Ontario’s Laurentian University will be losing three researchers within its environmental sciences department due to restructuring. The loss of the three “Sudbury Model” researchers will affect local opportunities for the education and research of aquatic ecology and plant ecology. Read the full story by The Sudbury Star.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210513-laurentian-researchers
Starting in 2000, The Nature Conservancy acquired and restored approximately 25,000 acres at Glacial Ridge, returning nearly all of the land to native wetland and prairie. Scientists with the USGS, in partnership with The Nature Conservancy, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the State of Minnesota, compared the hydrology of the area before and after restoration. They found substantial improvements in groundwater flow, water runoff rates and water quality as a result of land restoration, especially in areas with shallow groundwater or where drained wetlands were restored.
Water well at a restored prairie on Lake Agassiz beach ridge, Glacial Ridge National Wildlife Refuge (Credit: Tim Cowdery, USGS)
“These restorations will benefit the people and ecosystems of western Minnesota by reducing flooding and improving water quality,” said Tim Cowdery, USGS scientist and lead author of the report.
The study found a number of hydrological improvements at Glacial Ridge due to the restoration:
USGS hydrologist Tim Cowdery works from a mobile water sampling van in the Glacial Ridge National Wildlife Refuge. (USGS)
The rate of water runoff decreased by 33%. High runoff is undesirable because it can cause flooding and reduces the amount of water entering underground aquifers; The rate of groundwater recharge increased by 14%. Groundwater recharge is the process by which water soaks down from the land surface into an aquifer. Recharge is important because it helps maintain the amount of water stored in aquifers which is used for drinking water and irrigation; Ditch flow decreased by 23%. Reduced ditch flows were beneficial because they resulted in less water leaving the study area, helping to prevent flooding downstream; Concentrations of nitrate, a type of nutrient, decreased by 79% in groundwater and 53% in ditch water. Although nitrate is essential for plant growth, too much can harm or kill aquatic animals like fish, affect the quality of water used for recreation and make the water unfit to drink.“The dramatic increase in wetland and prairie habitat at this location provides tremendous benefits for a diversity of wildlife and plants,” said Gregory Knutsen, manager at Glacial Ridge National Wildlife Refuge. “Additionally, this restoration has created a wealth of public recreation opportunities, such as hunting and birding. It also helps ensure clean water for residents of Crookston, Minnesota, whose major source of drinking water is aquifers within and around Glacial Ridge National Wildlife Refuge.”
The study also found that the benefits of restoration were not distributed evenly across the study area. Areas that experienced the greatest improvements in hydrology were those where an aquifer exposed at the land surface. Areas where wetlands that had been drained for agricultural purposes were then restored also benefited significantly. These findings can help resource managers focus future restoration efforts on areas with similar landscape features, where maximum restoration benefits will most likely occur.
USGS technician Jody Hulne collects a groundwater nutrient sample at Glacial Ridge National Wildlife Refuge. (Credit: Tim Cowdery, USGS)
“This study shows the value of natural areas and the legacy of Glacial Ridge,” said Peggy Ladner, director of The Nature Conservancy in Minnesota. “Protecting and restoring prairies and wetlands not only provides wildlife habitat and opportunities for outdoor recreation but it also provides clean drinking water and protection from flooding.”
Ladner noted as the largest prairie-wetland restoration project in U.S. history, Glacial Ridge wouldn’t have been possible without the help of USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service and other partners.
Funding for this study was provided by the Minnesota Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund as recommended by the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources.
For more information about water studies in the region, please visit the USGS Upper Midwest Water Science Center website.
