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In: Equity and Environmental Justice, Feature Homepage, Industry, Energy, Economic Development, Lake Superior, Latest News, Michigan, News, Politics, Policy, Environmental Justice, Recreation and Tourism, Tourism, Waves of Change
Waves of Change: Meet Protect the Porkies founder Tom Grotewohl

Waves of Change is an online interview series highlighting the diverse faces and perspectives shaping the environmental justice movement throughout the Great Lakes region.

This month, we spoke with Tom Grotewohl, a resident of Wakefield Township in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula and founder of the Protect the Porkies campaign.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2024/11/waves-of-change-meet-protect-the-porkies-founder-tom-grotewohl/

Great Lakes Now

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In: Beth Parker, Cottage Grove WI, hydrocarbons, Jessica Meyer, Matt Ginder-Vogel, natural groundwater pollutants, oil spills triggering natural groundwater pollutants, radium, Tunnel City Aquifer, University of Guelph, University of Iowa, UW-Madison Dept of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Wisconsin Geological and Natural History Survey

Nov. 20, 2024

By Marie Zhuikov

We all know that oil spills pollute water. But what might be news is that they can also trigger the release of natural pollutants when the spills reach groundwater. This pollution domino effect is the topic of a current Water Resources Institute-funded study by Matt Ginder-Vogel at the University of Wisconsin–Madison with investigators Beth Parker from the University of Guelph and Jessica Meyer from the University of Iowa.

The team found the perfect real-world location for their two-year experiment in Cottage Grove, Wisconsin, which is about 12 miles east of Madison. This is the site of multiple past organic hydrocarbon (oil) spills from an organic solvent recycling plant. Parker and Meyer actually began studying the area decades ago, tracking the path of the oil pollution in the groundwater of the Tunnel City Aquifer to ensure it doesn’t impact drinking water sources.

A headshot of Matt Ginder-Vogel
Matt Ginder-Vogel. Image credit: UW-Madison

Ginder-Vogel, an associate professor with the UW–Madison’s Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, said he’s been able to benefit from the hydrological data that Parker and Meyer have collected. Originally, he was interested in looking at radium as a natural aquifer pollutant. But he couldn’t resist the opportunity to study and quantify how the hydrocarbon contaminants might impact radium and other natural pollutants found in the Tunnel City Aquifer, such as arsenic, uranium and strontium. In a previous study, he found that radium levels in the pollution plume were well below the U.S. drinking water standard but were elevated compared to normal background levels.

“It’s just one of these natural experiments that groundwater geochemists like me get really excited about,” said Ginder-Vogel. “It’s rare to find a field site where someone really understands the hydrogeology like Beth and Jesse do and has some historical data on how the water’s been moving around and some basic water chemistry data.” This allowed Ginder-Vogel to ask bigger picture geochemistry questions for this current project.

He described the chemical process by which hydrocarbons release natural pollutants as one where the oil, once it enters the aquifer, depletes the oxygen in the groundwater. “Once you get rid of the oxygen, you drive a whole cascade of geochemical reactions that can dissolve minerals.” The minerals then enter the groundwater from the surrounding rock.

The team is collecting water samples from groundwater monitoring wells placed by Parker and Meyer. They’ll also work with the Wisconsin Geological and Natural History Survey’s core repository (rock cores) to find areas with interesting geochemistry in the aquifer. Then they’ll design lab experiments to explore different conditions they notice in the field to figure out what variables control natural contaminant release into the water.

The results of this research will provide guidance to regulators and water quality managers on the sources of natural contaminants in the Tunnel City Aquifer, which flows under much of southern Wisconsin. In addition, there are other sites in the state where oil spills have occurred, so this research will be applicable to more than just the Cottage Grove area.

“The more we know about how naturally occurring contaminants get released from aquifers and how they move around, the more we’ll be able to keep our groundwater safe for future generations,” Ginder-Vogel said.

The post Oil spills trigger natural pollutants in groundwater first appeared on WRI.

Original Article

News Release | WRI

News Release | WRI

https://www.wri.wisc.edu/news/oil-spills-trigger-natural-pollutants-in-groundwater/

Marie Zhuikov

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In: Uncategorized
* WHAT...North to northeast winds 20 to 30 mph with gusts up to 50 mph expected. * WHERE...Manitowoc, Brown, Door, and Kewaunee Counties. * WHEN...From 6 AM to 4 PM CST Thursday. * IMPACTS...Gusty winds will blow around unsecured objects. Tree limbs could be blown down and an isolated power outages may result.

