On:
In: Uncategorized
...AIR QUALITY ADVISORY ISSUED FOR ALL OF WISCONSIN... The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources has issued an Air Quality Advisory for PM2.5 which will be in effect from noon Friday, July 14, until noon Sunday, July 16. This advisory affects all of Wisconsin. Smoke originating from wildfires in western Canada will move into

Original Article

Current Watches, Warnings and Advisories for Brown (WIC009) Wisconsin Issued by the National Weather Service

Current Watches, Warnings and Advisories for Brown (WIC009) Wisconsin Issued by the National Weather Service

https://alerts.weather.gov/cap/wwacapget.php?x=WI12665487A628.AirQualityAlert.126654969980WI.GRBAQAGRB.95772b461ecdeafcc9c0642321d118ec

w-nws.webmaster@noaa.gov

On:
In: Authors, Capri Cafaro, Feature Homepage, Food, Latest News, News, Ohio, Recreation and Tourism, winemakers, winemaking
Eat Your Heartland Out: Great Wine on the Great Lakes

Eat Your Heartland Out is a Taste Awards nominated  program about the intersection of food and culture in the American Midwest. The show is produced by the Heritage Radio Network, a leader in culinary audio storytelling and distributed on the Public Radio Exchange (PRX), which provides content to public radio affiliates across the United States.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2023/07/eat-your-heartland-out-great-wine-great-lakes/

Capri S. Cafaro

On:
In: Matt Ginder-Vogel, Maureen Muldoon, Michael Cardiff, Research, Shangping Xu, Steve Loheide

The University of Wisconsin Water Resources Institute recently provided funds for three new projects that will conclude at the end of June 2025:

Risk From Pathogens and Exposure to Antibiotic Resistance Genes in Private Wells in Southwest Wisconsin, led by Maureen Muldoon at the University of Wisconsin-Madison

Here’s things that are true about the southwestern Wisconsin counties of Lafayette, Grant and Iowa: they are predominantly rural, people living there mostly get their drinking water from private wells and the water sources lie under fractured rock, which means septic systems and agricultural practices can more easily contaminate the water supply. This research team has recent findings of viral, bacterial and protozoan pathogens in 66 of the 138 private wells in the area, but the health risk associated with this contamination is unknown. That’s in keeping with the broader lack of knowledge about the health risk associated with private well water. This project has three objectives 1) quantify the health risk associated with 10 pathogens detected in wells 2) evaluate well construction and geologic factors for pathogen contamination and 3) assess antibiotic resistance genes co-occurrence with human and livestock fecal contamination.

An Experimental Investigation on the Leaching of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) From Contaminated Soil, led by Shangping Xu at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee

The majority of people in Wisconsin get their drinking water from groundwater. This project will attempt to build an understanding of how what are known as “forever chemicals,” per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), might move through soil and into groundwater drinking water sources. The research team will collect soil core samples from several Wisconsin location, including samples based on factors like soil type, properties and PFAS contamination history. They will apply collected rainwater to the soil cores at rates simulating natural conditions. The rainwater flow patterns will be monitored, and leachate will be collected to measure its volume and its PFAS concentrations. If different transport behavior of PFAS within soil cores collected from different sites is observed, the comparison of the soil physicochemical properties and hydrological patterns will provide clues to the key factors that control PFAS mobility within the vadose zone (where the land and the aquifer meet). This work may also yield knowledge of “high risk” and currently overlooked PFAS areas.

Long-Term Threat of Geogenic Contaminants to Water Quality and Quantity in the Midwestern Cambrian Ordovician Aquifer System, led by Matt Ginder-Vogel at the University of Wisconsin-Madison

The Cambrian Ordovician Aquifer System underlies most of Wisconsin. It’s a system with naturally occurring contaminants—uranium, radium, arsenic and manganese. This project seeks to understand the sources and temporal trends of these contaminants because their variations complicate municipal water system management. The research team will identify six study sites, obtain well cuttings and/or core materials from the sites, quantify the presence and prevalence of potential contaminants and then construct models of how the contaminants move in the system. This will help water managers build and manage wells in a way that prevents water users from being exposed to contaminants.

Green field with water in the background.
Wisconsin is rich with surface water. Its groundwater assets are also critical to the economy and people’s health. New groundwater research will serve the state.

