At a time when many Michigan companies are slowing down due to the coronavirus pandemic, business is booming for contractors working along Lake Michigan’s shoreline as they try to save people’s homes from extremely high water levels. Read the full story by Interlochen Public Radio.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200323-erosion
In five years during the 19th century, the population of Erie, Pennsylvania, nearly doubled, requiring action to ensure a supply of safe drinking water. Read the full story by The Record Herald.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200323-waterworks
Ohio’s Ashtabula County Metroparks board met on Friday morning to authorize an agreement for a pair of Greenway Trails. The North Shore Trail, proposed more than 20 years ago, would connect the Western Reserve Greenway Trail to Lake Erie. Read the full story by the Star Beacon.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200323-metroparks
Michigan homeowners who live on the lakeshore and need to take measures to save their homes or infrastructure are required to get a permit from the Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy before changes can be made to the shoreline. The agency’s seen a stark increase in the number of permit requests during the first quarter of this fiscal year. Read the full story by The Alpena News.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200323-permits
This article was republished here with permission from Great Lakes Echo.
By Hunter Hicks, Great Lakes Now
The lack of ice across the Great Lakes region has business booming for those in the ice fishing industry fortunate enough to have safe conditions, but has left others high and dry.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2020/03/warm-weather-ice-fishing-industry/
DULUTH, Minn. (AP) — Researchers in Minnesota are trying to find an alternative to road salt in an effort to protect the state’s water bodies from contamination.
The Minneapolis Star Tribune reported Saturday that road salt is the top source of chloride in state waters. Scientists have been ramping up warnings that rising chloride levels could harm aquatic life and turn tap water salty.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2020/03/ap-scientists-testing-alternative-road-salt/
The tourism that usually rises around this time is on hold, but residents are battening down with ease.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2020/03/great-lakes-islands-ferry-coronavirus-covid-19/
Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2020/03/23/ontarios-origins-lead-to-land-use-disputes/
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Blog – Freshwater Future
https://freshwaterfuture.org/uncategorized/freshwater-future-weekly-march-20-2020-covid-19-update/
With the COVID-19 global pandemic continuing to spread throughout the U.S., Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines have stressed the importance of staying hydrated and rigorously washing hands as a preventative health effort.
But for thousands of residents in Detroit, Flint, Benton Harbor, Hamtramck and other cities around southeast Michigan, following these guidelines is difficult when your water is shut off.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2020/03/water-rights-advocates-stations-michigan-governor-mayor/
Catch the latest in Great Lakes energy news in Great Lakes Now’s fortnightly energy-related headline roundup.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2020/03/energy-solar-low-income-court-appeal/
The coronavirus pandemic has the Great Lakes tourism industry uncertain about their businesses, especially if the epidemic extends into the summer. Read the full story by Great Lakes Now.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200320-parks-biz
The Michigan Department of Natural Resources has temporarily made public access to all state parks and recreation areas free in order to limit transactions between the public and staff in an effort to prevent the spread of coronavirus and to encourage people to pursue healthy activities outdoors. Read the full story by MLive.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200319-restoring-lakes
The New York Department of Environmental Conservation is planning to release more trout into Lake Ontario and Lake Erie watersheds than anticipated because the trout were grown in hatcheries where zebra mussels were discovered, and thus staff have decided to release the fish only in waters where mussels were previously found. Read the full story by the Times Observer.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200320-trout
Ohio has closed lodges in its state parks in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, however most parks currently remain open to the public. Read the full story by The Columbus Dispatch.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200320-oh-park
New York state officials have continued to limit chinook salmon stocking and catch limits in Lake Ontario as the state works to improve the low alewife populations that serve as the chinook’s food source. Read the full story by New York Upstate.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200320-chinook
The 2019 walleye hatch in Lake Erie has been the second largest recorded since the Ohio Department of Natural Resources’ first implementation of the current modern fish survey system. Read the full story by Great Lakes Now.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200320-walleye
Michigan is allowing its state beaches, parks and recreation areas to remain open, but is restricting large gatherings and urging proper hygiene while using the parks. Read the full story by the Great Lakes Echo.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200320-parks-mi
Lawmakers in the Wisconsin Legislature are proposing several bills to mitigate damage caused by shoreline erosion. Read the full story by Wisconsin Public Radio.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200320-shoreline-bill
Forest preserves in the Chicago area offer opportunities to find rare plant species and beautiful views of Lake Michigan. Read the full story by the Daily Herald.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200320-lake-co-parks
South Haven, Michigan, closed its marina for the summer season due to damage from high Great Lakes water this winter. The city faces at least $16 million in estimated damage from the high-water levels. Read the full story by MLive.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200320-south-haven
Current Watches, Warnings and Advisories for Brown (WIC009) Wisconsin Issued by the National Weather Service
https://alerts.weather.gov/cap/wwacapget.php?x=WI125F40E85100.SpecialWeatherStatement.125F40E96270WI.GRBSPSGRB.23e6d808842e5736e0274c907ca0fbda