Morning fog over beach ridges at Glacial Ridge National Wildlife Refuge (Credit: Tim Cowdery, USGS)
Sandhill Crane Pair in flight at Glacial Ridge National Wildlife Refuge (Credit: Tim Cowdery, USGS)
Prairie Dog, Glacial Ridge National Wildlife Refuge (Credit: Tim Cowdery, USGS)
Young moose near Benoit, Minnesota, Glacial Ridge National Wildlife Refuge (Credit: Tim Cowdery, USGS)
Beach-ridge prairie at Glacial Ridge National Wildlife Refuge (Credit: Tim Cowdery, USGS)
USGS News: Upper Midwest Water Science Center
USGS News: Upper Midwest Water Science Center
https://www.usgs.gov/news/water-resources-minnesota-significantly-improved-land-restoration
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/2021/05/water-life-theme-day-1-protests-shut-down-enbridge-line-5/
Conversion of agricultural lands to wetland and native prairie greatly enhanced the quality of water resources, increased groundwater recharge and decreased floodwaters in the Glacial Ridge National Wildlife Refuge, Minnesota, according to a U.S. Geological Survey study.
Region 3: Great Lakes
http://www.usgs.gov/news/science-snippet/water-resources-minnesota-significantly-improved-land-restoration
Early editions of electric hybrid buses in Michigan proved unreliable. But with the return of the wave of electrification in 2021, has anything changed?
The post Advancements in electric buses making green transit more accessible for rural areas first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2021/05/13/advancements-in-electric-buses-making-green-transit-more-accessible-for-rural-areas/
CHICAGO, May 12, 2021 – The Alliance for the Great Lakes and the Metropolitan Planning Council, in partnership with Calumet Connect, which is a coalition of local and community organizations working for change along the Calumet River, are releasing six policy recommendations today for the City of Chicago to overhaul its zoning to improve public health and address environmental injustice for residents living near the Calumet Industrial Corridor. The recommendations come as the City begins to embark on a long-awaited revamp of industrial corridor management rules and also on the heels of the decision by Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot — at the urging of U.S. EPA Administrator Michael Regan — to delay issuing the permit for the General Iron Southeast Side Recycling project along the Calumet River, the six-mile river that connects Chicago’s southeast side neighborhoods to Lake Michigan.
As the City begins the Far South Industrial Corridor Modernization process, which will include the Calumet Industrial Corridor, the following recommendations by the organizations ensure that the resulting corridor plan creates better options to deal with future environmental and public health risks more proactively. This process will determine what can be built along this corridor in the future and the types of public health and environmental issues that are considered when new facilities are permitted. They recommend that the city:
The proposed relocation of General Iron’s recycling facility from Lincoln Park, a majority white neighborhood, to the Calumet Industrial Corridor, which is majority Hispanic/Latinx and Black, caused a great public outcry and inspired a month-long hunger strike by several residents in protest.
While the groups are pleased that Mayor Lightfoot and Administrator Regan listened to community members who fought to stop the General Iron project — many of whom are also involved in the Calumet Connect coalition — the proposed facility is the most recent in a long line of environmental injustices along the Calumet River that need to be addressed.
Previous research by Calumet Connect found that in the Calumet Industrial Corridor — where Hispanic/Latino residents make up 59% of the population and Black residents make up 25% — residents disproportionately experience adverse health outcomes, the area faces a shortage of primary healthcare services, and toxic chemical releases remain at high levels.
“General Iron is only the latest example of why we need zoning reform and more strict regulations to protect the people who live here,” said Olga Bautista, Southeast Side resident and community planning manager at the Alliance for the Great Lakes. “It’s why these new recommendations are so important, so that the city has the authority to deny such inequitable permits in the future. This is an opportunity to set a high bar for future generations. After a decade of fighting to prevent new pollution sources and clean up existing sources, the community deserves no less.”
“What would the community look like if planners valued the public health of these residents and workers, while simultaneously allowing for clean and safe jobs and responsible, equity-centered development?” said Christina Harris, director of land use and planning at the Metropolitan Planning Council. “These are the questions that should be at the forefront as Chicago undertakes new planning processes that tackle land use changes within the city’s industrial corridors.”
