By Katherine Roth, Associated Press
Many beaches won’t open for weeks, but already one dedicated group is quietly pacing the shore.
You might not have noticed them, but these quiet few are the ones who seem most keen on noting the shifting tides, the current, the wind.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2023/05/open-water-swimmers-chilly-choppy-water-beckons/
Adam Swanson discussed the intersections between art and science at the April River Talks. He also showed some of his artworks. Image credit: Michael Anderson
Local environmental science painter and muralist Adam Swanson described how he mixes art and science for the April River Talk, held at the Lake Superior Estuarium in Superior.
After he graduated from art school at the University of Minnesota Duluth, he got a job as a carpenter in Antarctica. He worked there periodically for a decade, helping research teams with their carpentry needs, including on their research vessels.
“In 2001, there were all these scientists doing amazing work that I had never heard of before. For instance, I didn’t realize that climate change was caused by human activity but everyone in Antarctica knew that,” Swanson said.
That really struck him. He was “just a working guy” but he admired the scientists’ focus and determination to see their projects through. When he returned to Minnesota, Swanson would paint “little snapshots” of Antarctica when he wasn’t working for pay. “They weren’t really informed by anything real – they were more imaginative or pretty.”
Eventually, he decided to start painting more seriously. “That’s when I started thinking more about the responsibility of scientists to communicate. When I thought about what I wanted to paint, I thought about my time in Antarctica and decided I wanted to be a bridge between scientists and the public,” Swanson said.
He discovered many local projects that deal with climate change, including one in Bovey, Minnesota. He wrote a grant to volunteer time there and paint what he experienced. For his artworks, Swanson takes photos and paints from those.
Swanson has also had the opportunity to visit the Great Lakes Toxicology and Ecology Division Laboratory in Duluth and other local research facilities.
“I was flying by the seat of my pants. I knew there were people (scientists) who would let me into their space because I was polite.” He also went aboard the Blue Heron research vessel, owned by the University of Minnesota Duluth’s Large Lakes Observatory. “I basically just wandered around on board. I wasn’t trying to be an expert. Just like in Antarctica,” Swanson said.
In 2008, Swanson was chosen for an artist residency for two weeks on the Research Vessel Falkor, which is operated by the Schmidt Ocean Institute and travels all around the world. They were studying organisms that live on methane and sulfur in thermal vents. His goal was to capture what was happening on the ship. His tiny studio was in the ship’s wet lab. “I would often have to move all my stuff if someone needed to pipette one thing into another thing,” he said.
Last summer Swanson mentored an artist at the University of Wisconsin’s Trout Lake Research Station in northern Wisconsin. “My student intern was from the Lac du Flambeau Tribe and my science partner worked for the department of natural resources. It was an awesome experience!”
He also paints on commission from photos, paints murals, and applies for grants for art experiences. Recently, he’s been working on a series of paintings of endangered animals in Minnesota. He juxtaposes them with images of people or human activities to show their interconnections and impacts.
“One reason art is a good communicator for science is because it can play around with different ways for people to connect with science. Maybe the moth doesn’t have the right number of legs, or the colors aren’t exactly right. But the artist has that prerogative. I’m not doing scientific illustration. I’m looking for art to push boundaries – push ideas around.”
Adam Swanson stands in front of one of his murals that feature tardigrades. Submitted image.
Swanson has completed several murals with school children, taking their input on the subject matter and having them help with the painting. Other murals are on buildings in Superior, Duluth and Minneapolis. One is inside the Estuarium. Another, about wild rice restoration, is in West Duluth.
Tardigrades are one of Swanson’s recent favorite subjects. These microscopic animals live in diverse environments and are extremely durable. They are also known as water bears or moss piglets. Swanson said, “After coming off the endangered animal series, I wanted something more resilient.”
Swanson paints about 100 works per year. He tries not to make them too loaded with meaning. “I roll through ideas. I take some cool, interesting stuff, do as much research as I can, and then put it together.”
