More than 130 road and bridge projects have bought credits to Michigan’s Perry Wetland Mitigation Bank bank since it opened. It was the first wetland bank built using state gas taxes — and a second one just opened. Read the full story by MLive.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/2023-1016-manmadewetland-michigan-fixroads
Like most older urban communities in Metro Detroit, the Red Run has combined sewers – pipes carrying raw sewage and stormwater runoff. These aging systems are ill-equipped to handle the massive volumes of stormwater runoff that we’re now seeing – and will continue to see more of – due to climate change. Read the full story by Michigan Radio.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/2023-1016-rain-climate-metrodetroit-unprepared
This week, TV6′s Elizabeth Peterson takes you along on a journey through the Great Lakes aboard the Lee A. Tregurtha, a vessel with the Interlake Steamship Company. Read the full story by TV6 – Negaunee, MI.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/2023-1016-tregurtha-greatlakes
Experts say nutrient-rich water from greenhouse farms could be harming Lake Erie, but Ontario’s Environment Ministry has issued very few fines for potential algae-causing infractions since 2019. Read the full story by The Narwhal.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/2023-1016-lakeerie-southwesternontario
Thousands of water utilities across the Great Lakes region and nationwide will decide in the next three months whether to join two multibillion-dollar, class-action settlements against the largest producers of toxic PFAS chemicals that have tainted drinking water supplies. Read the full story by Michigan Radio.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/2023-1016-pfas-nationalsettlement-waterutilities
What’s needed in Michigan is a true affordability plan, water rights advocate Monica Lewis-Patrick told Great Lakes Now in an interview. Read the full story by Great Lakes Now.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/2023-1016-michiganwaterrights
A Minnesota angler broke a 53-year-old state record with a coho salmon he caught during a fishing trip on Lake Superior in September. Read the full story by KMSP-TV – Minneapolis, MN.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/2023-1016-minnesota-recordbreaking-cohosalmon
Sinkholes don’t just happen on land, they also exist in the Great Lakes, a topic that will be explored in the next lecture hosted by the Maritime Museum as part of its Working Waterfronts Lecture Series. Read the full story by The Herald Palladium.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/2023-1016-lakehuron-sinkholes
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/2023-1016-maritime-shipwrecks-quaggamussels
Director Dave Applegate visited the Upper Midwest Water Science Center October 10-12, 2023.
Upper Midwest Water Science Center
Upper Midwest Water Science Center
https://www.usgs.gov/centers/upper-midwest-water-science-center/news/usgs-director-david-applegate-visits-upper-midwest?utm_source=comms&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=news
Michigan’s population is less healthy than the national average, ranking below most other states, including its Midwestern neighbors, in premature death rates, infant mortality rates and access to health care.
The post State’s public health ranks low, study finds first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2023/10/16/states-public-health-ranks-low-study-finds/
Details matter for water rights advocate Monica Lewis-Patrick when it comes to terminology in Michigan’s long-awaited drinking water legislation. Critical issues have to be addressed in a manner that improves people’s lives.
The recently introduced legislation is designed to remedy the need for water shutoffs in limited cases, It’s also meant to address the cost of water for residents across the state who don’t have the means to pay seemingly ever increasing water bills.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2023/10/michigan-water-rights-advocate-questions-effectiveness-proposed-legislation/
Green Bay, WI
https://www.weather.gov/www.weather.gov/arx/leaves
Historical redlining of neighborhoods still poses health threats to present-day residents, such as increased risk of diabetes, hypertension and early death from heart disease, according to a recent study by the National Library of Medicine.
While redlining practices are not legal anymore, the effects still linger in historically redlined areas that typically have a high concentration of minority residents.
The post Historical redlining impacts still felt nearly a century later first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2023/10/15/historical-redlining-impacts-still-felt-nearly-a-century-later/
Early European settlers deemed Michigan’s wetlands a “dangerous wasteland.”
Little did they know the state’s wetlands were keeping their new home healthy.
The post ‘Earth’s kidneys’: from farmland to wetland first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2023/10/14/earths-kidneys-from-farmland-to-wetland/
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20231013-milwaukee-restoration
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20231013-huronton-shipwreck
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20231013-water-affordability
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20231013-bird-collisions
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20231013-stamp-pipeline
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20231013-michigan-harbors
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20231013-waukesha-water
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20231013-shipwreck-novel
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20231013-record-salmon
At the Alliance for the Great Lakes Board of Directors meeting on October 6, 2023, in Chicago, the Board welcomed Timothy Alston for a three-year term.
Timothy is a process controls engineer at the Gary Sanitary District, one of the largest wastewater utilities in the State of Indiana and one of the few majority-black employees utilities in the region. He provides direct technical and advisory support to the Plant Superintendent on wastewater treatment plant improvements and optimizing plant processes. He also helps manage the Operations and Maintenance Department, which is the heartbeat of the utility. Timothy was an environmental consultant for CDM Smith Inc. in the Chicago Office from 2018-2020.