Two University of Wisconsin-Madison-based projects kicked off last July and are ongoing with completion targeted for next year:

Aligning the Wisconsin Idea on Water: Interpreting Public Perspectives and Values, led by Michael Cardiff

This project is documenting rural perspectives (attitudes, perception and values) related to groundwater issues, and the variability of these perspectives within the state through “Wisconsin’s Waters Survey”—a community-sourced public survey to be delivered to a range of rural communities. Rural land covers most of the state, overlies the majority of groundwater and the range of issues that may be important to the rural public is vast, from quality concerns such as nitrate and microbial contamination, to quantity concerns that include agricultural irrigation needs and impacts of groundwater to springs and streamflows.

Biomanipulation of Groundwater Flooding, led by Steve Loheide

This project is examining the causes of groundwater flooding, which leads to the loss of farmland and permanent inundation of homes. Such flooding can happen when extremely flat, internally or poorly drained landscapes get hit with a quantity of rain that doesn’t otherwise drain away, infiltrate the soil without flooding or dissipate through the atmosphere. The research team is examining Dane and Columbia counties’ flood records from the 1930s to the present to identify flood causes and how such factors may have changed through time.

 

 

 

 

The post Water Research Projects Announced first appeared on WRI.

Original Article

News Release | WRI

News Release | WRI

https://www.wri.wisc.edu/news/water-research-projects-announced/

Moira Harrington

On:
In: clean energy, Climate change, coal, Collaboration, DTE, Latest News, Michigan, News, Politics, Policy, Environmental Justice, Science, Technology, Research
DTE agrees to shut down coal-fired Monroe plant in 2032, three years ahead of schedule

This article was republished here with permission from Planet Detroit.

By Nina Ignaczak, Planet Detroit

DTE Electric has agreed to shut down its Monroe coal-fired power plant three years ahead of schedule under a settlement agreement with environmental, business and labor groups filed Wednesday with the Michigan Public Service Commission.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2023/07/dte-agrees-shut-down-coal-fired-monroe-plant-three-years-ahead-schedule/

Planet Detroit

On:
In: Feature Homepage, Forestry, Forests and Plants, Latest News, News, points north, Research, Data and Technology, Science, Technology, Research, wilderness
Points North: Rekindling Wilderness

Points North is a biweekly podcast hosted by Daniel Wanschura and Morgan Springer about the land, water and inhabitants of the Upper Great Lakes.

This episode was shared here with permission from Interlochen Public Radio. 

The idea that wilderness is untouched by man is written into law, but it’s not so accurate.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2023/07/points-north-rekindling-wilderness/

Interlochen Public Radio

On:
In: General

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.

Don’t drink the water?

Many communities along the Fox River used the river for drinking water and even in the early 1900s pollution was a concern. This article from Appleton Post dated June 23, 1910, outlines the conditions on the river and Little Lake Butte des Morts. At the time, wastewater treatment was still 20-30 years into the future and communities dumped sewage directly into the river. Residents and city leaders were always watching for cases of Scarlet Fever and other water-borne infections.

Specifically, the article mentions that the lock master at the “first lock” in Appleton was called on to open the lock gates twice in a day to flush contaminants through the locks and navigation canal.

Original dam construction at De Pere

In 1835, Wisconsin was part of the Michigan Territory and statehood was still 13 years away. That didn’t stop a group of De Pere businessmen from “improving” the Fox River and they received permission from the Michigan legislature to build the original dam across the Fox River. That innovative design called for a construction style using rocks, mud, and brush. Steamboat captains referred to it as a “hazard to navigation.”  

However, in a book by Henry Bosse who was with the Army Corps of Engineers, the rock and brush construction worked best on muddy river bottoms (like the Mississippi). If you’re interested, the book is Views on the Mississippi River between Minneapolis, Minn and St. Louis, Mo. 1883–1891. The silty mud moving downstream packs into the brush keeping it all in place. However, the rocky Fox River bottom at De Pere was much different and didn’t hold up.

The original dam at De Pere was replaced by a more robust version using quarried limestone with upgrades to follow using concrete with steel gates. Often, builders of these Fox River dams quarried the limestone right from the riverbed near the dam.

The photos below from the Bosse book show the rock and brush construction underway on a dam on the Mississippi in 1889. Look closely to see the bundled branches and small trees laid down first, followed by a layer of rocks.

 

Original Article

Blog – Fox Locks

Blog – Fox Locks

https://foxlocks.org/blog/history-shorts/

Fox Locks

On:
In: General

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.

Don’t drink the water?

Many communities along the Fox River used the river for drinking water and even in the early 1900s pollution was a concern. This article from Appleton Post dated June 23, 1910, outlines the conditions on the river and Little Lake Butte des Morts. At the time, wastewater treatment was still 20-30 years into the future and communities dumped sewage directly into the river. Residents and city leaders were always watching for cases of Scarlet Fever and other water-borne infections.