Administrator Regan and Mayor Lightfoot deserve commendation for pledging to work together to complete an environmental justice analysis to meaningfully consider the aggregate potential health effects of the proposed General Iron facility on the Southeast area of Chicago, and for using this analysis to inform the City’s permitting decision. The organizations look forward to supporting the City’s Chief Sustainability Officer, the Department of Public Health and community leaders in the development of a cumulative impact ordinance for consideration by the City Council before the end of this year.
###
Media Contact: Jennifer Caddick, jcaddick@greatlakes.org
The Alliance for the Great Lakes is a nonpartisan nonprofit working across the region to protect our most precious resource: the fresh, clean, and natural waters of the Great Lakes. Our staff are headquartered in Chicago, with additional offices in Michigan, Ohio, New York, and Wisconsin.
Shaping a better, bolder, more equitable future for everyone: For more than 85 years, the Metropolitan Planning Council (MPC) has partnered with communities, businesses, and governments to unleash the greatness of the Chicago region. We believe that every neighborhood has promise, every community should be heard, and every person can thrive. To tackle the toughest urban planning and development challenges, we create collaborations that change perceptions, conversations—and the status quo.
The post Urban Planning and Environmental Groups Release Recommendations To Improve Health And Equity Near Calumet River appeared first on Alliance for the Great Lakes.
News – Alliance for the Great Lakes
News – Alliance for the Great Lakes
https://greatlakes.org/2021/05/urban-planning-and-environmental-groups-release-recommendations-to-improve-health-and-equity-near-calumet-river/
CHICAGO, May 12, 2021 – The Alliance for the Great Lakes and the Metropolitan Planning Council, in partnership with Calumet Connect, which is a coalition of local and community organizations working for change along the Calumet River, are releasing six policy recommendations today for the City of Chicago to overhaul its zoning to improve public health and address environmental injustice for residents living near the Calumet Industrial Corridor. The recommendations come as the City begins to embark on a long-awaited revamp of industrial corridor management rules and also on the heels of the decision by Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot — at the urging of U.S. EPA Administrator Michael Regan — to delay issuing the permit for the General Iron Southeast Side Recycling project along the Calumet River, the six-mile river that connects Chicago’s southeast side neighborhoods to Lake Michigan.
As the City begins the Far South Industrial Corridor Modernization process, which will include the Calumet Industrial Corridor, the following recommendations by the organizations ensure that the resulting corridor plan creates better options to deal with future environmental and public health risks more proactively. This process will determine what can be built along this corridor in the future and the types of public health and environmental issues that are considered when new facilities are permitted. They recommend that the city:
The proposed relocation of General Iron’s recycling facility from Lincoln Park, a majority white neighborhood, to the Calumet Industrial Corridor, which is majority Hispanic/Latinx and Black, caused a great public outcry and inspired a month-long hunger strike by several residents in protest.
While the groups are pleased that Mayor Lightfoot and Administrator Regan listened to community members who fought to stop the General Iron project — many of whom are also involved in the Calumet Connect coalition — the proposed facility is the most recent in a long line of environmental injustices along the Calumet River that need to be addressed.
Previous research by Calumet Connect found that in the Calumet Industrial Corridor — where Hispanic/Latino residents make up 59% of the population and Black residents make up 25% — residents disproportionately experience adverse health outcomes, the area faces a shortage of primary healthcare services, and toxic chemical releases remain at high levels.
“General Iron is only the latest example of why we need zoning reform and more strict regulations to protect the people who live here,” said Olga Bautista, Southeast Side resident and community planning manager at the Alliance for the Great Lakes. “It’s why these new recommendations are so important, so that the city has the authority to deny such inequitable permits in the future. This is an opportunity to set a high bar for future generations. After a decade of fighting to prevent new pollution sources and clean up existing sources, the community deserves no less.”
“What would the community look like if planners valued the public health of these residents and workers, while simultaneously allowing for clean and safe jobs and responsible, equity-centered development?” said Christina Harris, director of land use and planning at the Metropolitan Planning Council. “These are the questions that should be at the forefront as Chicago undertakes new planning processes that tackle land use changes within the city’s industrial corridors.”
