to-live-with-fire/
Erosion, flooding and high water levels are some of the most concerning issues across the Great Lakes region, according to a recent survey.
But communities lack the funding, knowledgeable staff and support from government agencies to face these issues.
Water levels in the Great Lakes basin change naturally with recurring high and low water levels.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/08/coastal-resilience-communities-funding-erosion-flooding/
NCEI News Feed
http://www.ncei.noaa.gov/news/rapid-sea-surface-changes-pose-risks
ISLE ROYAL, Mich. (AP) — A wildfire on Michigan’s remote Isle Royale has been about 15% percent contained and crews have saved some historic cabins from encroaching flames, an official said Wednesday.
The fire began Aug. 10, apparently sparked by a lightning strike on the drought-stricken wilderness island, said Liz Valencia, a spokeswoman for Isle Royale National Park.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/08/ap-fire-michigan-isle-royale-15-percent-contained/
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Protesters descended upon the Minnesota State Capitol on Wednesday to rally against Enbridge Energy’s Line 3 oil pipeline as the project nears completion.
The rally, part of a series of events called Treaties over Tar Sands organized by Indigenous and environmental activists, called on Gov.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/08/ap-line-3-opponents-minnesota-capitol/
Current Watches, Warnings and Advisories for Brown (WIC009) Wisconsin Issued by the National Weather Service
https://alerts.weather.gov/cap/wwacapget.php?x=WI1261B31D0390.AirQualityAlert.1261B32ABC10WI.GRBAQAGRB.a99a1adb33cd2194593c574ec8b79cde
After years of clean-up efforts, the Ashtabula River in Ohio is no longer considered one of the “most environmentally degraded” areas in the Great Lakes Region thanks, in part, to Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) funding. The cleanup was a large integrated effort between the EPA, U.S. Corps of Engineers, Ohio EPA, the Ashtabula City Port Authority, and others, and included the removal of massive amounts of contaminated sediment from the bottom of the river, the installation of 2,500 feet of fish habitat, and remediation of the Fields Brook Superfund site.
“This is a clear example of how federal funding is producing results in local communities toward safe, clean drinking water, increasing recreational opportunities, and accelerating clean-up efforts in some of the most polluted communities in the region,” said Laura Rubin, director of the Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition. “We are thrilled with the delisting and realize that there are other toxic sites around the region that continue to pollute the water, poison drinking water, and make the fish unsafe to eat. The additional $1 billion for the GLRI in the recently passed bipartisan infrastructure bill will continue and expand this important work for the health and safety of the region.”
The post Ashtabula River in Ohio Removed from Areas of Concern List appeared first on Healing Our Waters Coalition.
Healing Our Waters Coalition
https://healthylakes.org/ashtabula-river-in-ohio-removed-from-areas-of-concern-list/
Plastic pollution at the Magee Marsh Wildlife Area on Lake Erie demonstrates the problem of marine debris in the Great Lakes. Image credit: NOAA
Wisconsin Sea Grant is leading one of six projects recently funded by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Marine Debris Program. The projects, announced today, focus on preventing the introduction of marine debris (trash, fishing gear and microplastics) into coastal and Great Lakes environments.
Wisconsin’s project is, “The Play’s the Thing: Using Drama as an Introduction to Marine Debris Prevention and Meaningful Stewardship Experiences.” Led by Ginny Carlton with help from Anne Moser and Jim Hurley, the project will harness the power of storytelling to engage, educate and inspire performing artists and community members to be committed stewards of their Great Lakes watershed.
The team will work with the American Players Theater to pilot a theatrical piece about marine debris science to educate and motivate change in two Lake Michigan communities (Racine and Egg Harbor, Wisconsin). In addition to the performance, the project includes marine debris prevention workshops, cleanup events, and public outreach and education activities. The script from the play will be available for use for Great Lakes education after the project is completed.
The other five projects are coming from Sea Grant programs in Florida, Georgia, Hawai’i, Illinois-Indiana and Puerto Rico. They were awarded $300,000 in federal funds, matched by nonfederal contributions, bringing the total investment to approximately $600,000. The activities begin this summer and continue for up to two years.