Specifically, the article mentions that the lock master at the “first lock” in Appleton was called on to open the lock gates twice in a day to flush contaminants through the locks and navigation canal.

Original dam construction at De Pere

In 1835, Wisconsin was part of the Michigan Territory and statehood was still 13 years away. That didn’t stop a group of De Pere businessmen from “improving” the Fox River and they received permission from the Michigan legislature to build the original dam across the Fox River. That innovative design called for a construction style using rocks, mud, and brush. Steamboat captains referred to it as a “hazard to navigation.”  

However, in a book by Henry Bosse who was with the Army Corps of Engineers, the rock and brush construction worked best on muddy river bottoms (like the Mississippi). If you’re interested, the book is Views on the Mississippi River between Minneapolis, Minn and St. Louis, Mo. 1883–1891. The silty mud moving downstream packs into the brush keeping it all in place. However, the rocky Fox River bottom at De Pere was much different and didn’t hold up.

The original dam at De Pere was replaced by a more robust version using quarried limestone with upgrades to follow using concrete with steel gates. Often, builders of these Fox River dams quarried the limestone right from the riverbed near the dam.

The photos below from the Bosse book show the rock and brush construction underway on a dam on the Mississippi in 1889. Look closely to see the bundled branches and small trees laid down first, followed by a layer of rocks.

 

Original Article

Blog – Fox Locks

Blog – Fox Locks

https://foxlocks.org/blog/history-shorts/

Fox Locks

On:
In: Jobs, News and Announcements

Job Opportunities

Great Lakes Commission Position Available: Project Manager – Resiliency

Application deadline: August 11, 2023  |  Download PDF

Description

The Great Lakes Commission (GLC) has an immediate opening for a highly motivated team player with experience in the field of climate resiliency to join our staff as a project manager. This position will work under the direction of the GLC leadership team to develop, coordinate, and manage GLC’s climate resiliency work and related efforts. Resiliency is a priority for the GLC and a key goal of its strategic plan. Since 2019, the GLC has worked with partners to develop an Action Plan for a Resilient Great Lakes Basin to build and establish regional coordination around climate resilience. This position is designed to advance GLC work on resiliency under the strategic plan, facilitate implementation of the resiliency action plan and its recommendations, and assist the GLC in coordinating and tracking regional resiliency efforts.

Responsibilities

The project manager will serve as the GLC’s primary point of contact for climate resiliency and will be responsible for developing and managing projects in support of the GLC’s climate resiliency goal within its strategic plan and related work. In general, project managers are responsible for overseeing the planning, implementation, and tracking of specific projects and ensuring exceptional quality of project deliverables.

Specific responsibilities include:

  • Coordinate and facilitate the GLC standing committee on climate resilience to help prioritize and provide input on GLC activities and work implementing the strategic plan.
  • Work with the standing committee and other partners to develop and implement a Blue Accounting climate resiliency issue that collects, curates, and presents data and information to track progress in achieving regional goals for resiliency.
  • Develop, plan, and facilitate meetings/workshops on resiliency to promote communication, coordination, partnerships, and technology and knowledge transfer among federal, Indigenous, state, provincial, and local partners in the public and private sectors.
  • Prepare articles, memos, fact sheets, and/or briefing papers on relevant resiliency best practices, programs, policies, and approaches for various audiences.
  • Work collaboratively to identify and advance tools to address specific data and information needs to support resiliency efforts, e.g., resource libraries, data products, and GIS-based tools.
  • Support the GLC leadership team in advancing policy and funding priorities related to climate resiliency consistent with GLC policy resolutions and federal advocacy efforts.
  • Stay abreast of science, policy, programs, tools, and best practices related to climate adaptation and resiliency.
  • Seek opportunities and work collaboratively with GLC staff, Commissioners, and other partners to develop new projects that advance climate resiliency in the Great Lakes basin.
  • Manage projects under the guidance of the GLC leadership team, including developing work plans, budgets, timelines, and deliverables; monitoring budgets and associated expenditures; coordinating staff involvement; ensuring completion of project deliverables; preparing reports and supporting project documentation; and other associated administrative responsibilities.