Administrator Regan and Mayor Lightfoot deserve commendation for pledging to work together to complete an environmental justice analysis to meaningfully consider the aggregate potential health effects of the proposed General Iron facility on the Southeast area of Chicago, and for using this analysis to inform the City’s permitting decision. The organizations look forward to supporting the City’s Chief Sustainability Officer, the Department of Public Health and community leaders in the development of a cumulative impact ordinance for consideration by the City Council before the end of this year.
###
Media Contact: Jennifer Caddick, jcaddick@greatlakes.org
The Alliance for the Great Lakes is a nonpartisan nonprofit working across the region to protect our most precious resource: the fresh, clean, and natural waters of the Great Lakes. Our staff are headquartered in Chicago, with additional offices in Michigan, Ohio, New York, and Wisconsin.
Shaping a better, bolder, more equitable future for everyone: For more than 85 years, the Metropolitan Planning Council (MPC) has partnered with communities, businesses, and governments to unleash the greatness of the Chicago region. We believe that every neighborhood has promise, every community should be heard, and every person can thrive. To tackle the toughest urban planning and development challenges, we create collaborations that change perceptions, conversations—and the status quo.
The post Urban Planning and Environmental Groups Release Recommendations To Improve Health And Equity Near Calumet River appeared first on Alliance for the Great Lakes.
News – Alliance for the Great Lakes
News – Alliance for the Great Lakes
https://greatlakes.org/2021/05/urban-planning-and-environmental-groups-release-recommendations-to-improve-health-and-equity-near-calumet-river/
Steel mills in the Great Lakes region, clustered mainly along the South Shore of Lake Michigan in Northwest Indiana, made 615,000 tons of metal in the week that ended May 8, down from 616,000 tons the previous week. Read the full story by the Northwest Indiana Times.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210512-steel-production
The Sturgeon Point Marina problem requires a temporary solution that evolves into permanent settlement. The Buffalo area marina on Lake Erie, home to recreational boaters and fishermen, is impassable due to winter storms that ushered in about 28,000 cubic yards of sand and blocked the entrance. Read the full story by The Buffalo News.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210512-dredging
The Downtown Ludington Board announced Tuesday that it will be celebrating National Maritime Day with a run around the harbor on May 22. The event, the fifth race in its #RunLudington race series, will coincide with the start of the SS Badger’s sailing season. Read the full story by MLive.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210512-ludington
EPA officials announced Monday the agency will award $9.6 million in grants to states, tribes and territories to monitor beach water for bacteria. The funds will also be used to develop programs to notify both the agency and the public about water quality. Read the full story by The Hill.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210512-beach-monitoring
Stating that the county wants to protect Lake St. Clair for generations to come, the Macomb County Public Works Office announced that changes made at Chapaton Pump Station in St. Clair Shores, Michigan will prevent up to 30% more treated combined sewer overflows from being discharged into the waterway. Read the full story by C & G Newspapers.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210512-chapaton
Milwaukee County Parks is seeking around 300 strong swimmers for lifeguard positions, and if they don’t find them, some pools and beaches won’t open this summer. The lifeguard shortage has been a problem for years now and there has been a steady decrease over the last four years. Read the full story by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210512-lifeguard
The Government of Canada and entities representing hundreds of thousands of businesses and workers from across the Great Lakes region in the United States and Canada demonstrated support for Enbridge’s case in federal court over the Line 5 easement in the Straits of Mackinac by submitting friend of the court briefs. Read the full story by Yahoo! Finance.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210512-enbridge
Dave Dempsey of For Love of Water urges advocates for more stringent regulations to better protect ground water. Groundwater is very important in Michigan. However, since groundwater is out of sight, it lacks critical protections. Read the full story by Michigan Advance.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210512-groundwater
A federal Great Lakes official told an eight-state commission Tuesday that nutrient-laden farm runoff feeding western Lake Erie algal blooms keeps him “up at night” but he struggles to propose any control measures beyond continuing to promote voluntary incentives for the agricultural sector. Read the full story by The Toledo Blade.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210512-erie-runoff
By Julie Riddle, The Alpena News
This article is part of a collaboration between The Alpena News and Great Lakes Now at Detroit Public Television to bring audiences stories about the Great Lakes, especially Lake Huron and its watershed.
