A coalition of organizations is developing an innovative and expensive engineering project at the 96-year-old Brandon Road Lock and Dam on the Des Plaines River south of Chicago to block invasive carp from reaching Lake Michigan. Read the full story by the Monroe News.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230828-carp
U.S. Great Lakes shipping activity continues to be on par with the previous year, as approximately 15.7 million tons of total cargo traffic traveled the seaway system for the year to date. Read the full story by The Crescent-News.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230828-shipping
The concept of work-life balance has found a foothold in contemporary culture. Under the concept, individuals are encouraged to, yes, undertake toil and tasks but also pause for recreation and reflection on life’s non-laboring moments. It’s a way to recharge.
Celebrating that balance, the recent 2023 Sea Grant and University of Wisconsin Water Resources Institute (WRI) Fellows Convocation and Awards Event brought together people who have worked—engaging in water science and sharing that science through policymaking, communication, education and extension—and then provided them with a recharging moment in the sun.
The event commemorated four award-winners, 21 post-graduate fellows, three undergraduate scholarship winners and 61 summer undergraduate scholars.
Congresswoman Gwen Moore received a 2023 Friend of Sea Grant Award. Moore has served the 4th District of Wisconsin for 19 years in the U.S. Congress, and prior to that she was a member of the Wisconsin Legislature. In both roles, she fostered the pursuit of understanding and science-based management of our state’s water resources, saying she “did it for love.”
Congresswoman Gwen Moore smiles while receiving a Friend of Sea Grant Award from Sea Grant and Water Resources Institute Director Jim Hurley.
Moore further reminisced, “I remember the night that I won the nomination and won the seat to represent the 4th Congressional District. I thanked all the people who were there at the Hyatt Regency. Then, I said, ‘Thank, God. I now get to represent Lake Michigan because my assembly districts didn’t touch the lake.’ And truly, since the day I have been there, I have leaned into doing anything and everything I can to preserve this treasure (as she pointed emphatically at the lake outside of event venue’s windows) to not only Milwaukee, not only Wisconsin, but the world.”
Another influential woman, Julie Kinzelman, was named Wisconsin Sea Grant Great Lakes Champion for 2023. She emerged from a competitive process that saw nominations come in for a number of impressive people and organizations across the Great Lakes Basin. This former public health official from Racine stood out to judges because of her sustained and far-reaching efforts to ensure access for everyone to coastal spaces.
The award is presented every two years to recognize a long-term commitment to the care and concern for the Great Lakes. Kinzelman is a founding member of the Great Lakes Beach Association, a network of 1,000 beach professionals from the U.S., Canada, Europe, Australia and New Zealand who share knowledge, prioritize research and discuss management.
Julie Kinzelman accepted the 2023 Wisconsin Sea Grant Great Lakes Champion Award.
As a city employee, Kinzelman investigated the sources of beach pollution in Racine, tested her own remediation approaches, secured funding for research and mitigation and successfully completed many remediation projects transforming these Lake Michigan beaches from places of frequent closure into nationally recognized recreational destinations.
“The work of Wisconsin Sea Grant, and its many collaborating partners, to promote the sustainable use of Great Lakes resources through research, education and outreach truly leads to thriving coastal ecosystems and communities,” Kinzelman said. “The challenges facing the Great Lakes and their coastal communities are great, and the road long, but together incremental progress can made to the benefit of this one-of-a-kind internationally significant resource.”
The 2023 Wisconsin Sea Grant Actionable Science Award went to J. Val Klump. He said, “I just went back through my records and looked at the support that Sea Grant provided me and my colleagues since I joined UW-Milwaukee in 1980, 14 research grants spanning 38 years. Without the Wisconsin Sea Grant Program, I think it is safe to say that I would not have had the research opportunities, many of which led to funding by other agencies, that were the basis of my career—and launched those of all of my doctoral students.” He continued, “I am very humbled by this. And of course, I did not do this alone. I have had many wonderful colleagues and students.”
Klump is the former dean and a retired professor from the School of Freshwater Sciences at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. He spent more than 500 days at sea on research cruises as he studied how carbon and nutrients move through and influence the world’s lakes. His work has informed policies set by the International Joint Commission and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
The final award-winner was Larry MacDonald, who said he was honored to take home the 2023 Wisconsin Sea Grant Distinguished Service Award. After a productive 24-year tenure with the Sea Grant Advisory Council, he is stepping down. MacDonald has also served as chairman of the Wisconsin Coastal Management Council and is a former mayor of Bayfield, Wisconsin. His wise counsel has been invaluable to the success of the Sea Grant program in fostering the health and use of the Great Lakes.
Longtime member of the Sea Grant Advisory Council Larry MacDonald is stepping down from this role after more than 20 years. He took home a Sea Grant Distinguished Service Award.