Currently, Swanson is working on a series of 10 large-scale pollinator paintings, which he plans to exhibit from 5-7 p.m., May 10, at the Duluth Art Institute (Lincoln Building).
Make a night of it — attend his open reception early, then come to the next River Talk, which will be held from 6-8 p.m., May 10, in-person at the Lake Superior Estuarium. Steve Kolbe with the University of Minnesota Duluth’s Natural Resources Research Institute will discuss, “How and Where to Find Birds in the St. Louis River Estuary.”
The post Art as a Voice for Science first appeared on Wisconsin Sea Grant.
Blog | Wisconsin Sea Grant
https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/blog/art-as-a-voice-for-science/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=art-as-a-voice-for-science
Fertilizer produced at local levels could reduce costs and carbon emissions related to transport.
The post Breaking ground and cracking ammonia first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2023/05/03/breaking-ground-and-cracking-ammonia/
PFAS, short for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are a group of widespread man-made chemicals that don’t break down in the environment or the human body and have been flagged as a major contaminant in sources of water across the country.
Keep up with PFAS-related developments in the Great Lakes area.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2023/05/pfas-news-roundup-west-michigan-pfas-levels-higher-than-national-average/
Canadian singer/songwriter Gordon Lightfoot died Monday at the age of 84. Lightfoot’s hit song, “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald,” told the story of the largest ship to ever sink on the Great Lakes. According to the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum, the song brought attention and awareness to shipwrecks along the Great Lakes and opened people to tell more stories. Read the full story by WWTV-TV – Cadillac, MI.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230503-lightfoot-legacy
Spring flooding has worsened riverbank erosion near Enbridge’s Line 5 oil and gas pipeline on the Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa’s reservation in northern Wisconsin. According to court documents, the river ran over its banks on April 11 at an area known as “the meander” where erosion threatens to expose the pipeline. Read the full story by Wisconsin Public Radio.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230503-flooding-pipeline-exposure
Michigan Democrats have introduced legislation that would establish a statewide septic code to reduce the amount of bacterial and nutrient contamination from the estimated 330,000 failing septic systems statewide. If passed, Michigan would become the final state to create uniform standards governing the design, construction, installation and maintenance of septic systems. Read the full story by MLive.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230503-septic-legislation
Tourism experts are talking about the possibility of Buffalo, New York, becoming a cruise port city in the future. Erie Canal Harbor Development Corporation is currently conducting a feasibility study to determine the best location for a future cruise ship port. Read the full story by WKBW-TV – Buffalo, NY.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230503-port-addition
Oswego, Montgomery, and Yorkville, Illinois, are facing a potential water crisis as their populations continue to rise and the aquifer supplying their wells continue to fall. The three cities decided more than a year ago to band together and join the DuPage Water Commission, though engineers must first plot a precise course for a pipeline to connect with Lake Michigan. Read the full story by Shaw Local News Network.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230503-water-pipeline-design
The International Lake Ontario-St. Lawrence River Board reports that St. Lawrence River water levels as of April 30 were a foot higher than normal. Last fall, some shoreline residents ended the boating season early due to low levels; now, some of them say with a mild winter and rain, the river may be too high. Read the full story by WWNY-TV – Carthage, NY.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230503-river-levels
The Port of La Crosse, Wisconsin, and F.J. Robers Co., a local marine transport company, have received over $3 million from the state’s Harbor Assistance Program for new construction and repairs. Most of the new facilities will support exports from the agricultural community. Read the full story by the La Crosse Tribune.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230503-port-funding
Michigan’s cruise ship season kicks off today with the Viking Octantis docking in Detroit before continuing north along the state’s eastern shoreline. The luxurious, 665-foot ship made its Great Lakes debut in 2022 and is the largest cruise ship to sail the Great Lakes in the modern era. Read the full story by MLive.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230503-cruise-season-start
For over a century, vast amounts of toxic contaminants were discharged by industries into the Detroit and Rouge Rivers. Many of these contaminants now reside in river-bottom sediments and are often referred to as “legacy pollution.” Michigan has a once-in-a-generation opportunity to remediate these contaminated sediments, but this will not occur unless non-federal partners can meet match funding requirements. Read the full story by Great Lakes Now.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230503-remediation-funding
A barge and crane owned by Balcom Marine Contractors notorious for repeatedly sinking in Michigan’s Grand Traverse Bay is floating again due to springtime water level increases on Lake Michigan. State officials said they expect the barge to be towed away from its nearly two-year anchor site north of Northport in Leelanau County, as previously agreed by the owner. Read the full story by MLive.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230503-barge-floating
By Keith Schneider, Circle of Blue
The Great Lakes News Collaborative includes Bridge Michigan; Circle of Blue; Great Lakes Now at Detroit Public Television; and Michigan Radio, Michigan’s NPR News Leader; 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/2023/05/us-pushes-farmers-develop-new-crop-energy/
Great Lakes Moment is a monthly column written by Great Lakes Now Contributor John Hartig. Publishing the author’s views and assertions does not represent endorsement by Great Lakes Now or Detroit Public Television.