Original Article

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:2.49.0.1.840.0.8b3148d5e59f18b5e46cb93a04954f30e2c1a143.001.1.cap

NWS

On:
In: Uncategorized
...FIRST SNOW OF THE SEASON OVER EASTERN WISCONSIN LATE TONIGHT INTO THURSDAY MORNING TO IMPACT MORNING COMMUTE... * WHAT...Wet snow expected late tonight, mixing with and changing to rain by 9 AM Thursday. Total snow accumulations of 2 to 3 inches. Winds gusting as high as 45 mph. * WHERE...Calumet, Manitowoc, Winnebago, Brown, Kewaunee, and Outagamie Counties. * WHEN...From 3 AM to 9 AM CST Thursday. * IMPACTS...Untreated roads will be slippery and slushy for the Thursday morning commute. Gusty winds could bring down tree branches.

Original Article

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:2.49.0.1.840.0.62ba2480a7eb9128917728f1134c93aa77be2614.002.1.cap

NWS

On:
In: Uncategorized
A quick shot of snow is expected to move through the Fox Valley and lakeshore areas south of Algoma Thursday morning. The snow may be moderate to heavy at times, with the main impacts occurring between 4 am and 8 am. The snow will occur in conjunction with winds gusting to 30 to 35 mph, so poor visibility and hazardous travel conditions are anticipated for the early morning commute. Snow accumulations of 1 to 2 inches are possible on grassy surfaces, but slippery conditions may occur on elevated roads surfaces like bridges and overpasses. This will be the first snowfall of the season in the Fox Valley and lakeshore areas, and it will likely bring hazardous travel conditions for the Thursday morning commute. Motorists should prepare for a return to winter driving conditions.

Original Article

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:2.49.0.1.840.0.9f25c199e50cd08ddd03ac15cf2622e1570bc0f4.001.1.cap

NWS

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In: Books, Authors, Art and Music, Feature Homepage, Forests and Plants, History and Culture, Latest News, News, Recreation and Tourism, Science, Technology, Research
Winter Wellness Pantry

This story is a part of “A Year in the Wild Kitchen of the Great Lakes,” a series in partnership with expert forager Lisa M. Rose, with the mission of nurturing a deeper connection with the natural world through foraging. To get started with your foraging journey, begin here with our “Framework to Sustainable and Safe Practices.”

As winter sets in, it’s the perfect time to reflect on your year of foraging, plan for the coming seasons, and ensure your pantry is stocked and your health fortified.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2024/11/winter-wellness-pantry/

Lisa M. Rose

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In: Charles Stewart Mott Foundation Partnership, Collaboration, Feature Homepage, Fish, Birds and Animals, invasive species, lake erie, Lake Huron, Latest News, News, Ohio, Ontario, Science, Technology, Research, Toronto
The fight to keep grass carp out of the Great Lakes

By Matt 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.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2024/11/the-fight-to-keep-grass-carp-out-of-the-great-lakes/

The Narwhal

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In: Agriculture, neonicotinoids

What we learned at the Wisconsin neonicotinoid forum

Last month, around 150 people, plus over 100 virtual attendees, gathered at the Institute for Discovery at UW-Madison to learn about neonicotinoids. We took some deep dives into the science behind these widely used insecticides, which threaten not only the health of pollinators but nature’s interdependent food web.

In addition to their numerous nontarget impacts, we learned how these water-soluble chemicals get into our groundwater, rivers, and drinking water. While the primary use of these pesticides is in agriculture applications (neonics are applied as a pre-treatment for corn and soybean seeds), they can also be found in a variety of lawn care and pet products. 

We also learned that restricting the use of neonics is possible. They have been widely banned in Europe since 2018, and eleven states in the U.S. have restricted their use. Other states are actively working for regulation now. While the legislative process is often bogged down by partisanship, special interests, and the slow speed of change, there is growing momentum to push for regulation in Wisconsin. The neonic forum was a valuable place for all of us to start learning about the threats neonics pose to human and environmental health and possible paths forward.

The forum was a success because of our deep collaboration with many partners, including Trout Unlimited, Clean Wisconsin, WDNR, Wisconsin Tribal Conservation Advisory Council, DATCP, Black Earth Creek Watershed Association, UW-Division of Extension, and the Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies.

This event was made possible by the Department of Natural Resources Surface Water Grant Program. Please reach out to Ellen Voss, our Climate Resilience Director, if you’d like to learn more and stay connected to others interested in this topic.

– Ellen Voss, Climate Resilience Director

 

This message is made possible by generous donors who believe people have the power to protect and restore water. Support our work with your contribution today.

The post What we learned at the Wisconsin neonicotinoid forum appeared first on River Alliance of WI.

Original Article

Blog - River Alliance of WI

Blog - River Alliance of WI

https://wisconsinrivers.org/neonic-forum-recap/

Allison Werner