As for the many post-graduate and undergraduate students who were feted, they represent a bright future for water science in labs, the field, halls of policymaking and private industry. The group includes:
-Five Dean John A. Knauss Fellows. Four of the group completed their one-year Washington, D.C.-based experience in 2022 and the current fellow is Mary Solokas who is working in a NOAA office that facilitates research in dangerous or remote areas by using remotely operated instruments. Her placement is in the nation’s executive branch, which is where three of the 2022 fellows landed. The fourth from 2022 was in the legislative branch, in the office of Sen. Jeff Merkley of Oregon.
-Twenty-one post-graduate fellows. The majority of this group were or currently are placed in partner state or federal agencies providing their cutting-edge knowledge on topics such as PFAS contamination, resilience or harmful algal blooms to assist in solving difficult science-based challenges. In turn, the fellows gain real-world experience and mentoring from professionals in the U.S. EPA or Wisconsin departments of Administration, Natural Resources or Health Services. Three of this overall post-graduate cohort fall under the UW-Milwaukee Center for Water Policy – Sea Grant – Water Resources Institute Water Policy Specialists Program. Here, these emerging lawyers immerse themselves in applied research seeking multidisciplinary water policy solutions.
-Three winners of the Carl J. Weston Scholarship. It is presented in even-numbered years to undergraduate students working on a Wisconsin Sea Grant-supported project. The winners from 2022 were Hali Jama of UW-Madison who was a producer and on-air voice for a Sea Grant podcast, The Water We Swim In; Elisabeth Bautista who was a summer limnological researcher and is a UW-Madison student; and Daniel Sherman from UW-Milwaukee who is doing aquaculture research. This scholarship was established in 1995 by Dr. and Mrs. Carl B. Weston and is named in honor of their son Carl J. Weston.
-Ten undergraduates in 2022 and 11 in 2023. These students spent summers working alongside Sea Grant extension, education and communications staff members as part of the Summer Outreach Opportunities Program. The students came from across the nation and were selected through a competitive process that set them up for a 10-week experience to learn more about and contribute to ongoing work on topics such as water safety, aquatic invasive species education, fish sampling and video production. To prepare them for graduate studies or the workforce, whatever their path may be, the program also provided networking, training and a chance to publicly present their projects.
Congresswoman Gwen Moore (second from left) said she enjoyed meeting and speaking with summer research scholars in attendance.
-Nine undergraduates in 2022 and 31 in 2023. These undergraduates were part of the Summer Research Opportunities Program. This program was piloted in 2022 thanks to Sea Grant, WRI, the University of Wisconsin-Madison Graduate School and the Freshwater Collaborative of Wisconsin. Significant contributions were also made by Water@UW Madison and the federal agency and faculty mentors who nurtured these students who came from across the nation to engage in hands-on, 10-week research experiences in freshwater fields. In 2023, the program was expanded and included mentors from campuses throughout the University of Wisconsin System, as well as external partners. The experience enhances workforce development skills and allows undergraduates to consider the option of graduate studies in Wisconsin. Research experience as an undergraduate is an important component of a successful application for graduate school. In the job market, it also sets apart recent undergraduates who have addressed the changing needs of water-related fields.
At the conclusion of last week’s event, Sea Grant and Water Resources Institute Director Jim Hurley reflected on the dedicated and talented honorees: “Thank you for attending. Thank you for recognizing all of these people. Based on their work and commitment, we are all going to be OK.” It’s likely that the Great Lakes will be as well.
The post Event celebrated Great Lakes friends, champions, researchers and students first appeared on Wisconsin Sea Grant.News Releases | Wisconsin Sea Grant
News Releases | Wisconsin Sea Grant
https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/news/event-celebrated-great-lakes-friends-champions-researchers-and-students/
Current Watches, Warnings and Advisories for Brown (WIC009) Wisconsin Issued by the National Weather Service
https://alerts.weather.gov/cap/wwacapget.php?x=WI12665B328F4C.SpecialWeatherStatement.12665B32B148WI.GRBSPSGRB.f8caab821a87cbd2a30949a2a068a734
This month’s species spotlight shines light on a native lamprey species of the Winnebago System: Chestnut Lampreys (Ichthyomyzon castaneus). There are other native species of lamprey in the Winnebago System too. These are the Silver, American Brook, and Northern Brook lampreys. Chestnut and silver lampreys are parasitic as adults, feeding on fish. However, this usually does not kill the fish. Despite the scary looking sucker disks, native lampreys are an important part of the ecosystem.
However, there is a non-native lamprey species to be aware of too: the sea lamprey. The sea lamprey is an aquatic invasive species has not invaded the Winnebago System, but is present in the Great Lakes. If the sea lamprey were to invade the Winnebago System, it is likely they would cause major issues for the ecosystem. We must work hard to keep this aquatic invasive species out of the Winnebago System. Though a bit creepy looking, the chestnut lamprey (and Silver, American Brook, and Northern Brook lampreys) are native to this region.