See the full list of projects.
“The continued effort between Sea Grant and the Marine Debris Program leverages the strengths of both programs to effectively address marine debris challenges nationwide,” said National Sea Grant College Program director Jonathan Pennock. “We look forward to seeing these new and creative strategies for marine debris prevention.”
This is the second year that Sea Grant and the Marine Debris Program offered a joint funding opportunity. Projects funded in the first year were aimed at reducing marine debris across the U.S.
The post Using drama as an introduction to marine debris prevention first appeared on Wisconsin Sea Grant.Blog | Wisconsin Sea Grant
https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/blog/using-drama-as-an-introduction-to-marine-debris-prevention/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=using-drama-as-an-introduction-to-marine-debris-prevention
U.S. and Canadian researchers completed a reference genome, or digital genetic map, for lake trout. The feat should boost efforts to rebuild populations of the prized fish in the Great Lakes and other North American waters where they’ve been hammered by invasive species, overfishing and pollution. Read the full story by The Associated Press.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210825-trout-genome
The western region of Lake Superior has seen increases in precipitation intensity of around 35-40% since the mid-1900s. These heavy rains wash loads of sediment and nutrients directly into the lake and into surrounding rivers that lead into the lake, providing a banquet for blue-green algae. Read the full story by Great Lakes Now.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210825-algal-bloom
Aerial surveys conducted by Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission wildlife biologists in northern Wisconsin have indicated that 2021 may be one of the worst wild rice crop years since a 2010 disease outbreak. Read the full story by WXPR–TV – Rhinelander, WI.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210825-wild-rice
Environmental groups are calling on the Air Force and the State of Michigan to get serious about cleaning up PFAS from decades of training and firefighting foam around the site of the former Wurtsmith Air Force Base. Read the full story by NPR.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210825-pfas
After nearly three decades of remediation, Muskegon Lake is on the verge of being delisted as an environmental “area of concern.” Three remaining restoration and cleanup projects are on track to be finished by Sept. 30. Once completed, the popular recreational lake connected to Lake Michigan will cross a major step forward in being removed from the list of heavily polluted Great Lakes sites. Read the full story by MLive.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210825-remediation
North America has 3 billion fewer birds today than five decades ago, according to a recent scientific study.
That loss equates to more than a quarter of the continent’s entire bird population, and the research documenting the decline has shown that it may be worse than first realized.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/08/north-america-bird-population-habitat/
Environmental groups are asking social media users to show their support for Lake Erie and push politicians to address the lake’s failing health by posting Lake Erie stories to Instagram, Facebook and Twitter using the hashtag #WeAreLakeErie to create what organizers call “a virtual wave of support for the lake.” Read the full story by The Hamilton Spectator.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210825-social-media-lake
Perhaps the most disturbing conclusion of the latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report is the permanence of climate impacts. Changes like shrinking ice sheets, rising sea levels and oxygen depletion and acidification of the oceans are deemed “irreversible for centuries to millennia.” Read the full story by The Intelligencer.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210825-climate-change
The “Reimagine the Canals” initiative is a perfect chance to evaluate which of these approaches best fits the Erie Canal. We missed the chance to keep round gobies bottled up in the Great Lakes, but barriers on the Erie Canal could stop or slow the arrival of even more damaging invaders. Read the full story by Time Union.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210825-invasive-species
Vacuum trucks will suck up the algae mats for disposal at the Woodward Wastewater Treatment Plant by Wednesday. Public health doesn’t yet know if the mats are blue-green algae — a toxic form of bacteria potentially harmful to humans and pets that closed the beach at Pier 4 to swimming in July. Read the full story by the Hamilton Spectator.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210825-algae
The polluted water has prompted Buffalo Niagara Waterkeeper to work on an ambitious restoration plan to restore the health of the lake and possibly pave the way for it to eventually connect with Scajaquada Creek, a tributary of the Niagara River. Read the full story by the Buffalo News.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210825-lake-restoration
ISLE ROYAL, Mich. (AP) — A wildfire that’s burned about 200 acres on Michigan’s remote Isle Royale has prompted the National Park Service to close some trails and campground areas on the wilderness island.