For over a century, vast amounts of toxic contaminants were discharged by industries into the Detroit and Rouge Rivers.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2023/05/great-lakes-moment-solving-the-contaminated-sediment-remediation-funding-puzzle/
Keep up with energy-related developments in the Great Lakes area with Great Lakes Now’s biweekly headline roundup.
Click on the headline to read the full story:
Illinois
Chicago’s Blacks in Green gets a major boost from a $10 million EPA grant — Energy News Network
Chicago’s Blacks in Green receives a five-year, $10 million U.S.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2023/05/energy-news-roundup-line-5-negotiations-michigan-funding-clean-energy-illinois/
TORONTO (AP) — Gordon Lightfoot, the folk singer-songwriter known for “If You Could Read My Mind” and “Sundown” and for songs that told tales of Canadian identity, died Monday. He was 84.
Representative Victoria Lord said the musician died at a Toronto hospital. His cause of death was not immediately available.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2023/05/ap-folk-singer-songwriter-gordon-lightfoot-dies/
Serena George’s poster was runner-up for best poster for the Midwest SETAC Meeting poster session. She is working with Gavin Dehnert, Wisconsin Sea Grant’s emerging contaminants scientist. Image credit: Serena George, University of Wisconsin-Madison
By Serena George, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Research usually entails following strict protocols and replicating experiments. For the Midwest SETAC (Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry) Meeting poster session, which was held in Milwaukee in mid-April, I thought I would take the opposite approach. I wanted to share the story behind my research and communicate science in a fun and accessible way – showing that research has an exciting plot of overcoming challenges, discovering new things and prompting more questions.
The meeting’s theme was “Applied Environmental Science in Addressing Emerging Contaminants.” My poster followed the story of one such contaminant, the herbicide 2,4-D (2,4-Dichlorophyenoxyacetic acid). Chemicals are often viewed as the “supervillains” in toxicology research, but I tried to frame my 2,4-D character in a different light as he struggled to come to terms with his power and worked diligently to ensure the safety of his fish friends. Emotion can often fuel a scientist’s passion for research, and I think characters can help portray this often-unspoken side of research in a unique way.
This comic-style poster has all the elements of a traditional poster, but I distilled the scientific details to only highlight the essential components (because I am standing at my poster during the session to fill in the details). I also incorporated tips from the #betterposter Generation 2 on YouTube (How to create a better research poster in less time). I used an attention-grabbing title with the main finding as the subheading. The key results and main figures are in the center, already translated for the reader into plain language.
I had so much fun designing this poster and seeing others engage with it. I think it was ultimately successful in attracting viewers and prompting in-depth conversations. Who knows, maybe one day there will be a sequel!
Serena George (left) and Gavin Dehnert with Serena’s poster at the Midwest SETAC Meeting. Submitted photo.
The post Using soft skills to communicate hard science first appeared on Wisconsin Sea Grant.
