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In: Uncategorized
...FREEZE WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO 8 AM CDT SATURDAY... ...FREEZE WARNING WILL EXPIRE AT 9 AM CDT THIS MORNING... * WHAT...Temperatures remain in the 20s over parts of central Wisconsin this morning, but should quickly warm above freezing in the next hour or two. Another cold night is expected tonight.

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=WI125F4C1C9914.FreezeWarning.125F4C2BC510WI.GRBNPWGRB.c06ba20bf13691d5770cef02a6e7355a

w-nws.webmaster@noaa.gov

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In: Uncategorized
...A FREEZE WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 AM CDT THIS MORNING... ...ANOTHER FREEZE WARNING IN EFFECT FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO 8 AM CDT SATURDAY... * WHAT...For the first Freeze Warning, sub-freezing temperatures from 28 to 32. For the second Freeze Warning, sub freezing temperatures as low as 25 expected.

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=WI125F4C1BCB9C.FreezeWarning.125F4C1CA9E0WI.GRBNPWGRB.1a313a7ac614bd9f89a8de20f3c4b50b

w-nws.webmaster@noaa.gov

On:
In: Uncategorized
...A FREEZE WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 AM CDT THIS MORNING... ...ANOTHER FREEZE WARNING IN EFFECT FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO 8 AM CDT SATURDAY... * WHAT...For the first Freeze Warning, sub-freezing temperatures from 28 to 32. For the second Freeze Warning, sub freezing temperatures as low as 25 expected.

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=WI125F4C1BCB9C.FreezeWarning.125F4C2BC510WI.GRBNPWGRB.c06ba20bf13691d5770cef02a6e7355a

w-nws.webmaster@noaa.gov

On:
In: Uncategorized
...FREEZE WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 3 AM TO 9 AM CDT FRIDAY... ...FREEZE WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM LATE FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY MORNING... * WHAT...Sub-freezing temperatures expected during the late night and early morning hours.

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=WI125F4C1ABAF4.FreezeWarning.125F4C1CA9E0WI.GRBNPWGRB.1a313a7ac614bd9f89a8de20f3c4b50b

w-nws.webmaster@noaa.gov

On:
In: Uncategorized
...FREEZE WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 3 AM TO 9 AM CDT FRIDAY... ...FREEZE WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM LATE FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY MORNING... * WHAT...Sub-freezing temperatures expected during the late night and early morning hours.

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=WI125F4C1ABAF4.FreezeWatch.125F4C2BEC20WI.GRBNPWGRB.1dfc9449c9d178e51c99f4797ed1a1ba

w-nws.webmaster@noaa.gov

On:
In: AP, COVID-19, Duluth, fishing, Latest News, Minnesota, News, Recreation, Recreation, Tourism and Culture, recreational fishing, Recreational Hunting and Fishing
Minnesotans urged to fish close to home to slow COVID-19

By Steve Karnowski, Associated Press

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Minnesotans should fish close to home to help curb the coronavirus pandemic when the walleye season opens this weekend, avoiding overnight stays and driving no further than they can go on one tank of gas, Department of Natural Resources officials said Wednesday.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2020/05/ap-minnesota-fish-business-covid-19-coronavirus/

The Associated Press

On:
In: Letters, Press Releases

Two major bills that boost water infrastructure investment were unanimously reported out of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee yesterday, a major step forward in ensuring that all communities have access to clean and safe drinking water, as well as healthy ecosystems, the Healing Our Waters – Great Lakes Coalition said. The bipartisan America’s Wastewater Infrastructure Act of 2020 and Drinking Water Infrastructure Act of 2020 provide more than $4 billion in new funding for water infrastructure and almost $1 billion targeted at helping low-income, rural and tribal communities.

“This is a great start toward addressing some of the issues that have unfortunately prevented many in the Great Lakes region from accessing the basic need of clean drinking water,” said Laura Rubin, Director of the Healing Our Waters – Great Lakes Coalition. “The nation is facing a water infrastructure crisis. Communities are facing unsafe water from toxic pollutants like lead and PFAS, while seeing their water rates skyrocket. These federal investments are urgently needed to help provide clean and affordable drinking water to everyone – especially those people in communities which have historically borne the brunt of pollution and injustice. We urge the Senate to pass these bills now, because the longer we wait, the more costly and difficult these projects become.”

The Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition delivered a letter to Congress, which over 65 organizations signed, supporting key provisions in the bills such as:

  • Increasing the authorization for the Clean Water State Revolving Fund to $2 billion and incrementally up to $3 billion, to help communities fix, repair, and update wastewater systems.
  • Providing $2.5 billion in additional funding to help communities fix, repair and update drinking water infrastructure.
  • Ensuring that a minimum of 10 percent of federal funding through the clean water SRF and 14 percent of federal funding through the drinking water SRF are provided as grants or no-interest loans to help resolve water affordability problems in communities across the country.
  • Tripling of grants, from $100 million to $300 million, to remediate toxic PFAS contamination, tackling a persistent threat to drinking water.
  • Investing almost $1 billion in new water infrastructure investment in low-income, rural and tribal communities.
  • Supporting lead-reduction projects in schools and communities.
  • Increasing the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative authorization from $300 million to $375 million.