As a young professional living in Chicago, Timothy has demonstrated a passion for mentorship to underserved communities through his work as an undergraduate mentor and the Director of Programs for the Chicago Chapter of the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE), as well as spearheading the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) Student Outreach Mentorship Program from 2019-2021.
Timothy is a Co-Founder of the Black Water Professionals Alliance Inc. (BWPA), which has grown to over 200 members across the country. The mission of BWPA is to increase diversity, equity, and inclusion by fostering a community focused on networking, professional development, and leadership opportunities for Black people in the water industry. He has personally mentored over 100 students in developing their STEM academic and professional skills over the past several years through a nonprofit called SMASH Academy.
Originally from Maryland, Timothy received his B.S. in Environmental Science from Claflin University, a historic HBCU in South Carolina, and his M.S. in Environmental Engineering from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
He and his wife currently live in South Loop, Chicago, and just tied the knot this past July 23, 2023.
Laura Payne was elected to a second two-year term as Vice Chair of Development. Bill Henry was elected to a second two-year term as Board Secretary.
Leaving Office
The board also said farewell to term-limited board director Quentin James and expressed special gratitude for his six years of service.
“I extend a heartfelt thank you to our board members—past and present—for their unwavering dedication and exceptional leadership,” said Joel Brammeier, President & CEO of the Alliance. “Their invaluable time and expertise are fundamental to the achievements of the Alliance in safeguarding and revitalizing the Great Lakes. We eagerly anticipate the valuable contributions of our newest board member and extend our deepest appreciation to those transitioning on.”
For a complete listing of Alliance for the Great Lakes directors and officers, visit our Board of Directors page.
The post Alliance for the Great Lakes Board of Directors Welcomes Newly Elected Board Member & Returning Officers appeared first on Alliance for the Great Lakes.
News - Alliance for the Great Lakes
News - Alliance for the Great Lakes
https://greatlakes.org/2023/10/alliance-for-the-great-lakes-board-of-directors-welcomes-newly-elected-board-member-returning-officers/
NCEI News Feed
https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/news/global-climate-202309
We use multiple methods to collect suspended sediment data, depending on the needs of the project.
Upper Midwest Water Science Center
Upper Midwest Water Science Center
https://www.usgs.gov/mission-areas/water-resources/news/tailored-sediment-sampling-can-lead-more-effective-management?utm_source=comms&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=news
As if climate change-related rising lake levels, extreme weather and threats to biodiversity weren’t enough to worry about, now we can also worry about the public health threat of invading mosquitoes.
North America has about 250 species of mosquitoes, of which about 70 are found in Michigan.
The post Disease-carrying mosquitoes moving north first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2023/10/13/disease-carrying-mosquitoes-moving-north/
Blog | Wisconsin Sea Grant
https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/blog/manoomin-symposium-sponsored-by-sea-grant/
RESTON, Va. — The U.S. Geological Survey will invest more than $3.5 million to map critical mineral resources in partnership with the geological surveys of Arkansas, Kentucky, Illinois, Indiana, Missouri and Tennessee.
Midcontinent Region
https://www.usgs.gov/news/national-news-release/usgs-partners-six-states-map-critical-mineral-potential-cutting-edge?utm_source=comms&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=news
Plummeting temperatures, blinding snow and ferocious winds ripped through the air as three freighters struggled on Lake Michigan’s frigid surface.
Unsuspecting and dangerously underprepared passengers braced for the worst, baffled at the stark contrast from the serene weather of the morning.
The post Author preserves Great Lakes shipwrecks by writing novels about them first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2023/10/12/author-preserves-great-lakes-shipwrecks-by-writing-novels-about-them/
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20231011-algae
When a municipality builds a new road and damages wetlands in the process, Michigan state law says new wetlands have to be constructed somewhere else. That’s led to establishing “wetland banks” for city, township, and county road agencies. Read the full story by Michigan Radio.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20231011-wetlands
Proposals are calling for the construction of a large housing complex on a former industrial site on Michigan’s Muskegon Lake, but old contamination concerns have surfaced. Per environmental data compiled by surveyors prior to the property’s ownership transfer, toxic materials, explosive gasses and industrial contaminants were still present in large concentrations. Read the full story by WZZM-TV – Grand Rapids, MI.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20231011-pfas-muskegon
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20231011-buffalo-river
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20231011-thunder-bay
Gales began whipping up on Lake Superior late last week, when temperatures took a sharp drop across the U.P. and the rest of Michigan. Read the full story by MLive.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20231011-superior-storms
For decades, the beaches adjacent to Lake Michigan were acclaimed as a special place and carried the designation of Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore. When the lakeshore became a national park in 2019, everything was altered in the public eye. Read the full story by The Tribune.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20231011-indiana-dunes
Lake Erie is the holder of a new Great Lakes waterspout record! There were 181 waterspouts and funnels over the lake in just one day. Read the full story by WJW-TV – Cleveland, OH.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20231011-waterspouts
The University of Wisconsin-Superior Lake Superior Research Institute’s Ballast Water Treatment Testing Facility is researching a filter technology that can be used to help keep invasive aquatic species out of the lake. Read the full story by Spectrum News.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20231011-lake-superior-state
By Lester Graham, Michigan Radio
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/2023/10/wetland-banks-save-cities-townships-counties-money-building-roads/
Melina Dennis (center) conducting field research this summer. Image credit: Submitted photo
By Melina Dennis, Freshwater Collaborative summer research student
This summer, 31 students from across the country were chosen for the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Freshwater@UW Summer Research Opportunities Program, which is affiliated with Wisconsin Sea Grant, the University of Wisconsin Water Resources Institute and the University of Wisconsin-Madison Graduate School. Many of the students provided reflections on what they learned. We’ll share several over the coming months. Here’s the third, from Melina Dennis, an undergraduate senior in environmental engineering from the Oneida Reservation in Wisconsin.