Blog | Wisconsin Sea Grant
https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/blog/using-soft-skills-to-communicate-hard-science/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=using-soft-skills-to-communicate-hard-science
NCEI News Feed
https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/news/celebrating-40-years-regional-climate-center-program
Michigan is the Great Lakes State. The shores of Michigan touch four out of five of the Great Lakes, the world’s largest freshwater system. To recognize that importance, Herrick District Library, located in Holland, MI will host a Nature Conservancy program focused on the natural treasure of the Great Lakes, and on the conservancy’s part in preserving this treasure. Read the full story by the Holland Sentinel.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230501-herrickdistrictlibrary-holland-celebratesgreatlakes
Nearly 11 million residents depend on Lake Erie for drinking water. To help keep that water safe, a tool called sondes is used to measure what is in the water. Sondes aren’t new, they’ve been around for about a decade. However, as technology improves, they’re becoming cheaper, giving smaller utility operators in smaller watersheds access. Read the full story by WEWS-TV – Cleveland, OH.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230501-watermonitoring-smallercommunities
Emergency personnel from a slew of Northern Michigan agencies traveled to Beaver Island over the weekend. It was all part of an emergency response training exercise called Operation Maritime Resolve. The focus of the exercise was to confirm the agencies’ ability to respond to multiple hypothetical emergencies in a remote location like Beaver Island. Read the full story by MLive.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230501-mi-beaverisland-operationmaritimeresolve
Martin Imbleau claims it can wait only “a few weeks” for the additional funding he’s requested from Ottawa to finance a new shipping container terminal. The new C$1.4 billion terminal — about 50 kilometres downstream of downtown Montreal in Contrecoeur, Que. — would boost the port’s container capacity by 60 per cent to 2.1 million TEUs. Read the full story by the Montreal Gazette.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230501-montreal-ceo
PortsToronto welcomed its first cruise ship of the 2023 season on Friday, April 28. The Viking Octantis officially launched another record-breaking cruise ship season, which will see 54 ships visit Canada’s largest city between May and October, bringing more than 22,000 passengers to enjoy all Toronto has to offer. Read the full story by CNW Group.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230501-portoftoronto-cruiseshipseason
Due to constant weather changes, anglers have been facing challenges with reeling in trout. There is still some hope that if it warms up a bit the bass season should be good. Read the full story by Big Rapid Pioneer.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230501-fishermen-facingchallenges
The Viking Octantis is set to dock on May 4 at Port Milwaukee, marking the beginning of Milwaukee’s 2023 cruise season with 31 port calls scheduled by different cruise ships, bringing about 12,000 passengers to the city. Read the full story by Cruise Industry News.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230501-milwaukee-cruiseseason
The Youngstown Yacht Club in Youngstown, NY is set to hold its 10th annual CanAm Challenge and Great Lakes PHRF Fest on July 28-30, for two days of hosting competitors from all over the U.S. and Canada. It is the largest sailing event on Lake Ontario. Read the full story by Niagara Frontier Publications.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230501-annualcanam-youngstown
The Mariners’ Service came back April 28 after a three-year hiatus due to COVID-19. The service is created in collaboration between the Port Huron Yacht Club and Port Huron, Michigan’s Grace Episcopal Church. The service is a time to bless the nautical community prior to the boating season. Read the full story by the Port Huron Times Herald.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230501-mariners-churchservice-porthuron
Current Watches, Warnings and Advisories for Brown (WIC009) Wisconsin Issued by the National Weather Service
https://alerts.weather.gov/cap/wwacapget.php?x=WI126647D58D8C.SpecialWeatherStatement.126647D5FB50WI.GRBSPSGRB.6bf84a4531ca431ab1ef1d2b8385bb43
Birding is the topic of the final River Talk of this season. The series will resume in fall. Image credit: Marie Zhuikov, Wisconsin Sea Grant
The River Talks will be held from 6-8 p.m. Wednesday, May 10 with “How and Where to Find Birds in the St. Louis River Estuary,” an in-person presentation at the Lake Superior Estuarium Confluence Room (3 Marina Drive, Barker’s Island in Superior) given by Steve Kolbe with the University of Minnesota Duluth’s Natural Resources Research Institute (NRRI).