Chestnut lampreys are parasitic as adults but not as larvae. The adult chestnut lamprey attaches to a fish, then scrapes a hole in the body and sucks out blood and tissue fluids for nutrients. After feeding on a fish for several days, the lamprey drops off. Usually, the fish is not killed directly by the attack, but may die due to infections from the wound.
Chestnut lampreys have a skeleton made of cartilage with no true vertebrae. They technically do not have a jaw. This makes lampreys different from eels, which have a bony skeleton and jaws. Lamprey bodies are long and cylindrical. Chestnut lamprey adults range in length from 5-11 inches. The mouth of adult chestnut lampreys is as wide or wider than the head, and contains sharp teeth that each have two points (bicuspid). Along their back, chestnut lampreys have one continuous fin. Adults are usually dark brown, gray, or olive-green on the top, with a lighter coloration of yellow or tan on the stomach. During spawning, they can appear blue-black. Younger lampreys tend to be lighter in color.
The native range of the chestnut lamprey is as far north as the Hudson Bay in Canada and as far South as the Gulf of Mexico. The Mississippi and Missouri River networks help with this large range, as the lampreys move with their host fishes.
Photo Source: Bobbie Halchishak/USFWS
Chestnut lampreys spawn in late spring when the water temperature is about 50ۧ°F. Chestnut lampreys stay in the larval phase for 3 – 7 years. Chestnut lamprey larva do not have eyes. When they hatch, chestnut lampreys move downstream and bury themselves at the bottom of the water body they’re living in. For the next few years, they filter feed on tiny algae particles and tiny organisms before beginning to develop their sucking disk. This disk develops teeth which allows for parasitic feeding. Once Chestnut Lampreys are adults, they can suck blood and other nutrients from host fish. Chestnut lampreys can feed on many different fish species including carp, trout, pike, sturgeon, catfish, sunfish, and paddlefish. They live another one to two years as adults, for a total lifespan of about 6 – 9 years.
Chestnut lampreys are primarily nocturnal, meaning they are most active at night. This is often why we don’t see them unless they are attached to fish we catch! During the day, they rest under rocks and along river banks. Adult chestnut lampreys are not known to have predators, but the larval lampreys are preyed upon by burbot and brown trout.
Though we tend to think of parasites as “bad”, they play an important role in the ecosystem including helping to remove weaker fish from the population. The lamprey population may become large when they have plenty of fish to feed on, but then decrease as host populations decrease. This cycle is normal in the ecosystem. Aquatic invasive species like the sea lamprey are a cause for concern because they interfere with normal population dynamics.
Article written by Katie Reed, Winnebago Waterways Coordinator: katherine@fwwa.org
Featured Image Credit: Great Lakes Fisheries Commission
Additional Image Credit 1: Cal Yonce/USFWS
Additional Image Credit 2: Bobbie Halchishak/USFWS
Sources:
Lampreys of the Great Lakes – Great Lakes Fishery Commission
Chestnut Lamprey – Illinois DNR
Ichthyomyzon castaneus – Chestnut lamprey – Animal Diversity Web
Winnebago Waterways is a Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance recovery initiative. Contact us at wwinfo@fwwa.org
The post Species Spotlight: Chestnut Lamprey appeared first on Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance.
Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance
https://fwwa.org/2023/08/25/species-spotlight-chestnut_lamprey/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=species-spotlight-chestnut_lamprey
A federal judge Thursday approved an agreement between four Native American tribes and state and federal regulatory agencies to revise a fishing policy covering parts of three of the Great Lakes. Read the full story by The Associated Press.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230825-tribal-fishing
The state Supreme Court on Tuesday declined to revisit a decision overturning former 13th Circuit Court Judge Thomas Power’s ruling that the FishPass project in Traverse City, Michigan couldn’t go forward without a citywide vote. Read the full story by the Traverse City Record Eagle.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230825-fishpass
Scientists across the Great Lakes who monitor the endangered shorebird as they nest and raise their young counted at least 80 unique adult pairs of piping plovers – the most since the birds were listed as endangered in 1985. Read the full story by MLive.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230825-plover
A Michigan Court of Appeals panel has struck down state restrictions on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) levels in drinking water, but left the regulatory rules in place as the state pursues an appeal. Read the full story by Bridge Michigan.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230825-pfas
U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) has introduced a bill to keep companies from dumping plastic pellets into waterways. Read the full story by WGN- TV – Chicago, IL.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230825-plastic
The Chicago Tribune highlights the history of Calumet Harbor and its role in the Great Lakes shipping industry. Read the full story by The Chicago Tribune.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230825-calumet-harbor
A single male wolf that happened to cross the ice from Ontario during winter 1997 changed the entire ecosystem on Isle Royale, at first infusing the island’s wolves with new genetic vitality but eventually dooming his progeny to inbreeding and total collapse. Read the full story by the Duluth News Tribune.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230825-isle-royale
A new study shows an increase of nearly 900 jobs and more than $235 million in additional economic activity in the port of Toledo compared to a 2018 study. Read the full story by WTVG -TV – Toledo, OH.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230825-port-toledo
A first-of-its-kind research boat on Lake Erie is headed toward Western New York after setting sail on July 14 and tracking fish populations from Toledo to Cleveland, Ohio. Read the full story by WGRZ -TV – Buffalo, NY.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230825-fish-tracking
The City of St. Catharines, Ontario is advocating for a proposed cross-lake hovercraft service during sit downs with provincial ministers at the Association of Municipalities of Ontario conference this week. The service would create a rapid transit link between St. Catharines and Toronto. Read the full story by the St. Catharines Standard.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230825-hovercraft
Current Watches, Warnings and Advisories for Brown (WIC009) Wisconsin Issued by the National Weather Service
https://alerts.weather.gov/cap/wwacapget.php?x=WI12665B2391CC.SpecialWeatherStatement.12665B24C2E0WI.GRBSPSGRB.8a912f378fb16563976e7026f85ca5b7
The Fox Locks pre-date the Civil War, so there is a large body of historical information on the system. We are lucky to have an amateur historian on staff, and these are excerpts from Scott Thompson’s greater research into the system.