Qualifications

Ideal candidates will have a master’s degree and five or more years of full-time professional experience, or a comparable combination of experience and education, and the following qualifications:

  • Demonstrated knowledge and expertise related to climate adaptation and/or resiliency
  • At least two years of project management experience
  • Experience overseeing project teams and working with diverse stakeholder groups
  • Excellent writing and verbal communication skills and the ability to communicate complex information to diverse audiences
  • Strong interpersonal skills and demonstrated ability to work effectively with stakeholders from varied backgrounds, including elected officials, industry leaders, agency managers, and nonprofit organizations
  • Experience using different communications platforms and tools to convey work and accomplishments
  • Excellent organizational and time managements skills with the ability to effectively manage multiple projects and deadlines
  • Ability to work independently and as part of internal and external teams
  • Self-motivated and organized with strong attention to detail
  • Proficiency with Microsoft Office products
  • Experience applying for and managing federal grants and contracts
  • Knowledge of Great Lakes and/or water policy, issues, and programs

Appointment

Position Classification
The position is classified as full-time, limited term as defined by the GLC’s personnel policies. The appointment term will be a minimum of two years with the potential to extend based on mutual interest and continued funding availability. The desired starting time for this position is October 2023.

Compensation and Benefits
The starting salary range for this position is $76,000-80,000 per year depending on education, skills and experience. The GLC offers a competitive salary and comprehensive benefits, including generous leave time, flexible schedules, medical, dental and vision insurance, and a retirement match program.

Work Environment
The GLC is located in Ann Arbor, Michigan. It is expected that the majority of work is performed in the GLC’s office; periodic telework may be considered. This position requires occasional travel.

Application Process

Applicants must submit a cover letter and resume stating their interest in and qualifications for the position in a single PDF emailed to vacancy@glc.org. Please use the subject line “Project Manager: Resiliency.” All required items must be provided for an application to receive consideration. No phone calls, please.

About the Great Lakes Commission

The Great Lakes Commission is a binational government agency established in 1955 to protect the Great Lakes and the economies and ecosystems they support. Its membership includes leaders from the eight U.S. states and two Canadian provinces in the Great Lakes basin. The GLC recommends policies and practices to balance the use, development, and conservation of the water resources of the Great Lakes and brings the region together to work on issues that no single community, state, province, or nation can tackle alone. Learn more at www.glc.org.

Equal Opportunity Employer

The Great Lakes Commission strives to create an inclusive, diverse, and non-discriminatory workplace. The Great Lakes Commission is an equal opportunity employer; the Great Lakes Commission complies with applicable federal, state and local laws prohibiting discrimination. It is Great Lakes Commission policy that no person shall be discriminated against, as an employee or applicant for employment, because of race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, marital status, political affiliation, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws.

Contact

For media inquiries, please contact Beth Wanamaker, beth@glc.org.

Recent GLC News

Upcoming GLC Events

There are no upcoming events.
View GLC Calendar

Archives

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/news/position-available-project-mgr-resiliency-2023

Laura Andrews

On:
In: Jobs, News and Announcements

Job Opportunities

Great Lakes Commission Position Available: Project Manager – Maritime

Application deadline: August 11, 2023  |  Download PDF

Description

The Great Lakes Commission (GLC) has an immediate opening for a highly motivated team player with experience in the field of maritime transportation to join our staff as project manager. This position will work under the direction of the GLC leadership team to develop, coordinate and manage GLC’s maritime transportation work and related efforts. Supporting safe and reliable waterways for recreational and commercial navigation is a longstanding priority for the GLC and a key goal of its strategic plan. This position is designed to develop and advance GLC work on maritime transportation under the strategic plan, aligned with the needs and interests of the Great Lakes states and provinces and regional maritime community.

Responsibilities

The project manager will serve as the GLC’s primary point of contact for maritime transportation and will be responsible for developing and managing projects in support of the GLC’s navigation and maritime transportation related work. In general, project managers are responsible for overseeing the planning, implementation, and tracking of specific projects and ensuring exceptional quality of project deliverables.

Specific responsibilities include:

  • Prepare articles, memos, fact sheets, and/or briefing papers on relevant maritime transportation topics, programs, and policies for various audiences.
  • Develop, plan, and facilitate meetings/workshops related to maritime transportation to promote communication, coordination, partnerships, and technology and knowledge transfer among federal, Indigenous, state, provincial, and local partners in the public and private sectors.
  • Work collaboratively to identify and advance tools to address specific data and information needed to support maritime transportation efforts, e.g., resource libraries, data products, and GIS-based tools.
  • Manage studies, research, data collection and related efforts to understand specific aspects of maritime transportation, e.g., economic benefits, cargo, sustainability, safety, and environmental performance.
  • Support the GLC leadership team in advancing policy and funding priorities related to navigation and maritime transportation consistent with GLC policy resolutions and federal advocacy efforts.
  • Stay abreast of science, policy, programs, tools, and best practices related to navigation and maritime transportation in the Great Lakes basin.
  • Regularly engage with maritime stakeholders, including industry and agencies whose programs impact maritime transportation to understand priorities, trends, and perspectives.
  • Seek opportunities and work collaboratively with GLC staff, Commissioners, and other partners to develop new projects that support commercial and recreational navigation and maritime transportation in the Great Lakes basin.
  • Manage projects under the guidance of the GLC leadership team, including developing work plans, budgets, timelines, and deliverables; monitoring budgets and associated expenditures; coordinating staff involvement; ensuring completion of project deliverables; preparing reports and supporting project documentation; and other associated administrative responsibilities.

Qualifications

Ideal candidates will have a master’s degree and five or more years of full-time professional experience, or a comparable combination of experience and education, and the following qualifications:

  • Demonstrated knowledge and expertise related to navigation and maritime transportation
  • At least two years of project management experience
  • Experience overseeing project teams and working with diverse stakeholder groups
  • Excellent writing and verbal communication skills and the ability to communicate complex information to diverse audiences
  • Strong interpersonal skills and demonstrated ability to work effectively with stakeholders from varied backgrounds, including elected officials, industry leaders, agency managers, and nonprofit organizations
  • Experience using different communications platforms and tools to convey work and accomplishments
  • Excellent organizational and time managements skills with the ability to effectively manage multiple projects and deadlines
  • Ability to work independently and as part of internal and external teams
  • Self-motivated and organized with strong attention to detail
  • Proficiency with Microsoft Office products
  • Experience applying for and managing federal grants and contracts
  • Knowledge of Great Lakes and/or water policy, issues, and programs

Appointment

Position Classification
The position is classified as full-time, limited term as defined by the GLC’s personnel policies. The appointment term will be a minimum of two years with the potential to extend based on mutual interest and continued funding availability. The desired starting time for this position is October 2023.

Compensation and Benefits
The starting salary range for this position is $76,000-80,000 per year depending on education, skills and experience. The GLC offers a competitive salary and comprehensive benefits, including generous leave time, flexible schedules, medical, dental and vision insurance, and a retirement match program.

Work Environment
The GLC is located in Ann Arbor, Michigan. It is expected that the majority of work is performed in the GLC’s office; periodic telework may be considered. This position requires occasional travel.

Application Process

Applicants must submit a cover letter and resume stating their interest in and qualifications for the position in a single PDF emailed to vacancy@glc.org. Please use the subject line “Project Manager: Maritime.” All required items must be provided for an application to receive consideration. No phone calls, please.

About the Great Lakes Commission

The Great Lakes Commission is a binational government agency established in 1955 to protect the Great Lakes and the economies and ecosystems they support. Its membership includes leaders from the eight U.S. states and two Canadian provinces in the Great Lakes basin. The GLC recommends policies and practices to balance the use, development, and conservation of the water resources of the Great Lakes and brings the region together to work on issues that no single community, state, province, or nation can tackle alone. Learn more at www.glc.org.

Equal Opportunity Employer

The Great Lakes Commission strives to create an inclusive, diverse, and non-discriminatory workplace. The Great Lakes Commission is an equal opportunity employer; the Great Lakes Commission complies with applicable federal, state and local laws prohibiting discrimination. It is Great Lakes Commission policy that no person shall be discriminated against, as an employee or applicant for employment, because of race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, marital status, political affiliation, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws.

Contact

For media inquiries, please contact Beth Wanamaker, beth@glc.org.

Recent GLC News

Upcoming GLC Events

There are no upcoming events.
View GLC Calendar

Archives

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/news/position-available-project-mgr-maritime-2023

Laura Andrews

On:
In: Charles Stewart Mott Foundation Partnership, Collaboration, environment, Fish, Birds and Animals, Illinois, invasive carp, invasive species, Latest News, Michigan, News, Science, Technology, Research
Nearly $1.2 billion spent at one site to deter invasive carp from Great Lakes; other entry sites still possible

By Vladislava Sukhanovskaya, 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.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2023/07/1-2-billion-spent-one-site-deter-invasive-carp-great-lakes-other-entry-sites-possible/

Circle of Blue

On:
In: Daily News

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 Michigan Public Radio.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230712-invasive-carp