Come learn about where good locations are to see birds in the estuary. Participants will have the chance to view birds on Barker’s Island. Binoculars will be available for those who don’t have some to bring.
This will be the final River Talks of the season until the series begins again in fall. For more information, visit the River Talks page: go.wisc.edu/4uz720.
The River Talks are sponsored by the Lake Superior National Estuarine Research Reserve and the Wisconsin Sea Grant Program.
The post How and where to find birds in the Estuary first appeared on Wisconsin Sea Grant.
News Releases | Wisconsin Sea Grant
News Releases | Wisconsin Sea Grant
https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/news/how-and-where-to-find-birds-in-the-estuary/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=how-and-where-to-find-birds-in-the-estuary
Current Watches, Warnings and Advisories for Brown (WIC009) Wisconsin Issued by the National Weather Service
https://alerts.weather.gov/cap/wwacapget.php?x=WI126647D4F7F0.SpecialWeatherStatement.126647D570A4WI.GRBSPSGRB.6bf84a4531ca431ab1ef1d2b8385bb43
Current Watches, Warnings and Advisories for Brown (WIC009) Wisconsin Issued by the National Weather Service
https://alerts.weather.gov/cap/wwacapget.php?x=WI126647D464AC.WinterWeatherAdvisory.126647D5AD30WI.GRBWSWGRB.40c2ac144eb4b46491628935ae273837
Current Watches, Warnings and Advisories for Brown (WIC009) Wisconsin Issued by the National Weather Service
https://alerts.weather.gov/cap/wwacapget.php?x=WI126643994948.SpecialWeatherStatement.1266439A8614WI.GRBSPSGRB.6bf84a4531ca431ab1ef1d2b8385bb43
This lesson will explore the phenomenon of maple sap production in the Great Lakes, as it pertains to chemical energy storage and transfer, in contrast with mechanical energy storage and transfer in wind turbines. Students will model the production of maple syrup from sap by making simple syrup and perform a distillation experiment with cola.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2023/04/episode-2304-energy-lesson-plan/
Experts are concerned after a wet winter, with little relief in sight this rainy season, as the five Great Lakes continue to see an uptick in water levels. All the lakes remain above their April long-term average levels, according to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ weekly forecast. Read the full story by USA Today.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230428-flood-risk
As the trout season approaches on Saturday, April 29th, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy, are asking anglers to prepare to decontaminate their supplies. According to the DNR, Michigan’s trout streams are under increasing threat from harmful species that affect habitat and food sources for trout and other fish and can be moved to new locations on waders, nets, and gear. Read the full story by WHMI – Howell, MI.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230428-decontamination-preparation
Michigan’s spring temperatures are highly influenced by water temperatures on the Great Lakes. It’s a vicious cycle in which the colder than normal air has cooled the Great Lakes waters, which will continue to keep the air cooler as well. Read the full story by MLive.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230428-water-temperatures
According to the International Lake Ontario – St. Lawrence River Board (ILOSLRB), Lake Ontario’s water level was at about 75.15 meters as of April 19, which is 0.25 meters above average for this time of year. Residents and visitors to Lake Ontario and the Upper St. Lawrence River are being warned of the high water levels that are expected to continue to increase in the coming weeks. Read the full story by the Kingston Herald.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230428-high-water-levels
Midland, Michigan, could receive $50 million for flood reduction infrastructure after Sen. Kristen McDonald Rivet (D-Bay City) secured those funds in the proposed Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy budget. That budget was passed by the Senate Appropriations Committee on Wednesday, moving on to the full Senate and House for negotiations. Read the full story by the Midland Daily News.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230428-flood-reduction-funding
The Pelee Islander II is staying out of service longer than expected this spring due to ‘an unforeseen technical issue’ found during a scheduled out-of-water inspection. Local officials are concerned the delay will hinder the region’s ability to prepare for the upcoming busy season on the Lake Erie Island. Read the full story by CTV – Windsor.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230428-ferry-delay
Six Michigan Senate Democrats introduced SB 294, which would ban the intentional release of balloons that end up in the Great Lakes, posing a threat to thousands of species. In 2019, the nonprofit Alliance for the Great Lakes found more than 18,000 balloons or balloon pieces along the shores over the previous two years. Read the full story by WOOD-TV – Grand Rapids, MI.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230428-balloon-bill