Stacked Stone construction was the earliest method of building the Fox River Locks and was used until the Army Corps of Engineers took over management in the 1880s. At that time, locks were rebuilt with quarried limestone blocks and concrete. Fortunately for us, Kaukauna Lock 5’s original construction somehow avoided the limestone block upgrade and retains the original stacked stone construction style. It is the only operating lock in the system with this style.
The walls of this lock are 6’wide at the top and 12 ‘ wide at the bottom which is anchored into the bedrock. In the photo refurbishing is about to start on this lock with the construction of an earthen coffer dam on the downstream side.The ragged looking debris on the stone walls is the remnants of a system of support timbers, tie rods and planking. The timbers and tie rods help keep the stone in place, while the planking helped protect the boat hulls during a lockage. Mostly wooden boat hulls in the old days!
It sounds like the big challenge with this construction style was the freeze/thaw cycle that took place early and late in the season. Water loves to find its way into the small cracks and crevices and doesn’t completely drain out. Freezing temps would create ice and damaging expansion forces. But again, somehow this lock survived and was eventually restored true to its original construction.
Blog – Fox Locks
https://foxlocks.org/blog/history-short-locks-made-of-stacked-stone/
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
Wind, solar training facility opens in Bloomington — Pantagraph
Officials unveil a new technical training center in Bloomington, Illinois, that will train at least 100 people annually for wind and solar jobs.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2023/08/energy-news-roundup-climate-action-plan-illinois-offshore-wind-lake-erie/
Science Says What? is a monthly column written by Great Lakes now contributor Sharon Oosthoek exploring what science can tell us about what’s happening beneath and above the waves of our beloved Great Lakes and their watershed.
A tiny lake just an hour’s drive from Toronto made headlines earlier this summer as the best place in the world to illustrate the dawn of a new geological epoch – the Anthropocene.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2023/08/science-says-what-weight-world-rests-small-canadian-lake/
By Maia McDonald and Katrina Pham, Borderless
This piece is part of a collaboration that includes the Institute for Nonprofit News, Borderless, Ensia, Planet Detroit, Sahan Journal, and Wisconsin Watch, as well as the Guardian and Inside Climate News. The project was supported by the Joyce Foundation.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2023/08/community-led-approach-stopping-flooding-expands/
Rock hunting along Great Lakes shorelines and Niagara farmers adapt to water scarcity.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2023/08/ancient-rocks-tender-fruit-episode-2308/
Note: This blog is part of a periodic series of updates from Don Jodrey, the Alliance’s Director of Federal Government Relations, with his view on Great Lakes policy from Washington, DC.
At the beginning of the year, we announced an ambitious Great Lakes federal policy agenda. We also noted that it was the start of a new Congress and an era of divided government. We predicted that there were likely to be major policy disagreements between the Republican House, the Democratic Senate, and the Biden administration that might result in a stalemate or lack of progress on some issues.
We’re now past the halfway mark of the year, and Congress is on its August recess. So we’re asking: Are Great Lakes priorities making progress? And what else can we do to advocate for the Great Lakes?
After several months of protracted negotiations to deal with the debt ceiling, which resulted in legislation to keep nondefense spending flat in FY 2024 and provide a small 1% increase in FY 2025, both the House and Senate Appropriations Committees have marked up the bills that contain funding for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI). The House committee provided $368 million, which is the same as last year’s enacted level, while the Senate committee provided a $5 million increase for a total of $373 million. These funding levels are well short of the program’s authorized level of $425 million. However, given the major funding reductions proposed by the House elsewhere in the bill and in the debt ceiling agreement, holding the GLRI program at the same level as last year demonstrates the strong bipartisan support for this program throughout the Great Lakes delegation.