ALPENA — If an oil spill oozed its way to Thunder Bay and onto the shores of Alpena, local responders wouldn’t have the needed equipment on hand to stop it.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/05/outside-help-available-oil-spill-large-scale-emergencies/
A new interactive map of Wisconsin lays out, county-by-county, projects funded through the Wisconsin Groundwater Research and Monitoring Program since 1985.
Clicking on each of Wisconsin’s 72 counties indicates the number of projects that have happened in that location out of 474 during the last 36 years.
The map is also a visual representation of where groundwater challenges have been particularly pronounced through the decades. This includes conditions such as naturally occurring radium that’s harmful to humans in Waukesha County (27 projects), a greater susceptibility to contamination in Door County thanks to a thin layer of topsoil covering porous bedrock (25 projects) and water quality and quantity challenges in Portage County (51 projects).
Results from at least 120 projects can be applied to statewide groundwater issues, and others only involved laboratory explorations so didn’t factor into the county-by-county breakdown. Examples include projects investigating emerging contaminants or legacy chemicals used in agriculture in many corners of Wisconsin, and assessments of petroleum spills that resulted in contamination or leaching from landfills. Project details can be found on the University of Wisconsin Water Resources Institute (WRI) website.
Most of the researchers who conducted the projects have been based at university system schools. A relatively small number of Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources scientists have also led or been a part of the research teams. The majority of the research has been done by scientists based at the flagship campus in Madison.
The largest number of field-based projects took place in Dane County (63). In numerous instances, field work done in Dane County can also be extrapolated to other parts of the state. Further, being able to do research close to campus has been a cost-effective way to gather data without incurring overnight travel expenses.
In 1985, Wisconsin Act 410 established the Wisconsin Groundwater Coordinating Council, which then established the Wisconsin Groundwater Research and Monitoring Program as the mechanism to select and fund annual groundwater research projects. It ensures collaboration and coordination on groundwater issues between the University of Wisconsin System as represented by WRI and the state agencies with groundwater oversight, including the Wisconsin departments of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection; Transportation; Safety and Professional Services; and Natural Resources, as well as the Wisconsin Geological and Natural History Survey, which is based at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
The post New interactive map details nearly 475 Wisconsin groundwater research projects first appeared on WRI.
News Release – WRI
https://www.wri.wisc.edu/news/new-interactive-map-details-nearly-475-wisconsin-groundwater-research-projects/
By Kelly House, 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/2021/05/michigan-line-5-profits-enbridge-shutdown-order/
Current Watches, Warnings and Advisories for Brown (WIC009) Wisconsin Issued by the National Weather Service
https://alerts.weather.gov/cap/wwacapget.php?x=WI1261A06507E8.FrostAdvisory.1261A0656FD0WI.GRBNPWGRB.e57e1aad2748cf0b300f4e13de7d32a1
This challenge saw some major heavy lifting over the last week with 200 points edited - NICE WORK!
Wisconsin
http://www.usgs.gov/news/mapping-challenge-update-051221-city-town-halls-wi
Despite setbacks from the pandemic, a food waste reduction company has diverted over 50 million pounds of food from landfills.
The post Waste reduction app diverts food from landfills first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2021/05/12/waste-reduction-app-diverts-food-from-landfills/
Current Watches, Warnings and Advisories for Brown (WIC009) Wisconsin Issued by the National Weather Service
https://alerts.weather.gov/cap/wwacapget.php?x=WI1261A063D60C.FrostAdvisory.1261A0656FD0WI.GRBNPWGRB.e57e1aad2748cf0b300f4e13de7d32a1
By Kelly House, Bridge Michigan, and 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/2021/05/eve-line-5-shutdown-deadline-enbridge-defy-michigan-order/
Current Watches, Warnings and Advisories for Brown (WIC009) Wisconsin Issued by the National Weather Service
https://alerts.weather.gov/cap/wwacapget.php?x=WI1261A05719E4.FrostAdvisory.1261A0656FD0WI.GRBNPWGRB.e57e1aad2748cf0b300f4e13de7d32a1
High water and erosion caused the beach stairs in Chikaming Township in southwest Michigan to collapse.