Jill Estrada

On:
In: Daily News

A triple-masted schooner that’s been turning heads for the last month as it has made its way from the East Coast to the Great Lakes is set to receive a big welcome when it sails into its new home port on Grand Traverse Bay in Traverse City, Michigan, this week. Read the full story by MLive.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230712-schooner

Jill Estrada

On:
In: Daily News

The Ohio EPA’s Total Maximum Daily Load plan for the Maumee River watershed, submitted on June 30 to the U.S. EPA, isn’t good enough because it doesn’t regulate manure generated by large livestock operations, contends a senior attorney for the Environmental Law and Policy Center in Chicago. Read the full story by The Courier.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230712-lake-erie

Jill Estrada

On:
In: Daily News

Pools of dead fish and a milky substance along the north end of the former McLouth Steel property adjacent to the Detroit River in Trenton, Michigan, served as a clear warning sign that something was wrong. Read the full story by The News Herald.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230712-contamination

Jill Estrada

On:
In: Algae Blooms, Charles Stewart Mott Foundation Partnership, Collaboration, ecosystems, Feature Homepage, fish fly, Fish, Birds and Animals, fisheries, great lakes news collaborative, lake erie, Latest News, Michigan, News, Refresh, Science, Technology, Research, Water quality, Water Quality and Restoration Efforts
“It’s a good thing”: Fishflies in Great Lakes region signify healthy water

Summertime calls for good vibes, much-needed time in the sun and a creature many aren’t fans of — fishflies. 

These insects are no stranger to the Great Lakes region. Fishflies, also known as mayflies, spend most of their lives in the water and are only seen on land once they enter their adult stage.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2023/07/fishflies-great-lakes-signify-healthy-water/

Jada Vasser

On:
In: Water Library Blog, Wisconsin Water Library
By India-Bleu Niehoff, Community Engaged Intern In part two of our two-part series, we’ve created a list of organizations working to increase representation in the outdoors. The organizations range from […]

Original Article

Wisconsin Water Library

Wisconsin Water Library

https://waterlibrary.aqua.wisc.edu/underrepresented-groups-in-nature-organizations/

India Niehoff

On:
In: Nearshore

Now three of Michigan's four Great Lakes are back to historically normal levels, and the sandbags must go.

The post State environment officials request removal of sandbags along Great Lakes shorelines first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.

Original Article

Great Lakes Echo

Great Lakes Echo

http://greatlakesecho.org/2023/07/11/state-environment-officials-request-removal-of-sandbags-along-great-lakes-shorelines/

Guest Contributor

On:
In: Algae Blooms, Charles Stewart Mott Foundation Partnership, clean water act, Collaboration, environmental protection agency, Feature Homepage, great lakes news collaborative, Illinois, Indiana, lake erie, Lake St. Clair, Latest News, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, News, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Policy, Politics, Policy, Environmental Justice, Protect, Refresh, Science, Technology, Research, The States, U.S. and Canadian Federal Governments, Water Quality and Restoration Efforts, wetlands, Wisconsin
What are wetlands for, anyway?

On May 25, the Supreme Court ruled 9 to 0, changing wetland protection in The Clean Water Act. The Sackett family, who took on the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), were being fined $40,000 a day for building their Idaho property too close to an unnamed tributary. That tributary feeds into a creek, and that creek feeds into Priest Lake.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2023/07/what-are-wetlands-for-anyway/

Lisa John Rogers

On:
In: AIS, aquatic invasive species, Bay of Green Bay, Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance, FWWA, habitat, invasive species, Japanese Knotweed, Keepers of the Fox, Lake Butte des Morts, lake management planning, Lake Poygan, Lake Winnebago, Lake Winneconne, Lower Fox River, Melinda Myers, Outreach, Outreach and Education, restoration, Shoreline Restoration, watershed, WDNR, Winnebago, Winnebago Waterways

Gardener Extraordinaire Melinda Myers Gives Insight into Japanese Knotweed

During last month’s National Rivers Month, Melinda Myers took a moment to highlight the over 3.5 million miles of rivers and streams in the United States. In addition to outlining the amazing things our waters do for us (including supplying water for drinking and for irrigating crops), Melinda brought attention to a riverside invasive species; Japanese knotweed. This plant was original brought to America as an ornamental but quickly spread through much of the United States. With bamboo-like stems, this invasive plant is known to choke waterways and hasten erosion. If you are one of the folks who has Japanese knotweed growing along your shorelines, there are great control options available.