The park service said Sunday on the Isle Royale National Park’s Facebook page that the closures were necessary “to maintain public health and safety” after the fire on the Lake Superior island’s east end expanded over the weekend amid lingering drought conditions.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/08/ap-trails-camps-closed-isle-royale-wildfire/
TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. (AP) — Scientists have traced the genetic makeup of lake trout, a feat that should boost efforts to rebuild populations of the prized fish in the Great Lakes and other North American waters where they’ve been hammered by invasive species, overfishing and pollution, officials said Tuesday.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/08/ap-genetic-mapping-restoration-lake-trout/
Without comment, the state’s highest court declined to take the case, issuing a one-page order that effectively affirmed a decision in June by the Minnesota Court of Appeals.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/08/ap-minnesota-supreme-court-line-3-opponents/
Many barriers to meeting Michigan’s ecological needs for fire are rooted in resources and bureaucracy.
The post The prescription for Michigan: More fire first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2021/08/25/the-prescription-for-michigan-more-fire/
By Dan Kraker, Minnesota Public Radio
A couple weekends ago, Cody Sheik was at a friend’s wedding on Duluth’s Park Point, sipping champagne down on the Lake Superior beach, when he spotted something unusual in the normally crystal clear water.
“It was definitely a bloom,” he recalled.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/08/scientists-clues-lake-superior-algae-blooms/
Current Watches, Warnings and Advisories for Brown (WIC009) Wisconsin Issued by the National Weather Service
https://alerts.weather.gov/cap/wwacapget.php?x=WI1261B2FEADF0.SpecialWeatherStatement.1261B2FED5C8WI.GRBSPSGRB.49ba12c528f95a4904203ed116f11364
ELY, Minn. (AP) — Ely is typically teeming this time of year with visitors heading out on or returning from excursions into the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. But about the only cars in the northeastern Minnesota town with canoes strapped to their tops this week are leaving.
Several fires inside and just outside the country’s most visited wilderness area led officials to close it last weekend, dealing a blow to those who spent months planning their trips there and to the outfitters and other businesses that depend on them.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/08/ap-minnesota-wildfires-disappoint-travelers-outfitters/
August 20, 2021
This week: Attention Water Advocates: Apply for Freshwater Future Grants by September 30 + Hope for Chicago Residents through Utility Bill Relief + Don’t Miss Your Opportunity to Speak for Wetland and Stream Protections + State Updates Pellston, MI Community on PFAS Contamination Investigation + Genetic Control Methods Studied to Reduce Invasive Mussels
Freshwater Future has been fortunate to provide nearly $5 million in grants to grassroots community organizations over more than 25 years. Community-based and grassroots organizations working on a water issue to encourage permanent change at the corporate, community, or regulatory level may be eligible for funding. You can learn more about our Grants Program by watching this recorded webinar.
With one of the largest bodies of freshwater in its backyard, it is unbelievable that many Chicagoans don’t have water service or cannot afford their water bill. The city of Chicago is combating this with their Utility Billing Relief program, but this allows many to fall through the cracks of the program because only homeowners in certain income requirements qualify. For assistance applying for the Utility Billing Relief program, you can connect with one of Freshwater Future’s partners, the Chicago Water Alliance.
The U.S. EPA wants to hear from you! They want to hear if you believe the Dirty Water Rule should be repealed and what waterways should be protected under the Clean Water Act. As a reminder, the Dirty Water Rule would wipe out protections from at least 50% of the remaining wetlands and approximately 18% of stream miles across the country, according to the U.S. EPA. Tell the U.S. EPA to repeal this destructive rule today and restore the protections for small streams and wetlands that help cleanse our drinking water of pollution. You can attend and provide comments at one of the remaining public hearings.
Recently Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) officials gave an update on their investigation to determine the extent of groundwater contaminated by fire retardants containing PFAS chemicals used at the local airport. The village does not have a public water supply and homeowners source their water from private wells. So far 107 homes have received water filters to reduce the contamination and will need to continue to use the filters until a long-term solution is implemented.