The ferry that transports people and vehicles between Charlevoix and Beaver Island – Lake Michigan’s largest island – has begun its 2023 season. Beaver Island Boat Company is running three trips a week right now and will begin increasing that number in May. Read the full story by MLive.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230428-beaver-island-ferry
The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC) announced a new Erie Access Improvement Program grant opportunity heading to Erie County. The program is funded through proceeds from the sale of Lake Erie permits for programs that benefit public fishing, including enhanced access and habitat projects on or at Lake Erie and the watersheds of Lake Erie. Read the full story by WJET-TV – Erie, PA.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230428-fishing-grant
According to the Michigan State Historic Preservation Office, the S.S. Keewatin, a passenger steamship older than the Titanic, began its journey down the St. Clair River on Wednesday. The Edwardian-era Keewatin was built in 1907 by the Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Company of Glasgow, Scotland, and is the last of its kind. Read the full story by MLive.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230428-steamship-transport
Natural resource management issues often boil down to people management issues. When it comes to lake management, people can be hard to predict. They may say one thing but do another. They may think they’re good environmental stewards even though some of their behaviors suggest otherwise. But to make meaningful progress in aquatic invasive species management issues, human behavior must be taken into account.
Intersections between natural and social science is the theme of a recent article written by Wisconsin Sea Grant’s Aquatic Invasive Species Outreach Specialist Tim Campbell and University of Wisconsin-Madison Associate Professor and Division of Extension Environmental Communication Specialist Bret Shaw. “Natural and Social Science Work Better Together for Managing AIS” appeared in the spring 2023 issue of “Lakeline,” published by the North American Lake Management Society.
The article outlines effective social science methods, including understanding target audiences, crafting better messages and addressing barriers to behavior change.
The post Aquatic invasive species management through people management first appeared on Wisconsin Sea Grant.Blog | Wisconsin Sea Grant
https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/blog/aquatic-invasive-species-management-through-people-management/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=aquatic-invasive-species-management-through-people-management
Because of the major impact of the Flint water crisis on Michigan, safe drinking water has become a public health, environmental and political priority.
The post Schools replace old-fashioned drinking fountains first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2023/04/28/schools-replace-old-fashioned-drinking-fountains/
Ice out on Lake Winnebago was officially called by the Army Corps of Engineers on April 6, 2023 as determined by MODIS satellite imagery. Ice out (aka ice off) is when ALL ice is gone from the lake surface as observed by satellite. This is important because ice out marks the date that the Army Corps transitions their management of Lake Winnebago from maintaining winter pool to focus on spring refill.
The Army Corps of Engineers – Chicago District manages water levels for Lake Winnebago by regulating outflow at the dams in Menasha and Neenah under the Federal Marshall Order of 1886. The Marshall Order is intended for flood risk management.
The Marshall Order defines the limits of regulation for Lake Winnebago:
While meeting their mission of flood risk management is the priority, the Army Corps also tries to meet the needs of various stakeholders within their operating limits. This requires finding a reasonable balance among multiple competing interests. Each year, with stakeholder input, the Army Corps sets their annual regulation strategy which guides their daily management decisions.
Their annual regulation strategy represents that balance and can be broken down by certain times of the year: fall drawdown, winter pool, spring refill, and summer pool. Water level targets are set along this strategy in a schedule. These targets are listed in the Army Corps 2022 – 2023 Lake Winnebago Regulation Strategy (shown in the image below). The green band in the annual strategy represents the “target band”. The Army Corps tries to hold water levels within this band. The dotted lines represents the average lake level across all years as noted in the key.
Average Water Level for Lake Winnebago
Lake level for Lake Winnebago is an average of readings from four gages located around the lake and is in reference to the Oshkosh Datum.