To learn more, including control methods, check out this Japanese Knotweed brochure: https://widnr.widen.net/s/jzxjqrs867/wy0090?fbclid=IwAR2q36KUKGAJ4NJfAZ7N8S6MOeOgx-NPEV1T-LD3lzp6nMdXFvRWum-ssKQ

Photo Credit: Paul Skawinski, Melinda Myers

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 Japanese Knotweed and our Rivers appeared first on Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance.

Original Article

Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance

Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance

https://fwwa.org/2023/07/10/japanese-knotweed-and-our-rivers/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=japanese-knotweed-and-our-rivers

Chris Acy

On:
In: Alex Hill, Authors, fish, Fish, Birds and Animals, fishing, History and Culture, Latest News, maps, News, Recreation and Tourism, Recreational Hunting and Fishing, Science, Technology, Research, Tourism
Mapping the Great Lakes: Summertime fishing

Love staring at a map and discovering something interesting? Then “Mapping the Great Lakes” is for you. It’s a monthly Great Lakes Now feature created by Alex B. Hill, a self-described “data nerd and anthropologist” who combines cartography, data, and analytics with storytelling and human experience.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2023/07/mapping-the-great-lakes-summertime-fishing/

Alex Hill

On:
In: Daily News

A study from Environment America found persistent problems with bacteria pollution along U.S. and Great Lakes coastlines. Where does beach pollution come from, and other key questions are answered. Read the full story by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230710-bacteria-beaches

Theresa Gruninger

On:
In: Daily News

Rebecca Meuninck, the new executive director of National Wildlife Federations’ Great Lakes Regional Center is looking to “expand the program to have more focus on climate resilience and making sure the communities that are most impacted by pollution and climate change are being reached by those programs and benefitting from them”. Read the full story by Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230710-national-wildlife-federation

Theresa Gruninger

On:
In: Daily News

Oswego County’s rich marine history is on display – from events to exhibits. The H. Lee White Maritime Museum in Oswego, New York hosts a new display for the 2023 season, “Shipwrecks of Upstate NY.” The exhibit offers a detailed look at the shipwrecks below Lake Ontario using 3D printed and hand-painted scale models of shipwreck sites. Read the full story by Oswego County Today.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230710-lake-ontario

Theresa Gruninger

On:
In: Daily News

Canadian energy giant Enbridge has appealed a federal court ruling in Wisconsin to shut down its Line 5 pipeline that runs through Michigan. That action was met with strong criticism from environmentalists and tribal leaders. Read the full story by the Michigan Advance.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230710-line-5

Theresa Gruninger

On:
In: Daily News

The Ontario government is investing up to C$6.9 million in wetland conservation projects across the province. The Wetlands Conservation Partner Program sees the government collaborate with conservation groups such as Ducks Unlimited Canada and the Nature Conservancy of Canada. Read the full story by Sarnia News Today.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230710-wetland-funding

Theresa Gruninger

On:
In: Daily News

Weeks after two teenaged boys drowned while cliff diving in Silver Bay, Minnesota State Sen. Grant Hauschild is calling for the return of the U.S. Coast Guard Station in Grand Marais, Minnesota that closed after Labor Day in 2022. Read the full story by the Star Tribune.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230710-grand-marais

Theresa Gruninger

On:
In: Daily News

Dearborn Heights, Michigan Mayor Bill Bazzi was recently elected as a member of the Board of Directors of the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative. The binational coalition of over 230 municipal and regional U.S. and Canadian mayors and local officials works toward advancing the protection and restoration of the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River Basin. Read the full story by the Press & Guide.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230710-great-lakes-and-st-lawrence-cities-initiatve

Theresa Gruninger

On:
In: Daily News

A big company’s decision to refocus its future operations will impact a series of small Upper Peninsula cities. American Queen Voyages, the company which owns the familiar Ocean Navigator as well as the Ocean Voyager, has announced it will not return to the Great Lakes next year. Read the full story by The Mining Journal.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230710-great-lakes-cruising

Theresa Gruninger

On:
In: Daily News

Fifteen Michigan beaches were closed last weekend or were under contamination advisories for water quality that’s unacceptable or questionable for human contact. Water quality status should be checked before heading into the water. Read the full story at MLive.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230710-beach-closings

Theresa Gruninger

On:
In: business, cleanup, Fox-Wolf Basin, Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance, Give Opportunities, Outreach, Outreach and Education, team, team building, TFW, trash, trash free waters, Urban Stormwater, volunteer, volunteer opportunity, volunteers, Watershed Project

Have you ever heard of a win-win-win? Well, scheduling a team-building cleanup with the Trash Free Waters program does just that. This private cleanup event will help to strengthen employee relations, clean up our natural environment, and support continued Trash Free Waters efforts in northeast Wisconsin. It’s lots of fun too! There are several options to choose from. Strengthen employee relations, connect outside the office, and make an impact by protecting our water resources! Let Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance host your next team building event. Click to get started!