At the Blue Water Bridge, International Bridge, Detroit-Windsor Tunnel and Mackinac Bridge, tolls will stop taking cash.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2020/03/bridge-tolls-travel-no-cash-coronavirus/
Current Watches, Warnings and Advisories for Brown (WIC009) Wisconsin Issued by the National Weather Service
https://alerts.weather.gov/cap/wwacapget.php?x=WI125F40E77258.SpecialWeatherStatement.125F40E7E788WI.GRBSPSGRB.54e5ef070b45e49081402cfe9ce09122
Current Watches, Warnings and Advisories for Brown (WIC009) Wisconsin Issued by the National Weather Service
https://alerts.weather.gov/cap/wwacapget.php?x=WI125F40E75250.HydrologicOutlook.125F40E8ED40WI.GRBESFGRB.86a65ce9a4bb9b6c9b39683aa1d37e47
Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2020/03/20/federal-plan-might-let-states-kill-unwanted-cormorants/
We quickly learned some cities like Cincinnati were proactive and understand the need to restore residential services. Other cities like Toledo, Cleveland, Columbus, Marysville, and Bellefontaine were not so proactive. Freshwater Future worked with the city of Columbus and small municipalities like Marysville, Bellefontaine, and others to put into place moratoriums on future water shut-offs and the restoration of residential water services. In addition, we worked with our partners at Junction Coalition and the Ohio Environmental Council to restore water to residents and halt future shutoffs in Toledo. We knew our partner, the Alliance for the Great Lakes was working with the city of Cleveland to successfully restore residential water services and halt future shutoffs. We also partnered up with the Alliance for the Great Lakes to urge the Governor to call for all utilities across the state to restore residential water services and halt future shutoffs. As a result, the Governor called on the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio to work with the private water companies to restore residential water services and halt future water shutoffs, which they did on Monday, March 16th. We are now waiting for the Governor’s office to share their legislation they are working on to require all utilities in Ohio to restore residential water services.
Blog – Freshwater Future
https://freshwaterfuture.org/drinking-water/restoring-water-access-in-ohio/
Current Watches, Warnings and Advisories for Brown (WIC009) Wisconsin Issued by the National Weather Service
https://alerts.weather.gov/cap/wwacapget.php?x=WI125F40D9AEE8.HydrologicOutlook.125F40E7B4C0WI.GRBESFGRB.86a65ce9a4bb9b6c9b39683aa1d37e47
Wisconsin Water Library
https://waterlibrary.aqua.wisc.edu/goodbye-to-a-great-collaborator-and-friend/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=goodbye-to-a-great-collaborator-and-friend
The state of Michigan is working with Japan in a joint effort to preserve and restore lake environments. The agreement allows both countries to share knowledge and expertise in order to protect some of the world’s largest freshwater bodies and to advocate for lake conservation efforts worldwide. Read the full story by C and G News.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200319-restoring-lakes
High Great Lakes water continues to be an issue for Michigan, even as the state mobilizes around fighting coronavirus. Read the full story by MLive.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200319-erosion
Coronavirus or not, the city of Toledo, Ohio, still plans to meet Thursday with contractors who might want to bid on a major wetlands project the city hopes to have done in North Toledo later this year to provide more wildlife habitat and help improve Maumee River water quality. Read the full story by The Toledo Blade.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200319-toledo-wetlands
The International Joint Commission, charged with regulating water levels on Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River, plans to keep pushing large amounts of water out of Lake Ontario through the spring. Read the full story by WWNY-TV – Watertown, NY.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200319-outflows
Ohio’s delayed primary has Geneva-on-the-Lake and neighboring Township Park reassessing options for halting severe erosion along Lake Erie. The park service has a levy on the ballot that would aid in that effort, but the final vote on measure now won’t come until June. Read the full story by ideastream.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200319-geneva-on-the-lake
The City of South Haven, Michigan, has announced that it will be closing its Northside Municipal Marina for the 2020 boating season in order to make needed electrical upgrades. Read the full story by WKZO – Kalamazoo, MI.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200319-marina-closure
Living in Michigan’s Great Lakes Bay Region gives residents an advantage when it comes to finding things to do while minimizing exposure to COVID-19. Read the full story by Second Wave Media.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200319-social-distancing
Michigan tourists now have a new resource that shows up-to-date conditions at public beaches on Lake Michigan in this season of record-high water levels. Read the full story by Second Wave Media.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200319-beach-tourism
A federal judge rejected a challenge by environmental groups against the proposed Twin Metals copper-nickel mine in northeastern Minnesota, saying the Interior Department had the authority to reverse itself and renew the project’s federal mineral rights leases. Read the full story by The Associated Press.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200319-mine-dispute
Explore shipwrecks this Thursday and have other Great Lakes adventures in the coming weeks with the “Lake Effects” online film series. Read the full story by Great Lakes Now.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200319-great-lakes-series
Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2020/03/19/hike-and-camp-at-state-parks-but-forget-big-outdoor-weddings-and-trail-races/
Current Watches, Warnings and Advisories for Brown (WIC009) Wisconsin Issued by the National Weather Service
https://alerts.weather.gov/cap/wwacapget.php?x=WI125F40D8096C.HydrologicOutlook.125F40E766A0WI.GRBESFGRB.86a65ce9a4bb9b6c9b39683aa1d37e47
Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2020/03/19/new-grants-promote-michigan-beers-ciders-wines-and-spirits/
Current Watches, Warnings and Advisories for Brown (WIC009) Wisconsin Issued by the National Weather Service
https://alerts.weather.gov/cap/wwacapget.php?x=WI125F40CA68C0.HydrologicOutlook.125F40D87280WI.GRBESFGRB.86a65ce9a4bb9b6c9b39683aa1d37e47
Our Great Lakes communities are heading into uncharted waters as the COVID-19 pandemic evolves. Protecting our health and the health of those around us is top of mind.