Unfortunately, water infrastructure programs did not fare well in the House bill markup. The House Appropriations Committee proposed steep cuts – more than $1.7 billion – to water infrastructure funding that supports state clean water and drinking water programs. House Republicans rationalized these reductions by noting that the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021 provided major increases for water infrastructure for the next several years. However, the House’s proposed reduction is alarming. These cuts are not consistent with the debt ceiling agreement both parties agreed to earlier this year and backtrack on much-needed federal support for essential drinking water, sewer, and stormwater projects.
The House also proposes eliminating environmental justice funding for the Environmental Protection Agency and rescinding more than $1.4 billion in funding for environmental and climate justice programs provided by the Inflation Reduction Act.
In contrast, the Senate Appropriations Committee proposes to maintain water infrastructure and environmental justice funding consistent with last year’s level and with the Inflation Reduction Act.
Given these major policy disagreements over federal funding, it is highly unlikely that the House and Senate will be able to come to agreement on the individual spending bills this year. The potential for a government shutdown is high and a continuing resolution is a certainty. The debt ceiling deal requires Congress to pass all 12 annual spending bills by January 1, and if they are not passed or a short-term funding extension is in place, then an automatic funding reduction of 1% will occur.
The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee has held several hearings on the topic of plastic pollution this year. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) has introduced “The Plastic Pellet Free Waters Act” to begin the effort to address the problems posed by plastic pellets in our waters, including the Great Lakes. The bill would require the Environmental Protection Agency, using its Clean Water Act regulatory authorities, to prohibit the discharge of plastic pellets and other pre-production plastics into waterways from facilities and sources that make, use, package, or transport plastic pellets. Plastic pellets, like other microplastics, pose a danger to human health, as well as to fish, wildlife, and ecosystems. It is estimated that more than 250,000 tons of plastic pellets are in our waterways, and more than 42 of 66 beaches in the Great Lakes have been found to have serious pollution issues associated with plastic pellets. Although a companion House bill has not yet been introduced and other plastic pollution reduction measures are likely to be introduced in the Senate in the coming months, this is likely to be an area that Congress will debate for some time.
On the Administrative side, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently released for public comment its draft national strategy to address plastic pollution. We at the Alliance, along with some of our partners, strongly advocated that EPA utilize its existing authorities under the Clean Water Act to regulate and reduce microplastic pollution in our water.
Both the House and Senate Agriculture Committees have held hearings and significant outreach on the 2023 Farm Bill and have introduced “marker bills” (bills that will not be passed but that are placeholders) for this must-pass piece of legislation. It is likely that legislative text will emerge in September. But the disagreements in funding between the House and the Senate for some Farm Bill programs indicate that this traditionally bipartisan piece of legislation may face some tough challenges this year. We have encouraged Great Lakes members to support increased funding for conservation programs, as well as provisions to ensure accountability for conservation programs that address agricultural runoff pollution.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is continuing its pre-construction, engineering, and design work for invasive carp protections at Brandon Road Lock and Dam in Illinois. This important project is intended to stop the spread of invasive carp into the Great Lakes. The project received much-needed funding boosts from the States of Illinois and Michigan, which included funds in their state budgets to cover the state share of the construction costs for the project. The next step is for the State of Illinois and the Corps to sign a project partnership agreement so that the first phase of construction may commence in mid-2024.
The legislative process will continue for the rest of the year – and, as noted earlier, there are major disagreements between the House and Senate over funding. Your voice can make a difference. Contact Congress about the issues that are of concern to you, particularly in areas where major reductions to clean and safe drinking water programs are proposed, or if federal legislation would be helpful to address a particular need like reducing plastic pollution or addressing harmful nutrient runoff. Let your members of Congress know how important clean and healthy Great Lakes are to you.
The post DC Update: Are Great Lakes Priorities Advancing in an Era of Divided Government? appeared first on Alliance for the Great Lakes.