Fall Drawdown: As of the 2021/2022 regulation strategy, fall drawdown has been scheduled to begin between Sept 1 and Oct 1 each year at the discretion of the Army Corps through an adaptive decision making process.
Winter Pool: Each February, the Army Corps evaluates basin conditions and the forecast to determine their winter drawdown target.
The Army Corps draws down Lake Winnebago every winter to reduce the risk of damage caused by ice shoves, protect shoreline properties, and provide enough space within the lake to hold excess water that flows into Lake Winnebago each spring (snow melt and rain storm runoff from a 5,900 square mile watershed). The 2023 winter drawdown target operating band for Lake Winnebago this year was 1.25 ft to 1.3 ft.
Spring refill: When the Army Corps determines ice out has occurred on Lake Winnebago based on satellite imagery, spring refill is triggered. For many boaters, people interested in habitat protection, and stakeholders working to restore the lakes, refill is of particular interest. According to the most recent annual strategy, refill targets are as follows:
Summer Pool: The Army Corps tries to maintain the lake within a target band for summer recreation navigation.
The total seasonal water elevation change is typically about 1.8 ft in a given year.
Despite having all available gates open at the dams since March 6, 2023, the average level of Lake Winnebago has been well above the target band since the beginning of April. This is likely due to the lake not being drawn down far enough or early enough to accommodate spring runoff from snow melt and precipitation. When inflows to Lake Winnebago exceed outflow capacity of the gates, the lake begins to rise uncontrolled. Overshooting the target band increases risk of flooding, significantly damages habitat and limits water quality restoration gains (among other impacts).
A graph from April 21, 2023 shows the recent average lake level (dashed line). Hopefully, precipitation will ease up and the Army Corps will be able to regain control before too much damage is done to the wetlands and aquatic habitat.
1.) Water Level Management for the Winnebago Waterways: This report describes water level management including the process of developing an annual strategy, the considerations for the strategy, and the reason the strategy (schedule) is in its current form. CLICK HERE for the report.
This report is part of a larger planning effort for the Winnebago Lakes. The rest of the lake plan can be found here: https://fwwa.org/lake-management-planning-2/
2.) Winnebago Water Level Assessment Team (WWLAT): This is a stakeholder group that holds discussions about water levels independent of the Army Corps public input process. The website for the Team provides information about the background, past recommendations, and more. Interested stakeholders are welcome to participate. Link: https://fwwa.org/winnebago-waterways/wwlat/
3.) The Army Corps provides access to a lot of data and information through their Lake Winnebago webpage: CLICK HERE
Winnebago Waterways is a Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance recovery initiative. Contact us at wwinfo@fwwa.org
The post Ice-Out officially called for Lake Winnebago – April 6, 2023 appeared first on Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance.
Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance
https://fwwa.org/2023/04/27/ice-out-officially-called-for-lake-winnebago-april-6-2023/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=ice-out-officially-called-for-lake-winnebago-april-6-2023
By John Flesher, Associated Press
TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. (AP) — A company that tears down closed nuclear power plants wants to do in Michigan what has never been done in the U.S.: restore a dead one to life.
Holtec Decommissioning International bought the Palisades Nuclear Generating Station last June for the stated purpose of dismantling it, weeks after previous owner Entergy shut it down.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2023/04/ap-company-seeks-first-time-restart-shuttered-nuclear-plant/
Thank you to the Wisconsin Herd, Oshkosh Arena, and Winnebago County and the Winnebago Solid Waste Department for having the Winnebago Waterways Program as the non-profit of the night at the Wisconsin Herd Game on March 17, 2023. It was an exciting game and thanks to all who bid on the Go Green jerseys following the game, we raised $1650.57! These funds will be used to further our water quality restoration and protection efforts. Thank you for all your support!
The post Total raised as a result of Go Green night at the Wisconsin Herd Game March 17, 2023 appeared first on Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance.
Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance
https://fwwa.org/2023/04/27/wisconsin-herd-march-17-result/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=wisconsin-herd-march-17-result