Zebra mussels have caused angst in the Great Lakes for over 30 years, endangering native species and throwing the aquatic ecosystem out of balance. Scientists are using the DNA blueprint or genome of zebra mussels to identify potential targets to control and reduce populations and impacts. The work is in its infancy but it may provide options to reduce their threat and reproduction throughout our waters without harming other species in the process.
Blog – Freshwater Future
https://freshwaterfuture.org/freshwater-weekly/freshwater-future-weekly-august-20-2021/
This week: Water System Infrastructure Included in $1 Trillion Infrastructure Bill + Utility Debt Relief Will Help Keep Water on as COVID Surges + Lake Erie Challenge + New Sail Drones Used to Collect Data on Great Lakes + Grant Webinar on August 18 + Water is Life Festival on September 3
After decades of little investment in our nation’s infrastructure, the Biden administration has passed a much needed $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill. The largest share of the funds, $110 billion will go to roads. with $55 billion for improvements to water systems infrastructure. The nation is well overdue for an upgrade in its infrastructure and passing this bill is a big step forward in improving the quality of water and the efficiencies of our water systems.
Millions of people across the country currently do not have access to tap water or are facing their water being shut-off due to the billions of dollars of utility debt that has grown exponentially during the pandemic. As the Delta COVID variant cases ramp up, it is imperative to pass legislation that secures utility debt relief so everyone has the ability to wash their hands and masks. A recently introduced bill in the U.S. House of Representatives would eliminate water, electric, and internet household debt. You can help get this important bill passed.
Lake Erie is one of the largest bodies of water providing drinking water, places for recreation, and habitat for aquatic life, yet it is still struggling with Harmful Algal Blooms due largely to agricultural runoff. On August 28th, local athletes are taking the Lake Erie Challenge with the Canadian Freshwater Alliance. They will cover 80km via SUPs, canoes, and wing foils to celebrate and protect #LakeErie. Learn more and lend your support at LakeErieChallenge.ca
Innovative technology called saildrones set sail on the Great Lakes to collect scientific data including meteorological data. The pair of 23-foot tall saildrones are gathering information on fish in Lake Michigan and Lake Huron in August and September. The technology is built with solar energy for charging and wind energy for movement. Click here to learn more about the saildrones study in the Great Lakes.
Freshwater Future has been fortunate to provide Grant Programs for grassroots community organizations for over 25 years. Learn more about our Grants Program, Wednesday, August 18, 2021 – noon (EST). To register online, please click HERE. To register by email or phone, please contact laurie@freshwaterfuture.org (231)348-8200. Also, visit the map on our website to learn more about our Grant Programs funding initiatives and their impact on past projects.
On September 3rd the Water is Life Festival will be back to host the celebration of water in support of protecting waters rights. The 2021 Water is Life Festival will be in Conkling Park, Mackinac Island, MI. The Festival boasts an amazing lineup of musicians as well as a host of other fun activities! Register now for the event for a chance to win exciting door prizes.
Blog – Freshwater Future
https://freshwaterfuture.org/freshwater-weekly/freshwater-future-weekly-august-13-2021/
On a calm morning in late summer 2019, Jim Bailey was kayaking on Lake Superior near Thunder Bay, Ontario, when he found himself paddling through thick green scum, the likes of which he’d never seen in those waters. Puzzled, he headed into the open bay where he could see green patches stretching out about 3 kilometers.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/08/lake-superior-summer-algae-bloom/
ALDEN, Mich. (AP) — A medical student from Illinois has swum across one of Michigan’s largest inland lakes — twice — to raise money and awareness about diabetes.
Marian Cardwell accomplished the 35-mile feat at Torch Lake in Antrim County after dropping a plan to swim across Lake Michigan from Chicago to Grand Haven, the Traverse City Record-Eagle reported.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/08/ap-illinois-woman-swims-michigan-torch-lake-twice/
ROSEVILLE, Mich. (AP) — A new program in Macomb County aims to reduce the amount of trash that reaches Lake St. Clair from a storm drain.