News - Alliance for the Great Lakes
News - Alliance for the Great Lakes
https://greatlakes.org/2023/08/dc-update-are-great-lakes-priorities-advancing-in-an-era-of-divided-government/
By Mike Wilkinson, Bridge Michigan
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/2023/08/pentagon-address-pfas-wurtsmith-base-oscoda/
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/2023/08/toxins-cyanobacterial-blooms-airborne-threat-to-public-health-unclear/
Current Watches, Warnings and Advisories for Brown (WIC009) Wisconsin Issued by the National Weather Service
https://alerts.weather.gov/cap/wwacapget.php?x=WI12665B0713A8.HeatAdvisory.12665B13FA00WI.GRBNPWGRB.859401776a564e69fd6adc560b71730d
On one evening each August, the organization Milwaukee Water Commons holds their We Are Water event to celebrate the gift of Lake Michigan. The event serves as a reminder of water’s essential role in taking care of us and the recognition of our duty to safeguard its existence. Read the full story by WUWM – Milwaukee, WI.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230823-we-are-water-celebration-lakemichigan
Oswego, Illinois, was recently granted its Lake Michigan Water Allocation Permit from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. To get permission to tap Lake Michigan water, Oswego had to meet several criteria, including providing evidence that the aquifer it currently uses is no longer able to meet the village’s needs and that the other water source alternatives are not as viable. Read the full story by the Patch.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230823-oswego-permit-lakemiwater
Benton Harbor, Michigan, residents have been inundated with challenges facing their water system for years, such as lead in pipes, ineffective corrosion treatment, and threats of water shut-offs. After years of public interest campaigns and $45 million in federal aid, almost all the lead pipes have been replaced. However, now residents have another issue to worry about – rising water bills. Read the full story by Bridge Michigan.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230823-bentonharbor-leadlines-expensivewaterbills
In celebration of World Water Week, the Cedar Tree Institute hosted the Gift of Water Gala at Peter White Public Library located in Marquette, Michigan. “The Gift of Water” is a newly published anthology filled with essays about conservation and preservation, specifically focusing on and written by people connected to the Great Lakes. Read the full story by WLUC-TV – Marquette, MI.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230823-giftofwater-safeguarding-water
Authorities have now determined that 1,500 gallons of diesel fuel leaked from a cargo ship into Lake Michigan, after it was breached earlier this month. Officials are still investigating what caused the Manitowoc’s hull breach Aug. 3, off the coast of Manistee, Michigan. Read the full story by WKAR – East Lansing, MI.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230823-manitowoc-diesalspill-lakemichigan
Minnesota U.S. Eighth District Congressman Pete Stauber has received the 2023 “Legislator of the Year” award from the Great Lakes Maritime Task Force for his work in supporting the maritime needs of the Great Lakes Navigation System, mining industry, the Duluth-Superior Port, and the Great Lakes. Read the full story by the Mesabi Tribune.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230823-stauber-greatlakes-award
Several roads in Norton Shores, Michigan, will close as the city works to install new water lines to homes impacted by PFAS contamination. Read the full story by MLive.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230823-nortonshores-pfas-waterline
After years of rallying, recent national directives to further mitigate PFAS will address two sites on the former Wurtsmith Air Force Base in Oscoda, Michigan, that have been leaching PFAS into nearby water bodies including the AuSable River and Clark’s Marsh. Last week, one of the suggested plans was officially adopted by the Department of Defense. Read the full story by WJRT-TV – Flint, MI.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230823-pfascleanup-oscoda-nationalpolicy
Each year, thousands of salmon find their way back to northwest Michigan to spawn, generating a significant tourism and fish economy in Manistee County, Michigan. Read the full story by the Manistee News Advocate.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230823-fishing-manisteewaters-michigan
In summer 2023, 31 undergraduates in the Freshwater@UW Summer Research Opportunities Program fanned out across Wisconsin, connecting with mentors and others within their cohort. They gained valuable research, career-building and, well, life experiences. Then they gathered their thoughts from the previous 10 weeks and put them into a reflections document.
Sea Grant provided support for the program, along with the Freshwater Collaborative of Wisconsin, the University of Wisconsin Water Resources Institute and the University of Wisconsin-Madison Graduate School. The Sea Grant blog will periodically share these student reflections.
This post features Laura Zapata, mentored by Prof. Grace Bulltail of UW-Madison, who analyzed wetlands’ water quality data to better understand impacts on wild rice, particularly under a changing climate.
I’m from Pacoima, a largely low-income Latine neighborhood that happens to be the most polluted area in the area of LA County, California, where I am from. During my senior year of high school, the news that the power plant by my house had been leaking methane for years reaffirmed my decision to pursue a career in the environment. Although harmful to my community, that event opened my eyes to the reality of environmental injustice and the need for people from diverse backgrounds to work on problems relating to the environment to ensure our communities are served equitably.
Now, I’m studying chemical engineering at UCLA where I expect to obtain my bachelor’s in June of 2025. My desire to create solutions to environmental problems has led me to pursue research in a variety of areas. Most recently, I completed a project at the UCLA SEALab on the post-compaction behavior of common soil-based biofilter amendments, as well as a group project where we provided data visualizations for UCLA Sustainability. Through my academic and research experiences, I’ve become interested in water treatment and management, particularly stormwater treatment as well as green infrastructure and environmental remediation.
This interest led me to apply to the Freshwater@UW program where I had the pleasure of conducting an analysis of Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission (GLIFWC) monitored wild rice sites from the lens of water quality.