Now, two years later, volunteers have rebuilt those stairs, marking renewed access to some of the township’s most cherished assets – its public beaches – after high water in Lake Michigan rendered them unusable.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/05/higher-than-average-lake-levels-but-no-new-record/
The countdown for opening day is on! We are excited to open another successful season on the Fox Locks and have a few updates for you before you plan your locks cruise!
Kaukauna locks update: The five locks through Kaukauna are scheduled to open in July. We don’t have a firm date at this time because the City of Kaukauna is finishing repairs to the Veterans Memorial lift bridge and needs to go through a period of testing before opening boat traffic. When open, you’ll be able to cruise a section of the river that has a vertical drop of 50.4 feet in only one mile! Please stay tuned to this website and our Facebook page for an announcement on the opening date.
Menasha lock: Many of you have asked about the status of this lock and it will remain closed in 2021. An electric barrier has been proposed for this lock to prevent the fish from entering the Lake Winnebago watershed and research is currently underway to assess the effects of a barrier on all the life stages of the fish. Research has been completed on adult round goby and additional research is being conducted on the effect of water velocity and the electric barrier on juvenile round goby.
“Above all we want to protect the incredible natural resource of Lake Winnebago and the Fox River,” said Jeremy Cords, CEO of the Fox Locks system. “We are conducting the scientific research thoroughly and with multiple reviews by the state DNR to ensure any solution is verified and built for the long term.” Cords adds that the project is extremely complicated involving approval from several state agencies, ongoing research, and planning by regional engineering firms, so it is impossible at this time to forecast a start or completion date on the project.
For more information, please follow us on Facebook or at this link about the Menasha lock.
Blog – Fox Locks
http://foxlocks.org/2021/05/11/opening-day-2021/
Canada’s Enbridge Inc will continue to operate its Line 5 despite an order from the U.S. state of Michigan to shut down the crude oil pipeline, Chief Executive Al Monaco said on Friday. Read the full story by Reuters.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210511-enbridge
About 200,000 gallons of wastewater and sludge from an Oceana County food processor escaped from an unpermitted lagoon last month, polluting a nearby creek and the Big South Branch of the Pere Marquette River, a tributary to Lake Michigan. Read the full story by the Detroit Free Press.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210511-spill
Since water diversions first gained traction in the early 1980s, when a coal company attempted to divert Great Lakes water to Wyoming, interest in the Great Lakes Basin’s water has grown from a trickle to a gush. Straddling communities that sit just outside the Great Lakes basin boundary are the most likely candidates for diversion permits. Read the full story by Michigan Radio.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210511-diversion
Climate change is warming Lake Michigan’s surface, but also its deep waters, which could have a significant impact on the lake’s ecosystem and mixing process. Read the full story by WXYZ-TV – Detroit, MI.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210511-fish
A spell of dry, mild weather is giving the Great Lakes a break after two years of high water that has shattered records and heavily damaged shoreline roads and homes, officials said Monday. Read the full story by the Associated Press.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210511-surge
Coastal wind is a strong, consistent power source and Michigan’s more than 3,000 miles of coast could provide double the electricity residents used from all sources in 2019. Read the full story by Great Lakes Echo.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210511-wind
After several reviews this spring, officials in Kenosha, Wisconsin, have put the finishing touches on a five-year plan for the city’s green spaces. The finalized document places renewed emphasis on partnerships with local groups. Read the full story by the Kenosha News.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210511-green
A competition between nature preserves in Green and Put-In-Bay Township, Ohio, removed over 3,000 pounds of garlic mustard, an invasive plant, in one day. Read the full story by the Akron Beacon Journal.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210511-invasive
The Michigan Department of Natural Resources has recommended seven state parks as particularly kid-friendly travel destinations for this summer. Read the full story by MLive.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210511-parks
Three Michigan eighth grade students recently battled 15 mph headwinds, choppy wake from 1,000-foot freighters, rain, sleet and hail to raise money for the Great Lakes. Read the full story by MLive.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210511-paddleboard
Coastal wind is a strong, consistent power source and Michigan’s more than 3,000 miles of coast could provide double the electricity residents used from all sources in 2019.