As local, state, and national health and safety officials respond to this crisis, the new mantra for all of us has become: wash your hands. This most basic hygiene advice is a stark reminder of the critical importance of clean water to our personal health, and the health and safety of our families and our communities. Surrounded by the Great Lakes, our region can lead by making sure everyone has access to the clean water they need right now.
We commend the cities and other government entities that are taking action to halt water shut-offs and restore residential water service during this crisis, including Cleveland, Detroit, Toledo, Akron, and many others around the Great Lakes region. We urge states to use their power, as was done in Ohio, Wisconsin, and other places, to direct water utilities under their jurisdiction to halt shut-offs and restore water services.
The deepening COVID-19 crisis reinforces the inseparable connection between water and public health. This crisis is going to take a commitment from all levels of government to ensure that everyone has access to the clean water they need, and the Alliance is ready to work with any state or local officials looking for guidance in this critical area. We also encourage you to support the many local environmental and civic organizations working directly in our Great Lakes communities to ensure all residents have access to safe, clean water.
So, what can you do to help? First, be sure to heed the advice of your local, state, and federal health and safety officials. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) have helpful, easy-to-understand information on precautions against COVID-19 to keep yourself, your family, and your community safe.
Second, find ways to support your local community by donating to relief efforts and contacting elected officials to ask that water shutoffs be halted and services be restored. We’ll be using the Alliance’s social media channels to share local opportunities to get involved. You can also follow the hashtags #TurnWaterOn #KeepWaterOn #MakeWaterAffordable to join the conversation on social media.
If you need help getting the word out, tag us on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram and we’ll do our best to amplify the important efforts happening in Great Lakes communities.
Our staff around the Great Lakes region remain hard at work. We have taken steps to respond to this crisis to protect the health and safety of our staff and volunteers. Our staff are now all working from home but are accessible via their regular email and phone. We are shifting upcoming volunteer training events, community outreach meetings, and other group activities to online events. To protect the health of our supporters and communities, we have canceled all in-person volunteer events, including Adopt-a-Beach events, for at least the next month.
Thank you for your ongoing support of clean water.
The post Adopt-a-Beach Cleanups Suspended Until Early May appeared first on Alliance for the Great Lakes.
News – Alliance for the Great Lakes
News – Alliance for the Great Lakes
https://greatlakes.org/2020/03/adopt-a-beach-2020-coronavirus-update-cancellations/
Representative Marcy Kaptur (D-Ohio) says she hopes to ensure the Army Corps of Engineers receives funding to start a multimillion-dollar project on an Illinois river to prevent the invasive Asian carp from entering Lake Michigan. Read the full story by Bloomberg Environment.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200318-carp
An early sign of the season: The first ship of the 2020 season has arrived at the Port of Green Bay. Port officials say the Michigan Great Lakes arrived at 12:46 p.m. Sunday. It was bringing petroleum products to U.S. Venture. Read the full story by WLUK-TV-Green Bay, WI.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200318-ship-GreenBay
As the actions and restrictions intended to arrest the spread of the coronavirus sweep across the nation and the region, the single largest assemblage of people northwest Ohio sees each spring maintains a precarious perch. Read the full story by The Toledo Blade.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200318-birding
The impacts of rising water levels on the Great Lakes has been well documented across the state of Michigan but many people living in Mid-Michigan are also feeling the impact. Read the full story by WJRT-TV-Flint, MI.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200318-rising-water
The Lakehead Region Conservation Authority is continuing the Flood Watch for Lake Superior, within its area of jurisdiction. The Conservation Authority advises that water levels on Lake Superior continue to remain well above average. Read the full story by the Net News Ledger.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200318-flooding
The U.S. Coast Guard did not wrongly approve a contingency plan to clean up an oil spill that could potentially result from the leak of an Enbridge Inc pipeline that runs in waters of the Great Lakes, a federal judge in Michigan has ruled. Read the full story by Reuters.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200318-pipeline