Wild rice is a grain native to the Great Lakes region and a key part of Ojibwe culture. Unfortunately, it has faced a decline from historic levels due to habitat loss and degradation. Organizations that work to preserve remaining wild rice beds, such as GLIFWC, face the challenge of assessing the effects of various water quality parameters in their areas of work. GLIFWC in particular has water quality data that has yet to be examined for use in wild rice work; the potential of this data from wild rice sites is unfulfilled without analysis.
Image credit: Laura Zapata
I was able to assist by identifying key contaminants and water quality factors for wild rice growth and graphing their presence at all sites. Data was supplied from GLFIWC’s lab reports that reported 31 parameters for 13 sites and field data with nine parameters from 17 sites. Historical water quality data for a site of interest, Chequamegon Waters Flowage, was obtained from the EPA. The data was visualized through histograms, a trend graph, and heat maps of various contaminant concentrations. My project presents data visualizations that can be used to guide GLIFWC’s wild rice preservation initiatives.
In this project, I used Python to process and graph the data provided by GLIFWC and downloaded from the EPA. I also made use of ArcGIS to map key water quality indicators. This was a particularly rewarding experience since I was able to learn how to use Python for data analysis, an area I had scarce experience with, through the course of my project. I also became familiar with the basics of ArcGIS, which I look forward to applying in my future work.
The post Research scholars’ reflections first appeared on Wisconsin Sea Grant.Blog | Wisconsin Sea Grant
https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/blog/research-scholars-reflections/
Current Watches, Warnings and Advisories for Brown (WIC009) Wisconsin Issued by the National Weather Service
https://alerts.weather.gov/cap/wwacapget.php?x=WI12665B06795C.SpecialWeatherStatement.12665B06BF48WI.GRBSPSGRB.9f377e56d53acf2a31bd0077f16f66b9
Current Watches, Warnings and Advisories for Brown (WIC009) Wisconsin Issued by the National Weather Service
https://alerts.weather.gov/cap/wwacapget.php?x=WI12665B05F61C.HeatAdvisory.12665B13FA00WI.GRBNPWGRB.859401776a564e69fd6adc560b71730d
Green Bay, WI
https://www.weather.gov/www.weather.gov/media/notification/pdf_2023_24/pns23-49_nws_alerting_system_plain_language.pdf
During the summer months, our Aquatic Invasive Species Coordinator Chris exhibits at all sorts of events talking about Fox-Wolf’s work in the watershed as well as aquatic invasive species (AIS). Events include fishing tournaments, public festivals, expos, and kids fishing field days. At the Wings Over Wisconsin – Denmark Chapter’s annual Kids Fishing event, Chris is able to talk with over 150 fifth and sixth grade students about the importance of preventing the spread of invasive species while fishing. As part of the the event in 2023, the Larry Smith Outdoors show did a feature on the amazing event and interviewed Chris for the video. It’s absolutely incredible to work with such amazing partners in our watershed and be apart of such great events! Check out the feature below and be on the lookout for the clip with Fox Wolf’s own AIS Coordinator Chris!
Video Credit: Larry Smith Outdoors Show
Photo Credit: Chris Acy (Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance)
Questions? Comments? Contact Chris Acy, the AIS Coordinator covering Brown, Outagamie, Fond du Lac, Calumet, and Winnebago Counties at (920) 460-3674 or chris@fwwa.org!
Follow the Fox Wolf Watershed Alliance’s Winnebago Waterways Program on our Winnebago Waterways Facebook page or @WinnWaterways on Twitter! You can also sign-up for email updates at WinnebagoWaterways.org.
Winnebago Waterways is a Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance program. The Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance is an independent nonprofit organization that identifies and advocates effective policies and actions that protect, restore, and sustain water resources in the Fox-Wolf River Basin.
Check out the Keepers of the Fox Program at https://fwwa.org/watershed-recovery/lower-fox-recovery/
Reporting invasive species is a first step in containing their spread. Maintaining and restoring our waters and landscapes can reduce the impacts even when we don’t have other management options to an invasive species.
The post Fox-Wolf Outreach Highlighted In Larry Smith Outdoors Show appeared first on Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance.
Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance
https://fwwa.org/2023/08/22/fox-wolf-outreach-highlighted-in-larry-smith-outdoors-show/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=fox-wolf-outreach-highlighted-in-larry-smith-outdoors-show
Current Watches, Warnings and Advisories for Brown (WIC009) Wisconsin Issued by the National Weather Service
https://alerts.weather.gov/cap/wwacapget.php?x=WI12665AF84954.HeatAdvisory.12665B144820WI.GRBNPWGRB.8ab6428ed53927e78001ae77047e548f
The Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance has partnered with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Brown County, and other local partners to confront an 
invasive species in the Bay of Green Bay. European frogbit was first discovered in the wild in Wisconsin late last summer and the known general extent at that time ranged from the City of Marinette to the City of Oconto. Additional monitoring by partners found additional populations within and beyond that range reaching all of the way to the Brown and Door County.