A steel bulkhead and a boom have been installed at the outlet of the sewer to capture floating debris before it enters the lake, the Macomb County Public Works office said.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/08/ap-program-storm-drain-debris-lake-st-clair/
Learn the 10 things about Presque Isle State Park’s history and its relationship to Erie that every visitor should know. Read the full story by the Erie-Times News.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210823-erie
Flint, Michigan, officials plan to start blending water from the Great Lakes Water Authority and Genesee County on Monday, Aug. 23. Read the full story by MLive.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210823-flint
The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy announced that an invasive aquatic plant, called European frog-bit, has been found in the lower Lincoln River in west Michigan. Read the full story by the Midland Daily News.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210823-efb
Cuyahoga County’s lakefront in northern Ohio is now a water trail, as designated by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources. The Lake Erie Water Trail features more than a dozen official access points to the water with a variety of amenities, designed to increase recreational water access and provide opportunities for environmental awareness and stewardship. Read the full story by Idea Stream.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210823-trail
A new program in southeast Michigan aims to reduce the amount of trash that reaches Lake St. Clair from a storm drain. Read the full story by The Associated Press.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210823-debris
The city of Kalamazoo in west Michigan is dyeing stormwater as part of an investigation meant to keep harmful materials out of local water systems. Read the full story by MLive.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210823-stormwater
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service staff will be applying a chemical treatment at several locations in Wisconsin waterways to kill invasive sea lamprey larvae that have burrowed into the bottom of the Oconto River. Read the full story by the Green Bay Press Gazette.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210823-lamprey
High water on Lake Ontario can disrupt maritime commerce to Great Lakes ports. Read the full story by The Plain Dealer.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210823-ports
The Canadian government is investing $340 million to support Indigenous guardians and Indigenous Protected Areas as part of its commitment to conserving 30 per cent of the country’s lands and waters by 2030. Read the full story by Great Lakes Now.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210823-guardians
Great Lakes coastal communities are wondering if their shoreline infrastructure will survive another round of record high water. Read the full story by The Plain Dealer.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210823-high-water
Michigan’s fire history, as told by its fire-scarred tree stumps, has something to say about the future of fire.
The post Tree-ring research illuminates early fire history of Lower Michigan first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2021/08/23/tree-ring-research-illuminates-early-fire-history-of-lower-michigan/
ISABELLA, Minn. (AP) — A wildfire in the Superior National Forest of northeastern Minnesota that crews have been fighting since the weekend has grown to 6 1/4 square miles (16 square kilometers), but U.S. Forest Service officials said Thursday morning that it grew little overnight.
The Forest Service said lightning caused the fire near Greenwood Lake, about 25 miles southwest of Isabella, which was first spotted Sunday.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/08/ap-forest-service-lightning-minnesota-wildfire/
After years of cleanup efforts, Ohio’s Ashtabula River is no longer considered one of the “most environmentally degraded” areas in the Great Lakes region. Read the full story by The Plain Dealer.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210820-ashtabula
Minnesota pollution control and natural resources officials on Wednesday released a $700 million plan to improve the drinking water for 14 Twin Cities communities whose groundwater was contaminated due to decades-long chemical disposal by 3M Co. Read the full story by The Associated Press.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210820-3m-chemicals
By Matt Simmons, The Narwhal
This story originally appeared in The Narwhal and is republished here as part of Covering Climate Now, a global journalism collaboration strengthening coverage of the climate story.
The Canadian government is investing $340 million to support Indigenous guardians and Indigenous Protected Areas as part of its commitment to conserving 30 per cent of the country’s lands and waters by 2030.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/08/canada-340-million-indigenous-protected-areas-guardians-programs/
It took 60 years to accomplish, but Lake Erie has positive evidence that there is natural reproduction of lake trout. Read the full story by the Observer.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210820-lake-trout
Did you know the first female conservation officer in the United States was from Michigan? It was 1897 when state game warden and future Michigan governor Chase Osborn appointed Huldah Neal deputy game warden for Grand Traverse County. Read the full story by MLive.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210820-trailblazer
Drought conditions continue to worsen across Minnesota, causing some of the state’s 10,000 lakes and rivers to have much lower water levels than usual. Read the full story by WDIO-TV – Duluth, MN.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210820-drought