This summer I worked in UW-Madison’s Hydroecology Lab, which is in the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department under Steve Loehide. I worked with my grad student mentor, Eric Kastelic, on studying groundwater flooding in Dane County.
Before this program, I had limited knowledge about graduate school. I was interested in furthering my education, but I didn’t know how graduate school worked or what it looked like for the fields I am interested in. I have since learned an enormous amount from working in a research lab, and from the professional development seminars the program hosted.
At the beginning of the program, we had a seminar on science communication. The seminar touched on the importance of making science accessible to nonscientists and gave me a point of resonance for why I am doing this in the first place: to help people. As I went through the program, I was pleasantly surprised to meet more and more people who felt the same way. At the forefront of a lot of people’s work was the hope of making the world a better place for others.
My mentor hosted a graduate student panel for one of the seminars. I gained insight into the life of graduate students, the process of finding a graduate program, differences between types of graduate degrees, how funding works, and so much more. Another seminar covered funding more in depth. I learned more about the many sources of it, differences in funding across degrees and programs, how to have conversations about funding your degree, and how to apply for common types of grants.
We also had seminars focused on career development. Staff from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) came in and gave us information about working in the federal government. I got a lot of useful and intriguing information about careers with USGS, paths to employment with them, and benefits of working for a federal agency. I can see myself working for USGS after graduate school, as what they do aligns with the goals and values I have for my career. By working in the research lab with my mentor, I developed technical skills that are directly applicable to my career goals, including computer programs and physical tools used in research and the public sector of my field. I had many fun field days where I got to see how data is collected and collect some of my own.
I now have a much better picture of graduate school and how it can help me achieve my career goals. I also feel more prepared in pursuing graduate school. I am grateful for this program and all the valuable information I received.
The post Making the world a better place first appeared on Wisconsin Sea Grant.Blog | Wisconsin Sea Grant
https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/blog/making-the-world-a-better-place/
Enbridge Energy last week sought help from a state oversight panel due to the “inexplicably lethargic” permit review by federal regulators for the company’s Great Lakes Tunnel Project to replace Line 5 under the Straights of Mackinac. Read the full story by WDET – Detroit, MI.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20231011-line5
NCEI News Feed
https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/news/annular-solar-eclipse-happening-soon-without-shadow-doubt
The smell of cigar smoke lingers as visitors walk through the dark living quarters of Gulliver’s Seul Choix Point Lighthouse.
“There are so many public ghost towns,” Tedsen said. “But to me, paranormal is very important — it begs the question ‘is there life after death?’”
The post The tale of a haunted lighthouse first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2023/10/11/haunted-lighthouse/
This lesson will explore the phenomenon of natural gradient, as students learn about how the natural flow of the Great Lakes landscape can provide a smooth path for mountain bike riding. They will explore the physics of accelerated motion, explore the math of slope, and investigate existing and planned trails in the Great Lakes before building a slow, smooth-rolling trail to move marbles, modeling the design of mountain biking trails.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2023/10/episode-2309-great-lakes-gradients-lesson-plan/
Keep up with PFAS-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
Forever Chemicals and Cancer Risk — Chicago Health Magazine
The managing partner at a Chicago-based law firm started getting calls from firefighters last year: men and women with kidney, prostate, and bladder cancers.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2023/10/pfas-news-roundup-ridding-groundwater-forever-chemicals-ultrasound-increasing-pfas-monitoring-rivers/
WAUKESHA, Wis. (AP) — A Milwaukee suburb has finally started to pull millions of gallons of water per day from Lake Michigan after spending years seeking approval from regulators.
The city of Waukesha began the diversion Monday. City officials say 90% of the city will be using Lake Michigan’s water within five days.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2023/10/ap-milwaukee-suburb-pulling-millions-gallons-lake-michigan/
By Lester Graham, Michigan Radio
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/2023/10/epa-okays-ohio-plan-reduce-toxic-cyanobacterial-blooms-environmentalists-say-wont-work/
NCEI News Feed
https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/news/national-climate-202309