All team-building events include:

  • Snack
  • Event Coordination
  • Team-building exercise
  • All cleanup supplies (gloves, bags, grabbers, etc.)
  • Post-event graphic to share with event attendees and on social media

Option 1
On-Land Collective Cleanup (up to 10 participants per business)
This collective option allows small groups to join a mini-cleanup. Fox-Wolf staff may partner you with up to two additional organizations.
Cost: $400 per business

Option 2
On-Land Cleanup (up to 25 participants)
Cost: $1,000

Option 3
On-Land Cleanup (up to 50 participants)
Cost: $1,500

“I was one of about 14 participants in an event to clean up our riverside parks in Neenah! It was a beautiful day, made even better by the camaraderie and good deeds for the community. Kelly was super upbeat and helpful throughout the whole event! Really enjoyed spending time with my coworkers, cleaning up the parks in the city I call home.”

Team-Building Cleanup Volunteer, Plexus Corporation

For more information, please contact:
Kelly Reyer
Trash Free Waters Program Coordinator
Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance
✉ kelly@fwwa.org
📞 920-915-1502

Support Trash Free Waters
Join the Trash Free Waters Email List

The post Team-Building Mini Cleanups are a Win-Win-Win appeared first on Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance.

Original Article

Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance

Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance

https://fwwa.org/2023/07/10/volunteers-play-cleanup-bingo-at-23-walleye-weekend-2/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=volunteers-play-cleanup-bingo-at-23-walleye-weekend-2

Kelly Reyer

On:
In: Charles Stewart Mott Foundation Partnership, Collaboration, History and Culture, indigenous communities, Latest News, Michigan, Michigan Department of Natural Resources, News, Oxford Township
Michigan removes derogatory Native slur from Oxford Township boat launch

By Ashley Zhou, 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.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2023/07/michigan-removes-derogatory-native-slur-oxford-township-boat-launch/

Bridge Michigan

On:
In: Daily News

Harmful algal blooms are forming in some parts of Lake Erie earlier than typical. Cooperative Institute for Great Lakes Research researchers are surprised to find the blooms this early in the summer, as they typically do not start forming until August and some years as late as September or early October. Read the full story by Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230707-hab

Theresa Gruninger

On:
In: Daily News

For the fourth time in the past five years, the Port of Oswego Authority, (POA), has won the prestigious Robert J. Lewis Pacesetter Award for recording increases in international cargo tonnage shipped through the New York port during the 2022 navigation season. Read the full story by Oswego County Today.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230707-pacesetter-award

Theresa Gruninger

On:
In: Daily News

Free boat washes at Michigan’s Lake Erie Metro Park are an easy way for mariners to help in the effort to quell the spread of exotic invaders in Michigan waterways. The event also helps educate citizens during Aquatic Invasive Species Awareness Week. Read the full story by the Detroit Free Press.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230707-ais-boat-wash

Theresa Gruninger

On:
In: Daily News

Duluth, Minnesota officials are celebrating a nearly $8.2 million federal grant that will help rebuild another section of the city’s popular Lakewalk pedestrian and bike trail that hugs several miles of the Lake Superior shore. Read the full story by Minnesota Public Radio.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230707-duluth-lakewalk

Theresa Gruninger

On:
In: Advocacy, Authors, Environmental Justice, Equity and Environmental Justice, Gary Wilson, Great Lakes Regional Center, Latest News, Michigan, News, Politics, Policy, Environmental Justice, Public Health, Water Quality and Restoration Efforts
Environmental justice, climate resilience are top priorities for new Great Lakes executive

In December 2015, the Flint drinking water crisis that had been brewing for two years finally hit the national spotlight. Then Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder apologized to the citizens of Flint and accepted the resignation of his top executive at the Department of Environmental Quality, the agency with direct oversight of Flint’s drinking water issues.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2023/07/environmental-justice-climate-resilience-priorities-great-lakes-executive/

Gary Wilson

On:
In: Daily News

Wisconsin’s newest biennial budget will provide millions of dollars in funding to address “forever chemicals,” allow for renovations in state parks, and provide grants for farmers wanting to reduce runoff from their fields. Read the full story by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230707-wi-budget

Theresa Gruninger