To help reduce the population in the Green Bay area, Fox-Wolf is assisting in monitoring and control work for European Frogbit (EFB). Our aquatic invasive species coordinator Chris is joining partners on large group work days to find and remove EFB. One of the recent large group work days was filmed by Dan Larson from Com-Video Productions as part of a documentary on Green Bay; the same producer that brought you the documentary Power of the River. Check out his clip of our European Frogbit monitoring days below!
The free-floating European Frogbit is native to Europe, Africa, and Asia. It likes slow-moving habitats like sheltered inlets, rivers, and ditches. The plant resembles native water lilies but is much smaller and doesn’t root in the lake bottom. The plant forms dense mats that can interfere with boaters and shade-out native plants. If you see European frog-bit, take a few photos, make note of the location, date and time of the finding, and report to Amanda Smith, WI DNR Regional Invasive Species Coordinator.
Video Credit: Dan Larson (Com-Video Productions)
Photo Credit: Chris Acy (Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance)
Questions? Comments? Contact Chris Acy, the AIS Coordinator covering Brown, Outagamie, Fond du Lac, Calumet, and Winnebago Counties at (920) 460-3674 or chris@fwwa.org!
Follow the Fox Wolf Watershed Alliance’s Winnebago Waterways Program on our Winnebago Waterways Facebook page or @WinnWaterways on Twitter! You can also sign-up for email updates at WinnebagoWaterways.org.
Winnebago Waterways is a Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance program. The Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance is an independent nonprofit organization that identifies and advocates effective policies and actions that protect, restore, and sustain water resources in the Fox-Wolf River Basin.
Check out the Keepers of the Fox Program at https://fwwa.org/watershed-recovery/lower-fox-recovery/
Reporting invasive species is a first step in containing their spread. Maintaining and restoring our waters and landscapes can reduce the impacts even when we don’t have other management options to an invasive species.
The post Fox-Wolf, Partners Tackle Invasive Plant in Green Bay appeared first on Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance.
Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance
https://fwwa.org/2023/08/22/fox-wolf-partners-tackle-invasive-plant-in-green-bay/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=fox-wolf-partners-tackle-invasive-plant-in-green-bay
Wisconsin Water Library
https://waterlibrary.aqua.wisc.edu/mr-jaffe-goes-to-washington/
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/2023/08/scientists-learning-complicated-reduce-toxic-blooms-lake-erie/
NCEI News Feed
https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/news/data-behind-our-warming-oceans
Current Watches, Warnings and Advisories for Brown (WIC009) Wisconsin Issued by the National Weather Service
https://alerts.weather.gov/cap/wwacapget.php?x=WI12665AF69758.HeatAdvisory.12665B144820WI.GRBNPWGRB.8ab6428ed53927e78001ae77047e548f
I Speak for the Fish is a monthly column written by Great Lakes Now Contributor Kathy Johnson, coming out the third Monday of each month. Publishing the author’s views and assertions does not represent endorsement by Great Lakes Now or Detroit Public Television.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2023/08/i-speak-for-the-fish-giddy-up-sucker/
Nearly 90 percent of water samples taken from the Great Lakes over the last ten years exceed safe levels for wildlife. Researchers from the University of Toronto and the Winnipeg-based International Institute for Sustainable Development came to this conclusion after conducting a comprehensive review of microplastics studies.
At the levels surveyed, the researchers say fish and other aquatic wildlife are at risk of ingesting enough microplastics to fill their guts, diluting their regular food and its nutritional value.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2023/08/great-lakes-microplastics-concentrations-exceed-safe-levels-for-wildlife/
By Andrew Hazzard, Sahan Journal
This piece is part of a collaboration that includes the Institute for Nonprofit News, Borderless, Ensia, Planet Detroit, Sahan Journal, and Wisconsin Watch, as well as the Guardian and Inside Climate News. The project was supported by the Joyce Foundation.
ONAMIA, MINN.—Todd Moilanen paddles gently through wild rice beds on Ogechie Lake, trying not to disturb a loon sleeping on its back on a nest of reeds a few feet away.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2023/08/survival-wild-rice-threatened-climate-change-increased-rainfall-northern-minnesota/
Cleanup crews are trying to determine how much runoff from an industrial fire in Etobicoke, Ontario, has made its way into Lake Ontario. Although containment measures along Mimico Creek were reinforced last Wednesday, Thursday’s rain enabled the spill to move further down the creek to Lake Ontario. Read the full story by CBC News.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230821-spill-runoff
Low water levels are critical for manoomin, a sacred crop for the Ojibwe people of the Great Lakes region. But climate change caused by the burning of fossil fuels is bringing more rain and flooding to Minnesota and the Upper Midwest, making harvests of wild rice less reliable. Read the full story by Minnesota Public Radio.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230821-manoomin-threats