The post Offshore wind could provide double the electricity Michiganders used in 2019 first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2021/05/11/offshore-wind-could-provide-double-the-electricity-michiganders-used-in-2019/
As the global climate warms and water scarcity mounts, Great Lakes water is more valuable than ever before.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/05/great-lakes-water-diversions-future-possibilities/
Current Watches, Warnings and Advisories for Brown (WIC009) Wisconsin Issued by the National Weather Service
https://alerts.weather.gov/cap/wwacapget.php?x=WI1261A055BB80.FrostAdvisory.1261A0562D90WI.GRBNPWGRB.504f2eca69c1d4c92481f403bd348177
Fish and Wildlife Service News
Fish and Wildlife Service News
http://www.fws.gov/news/ShowNews.cfm?ref=%0Aservice-determines-that-hall%E2%80%99s-bulrush-does-not-warrant-listing-under-t&_ID=36909
Current Watches, Warnings and Advisories for Brown (WIC009) Wisconsin Issued by the National Weather Service
https://alerts.weather.gov/cap/wwacapget.php?x=WI1261A0549430.FrostAdvisory.1261A0562D90WI.GRBNPWGRB.504f2eca69c1d4c92481f403bd348177
Current Watches, Warnings and Advisories for Brown (WIC009) Wisconsin Issued by the National Weather Service
https://alerts.weather.gov/cap/wwacapget.php?x=WI1261A047C3B8.FrostAdvisory.1261A0562D90WI.GRBNPWGRB.504f2eca69c1d4c92481f403bd348177
A new study found that exposure to traditional maritime music may influence listeners to support Great Lakes shipwreck preservation. Read the full story by Marquette Mining Journal.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210510-folk
In Wisconsin, experimental projects underway in both Fond du Lac and Outagamie counties are pioneering the continuous use of conservation practices aimed at protecting the soil. The initiative incorporates no-till farming methods, planting of cover crops and the use of low-disturbance manure injection instead of spraying manure onto bare, open fields. Read the full story by the FDL Reporter.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210510-fdl
Algae blooms can be dangerous, but there is no system that captures the total picture of algal blooms in Wisconsin’s 15,000 lakes, according to a new study. Read the full story by the Journal Sentinel.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210510-blooms
It’s unlikely that Line 5 will actually go offline this week. But if it were to shut down for more than a few weeks, the situation could spur a scramble to meet fuel demand in Ontario and Quebec, experts say. Read the full story by the National Observer.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210510-line5
Pennsylvania’s Presqu’ Isle translates from French to English as “almost island.” However, did you know that Presque Isle was an island five times in the past? Read the full story by the Erie Times-News.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210510-presque
So, should erosion control or lake access be the primary goal of a lakefront district, or can they build off each other? Is this lakefront district a wise long-term model, setting the stage for more public-private partnerships to create lake access or near-lake access for public trails? Or should allowing public lakefront access be required for those participating in any publicly subsidized program, which likely would reduce participation and could end the lakefront district before it starts? The Editorial Board Roundtable surveys the landscape. Read the full story by the Plain Dealer.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210510-erosion
With the recent confirmation of Deb Haaland to lead the Department of the Interior, the nation has its first Native American cabinet member. The position has significant influence on Native American affairs, and tribal representatives in Michigan say they’re optimistic about what Biden administration’s policies and Haaland’s position mean for Native representation. Read the full story by Capital News Service.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210507-haaland