The bills now head to the full Senate for consideration.

The Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition has urged the U.S. Congress to boost water infrastructure for the last several years, as water affordability and poor quality continues to plague communities across the region. Great Lakes cities such as Chicago, Cleveland and Detroit have seen water rates increase dramatically over the last ten years, in large part due to inadequate federal investment.

The U.S. EPA estimates that the Great Lakes states of Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, New York, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin need more than $179 billion over the next 20 years to fix, update, and maintain their wastewater and drinking water infrastructure.

According to a Michigan State University report, if water rates continue to rise as they have, more than 35 percent of people in the United states will struggle to afford their water bills by 2022.

The post Bills to Inject $4 Billion in New Water Infrastructure Funding, Start Confronting Environmental Injustices appeared first on Healing Our Waters Coalition.

Original Article

Healing Our Waters Coalition

Healing Our Waters Coalition

https://healthylakes.org/bills-to-inject-4-billion-in-new-water-infrastructure-funding-start-confronting-environmental-injustices-2/

Pavan Vangipuram

On:
In: Uncategorized
...FREEZE WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 3 AM TO 9 AM CDT FRIDAY... ...FREEZE WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM LATE FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY MORNING... * WHAT...For the Freeze Warning, sub-freezing temperatures of 26 to 31 are expected. For the Freeze Watch, sub-freezing

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=WI125F4C0E3B58.FreezeWarning.125F4C1CA9E0WI.GRBNPWGRB.1a313a7ac614bd9f89a8de20f3c4b50b

w-nws.webmaster@noaa.gov

On:
In: Uncategorized
...FREEZE WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 3 AM TO 9 AM CDT FRIDAY... ...FREEZE WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM LATE FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY MORNING... * WHAT...For the Freeze Warning, sub-freezing temperatures of 26 to 31 are expected. For the Freeze Watch, sub-freezing

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=WI125F4C0E3B58.FreezeWatch.125F4C2BEC20WI.GRBNPWGRB.1dfc9449c9d178e51c99f4797ed1a1ba

w-nws.webmaster@noaa.gov

On:
In: Letters, Press Releases

Two major bills that boost water infrastructure investment were unanimously reported out of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee yesterday, a major step forward in ensuring that all communities have access to clean and safe drinking water, as well as healthy ecosystems, the Healing Our Waters – Great Lakes Coalition said. The bipartisan America’s Wastewater Infrastructure Act of 2020 and Drinking Water Infrastructure Act of 2020 provide more than $4 billion in new funding for water infrastructure and almost $1 billion targeted at helping low-income, rural and tribal communities.

“This is a great start toward addressing some of the issues that have unfortunately prevented many in the Great Lakes region from accessing the basic need of clean drinking water,” said Laura Rubin, Director of the Healing Our Waters – Great Lakes Coalition. “The nation is facing a water infrastructure crisis. Communities are facing unsafe water from toxic pollutants like lead and PFAS, while seeing their water rates skyrocket. These federal investments are urgently needed to help provide clean and affordable drinking water to everyone – especially those people in communities which have historically borne the brunt of pollution and injustice. We urge the Senate to pass these bills now, because the longer we wait, the more costly and difficult these projects become.”

The Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition delivered a letter to Congress, which over 65 organizations signed, supporting key provisions in the bills such as:

  • Increasing the authorization for the Clean Water State Revolving Fund to $2 billion and incrementally up to $3 billion, to help communities fix, repair, and update wastewater systems.
  • Providing $2.5 billion in additional funding to help communities fix, repair and update drinking water infrastructure.
  • Ensuring that a minimum of 10 percent of federal funding through the clean water SRF and 14 percent of federal funding through the drinking water SRF are provided as grants or no-interest loans to help resolve water affordability problems in communities across the country.
  • Tripling of grants, from $100 million to $300 million, to remediate toxic PFAS contamination, tackling a persistent threat to drinking water.
  • Investing almost $1 billion in new water infrastructure investment in low-income, rural and tribal communities.
  • Supporting lead-reduction projects in schools and communities.
  • Increasing the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative authorization from $300 million to $375 million.

The bills now head to the full Senate for consideration.

The Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition has urged the U.S. Congress to boost water infrastructure for the last several years, as water affordability and poor quality continues to plague communities across the region. Great Lakes cities such as Chicago, Cleveland and Detroit have seen water rates increase dramatically over the last ten years, in large part due to inadequate federal investment.

The U.S. EPA estimates that the Great Lakes states of Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, New York, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin need more than $179 billion over the next 20 years to fix, update, and maintain their wastewater and drinking water infrastructure.

According to a Michigan State University report, if water rates continue to rise as they have, more than 35 percent of people in the United states will struggle to afford their water bills by 2022

The post Bills to Inject $4 Billion in New Water Infrastructure Funding, Start Confronting Environmental Injustices appeared first on Healing Our Waters Coalition.

Original Article

Healing Our Waters Coalition

Healing Our Waters Coalition

https://healthylakes.org/bills-to-inject-4-billion-in-new-water-infrastructure-funding-start-confronting-environmental-injustices/

Pavan Vangipuram

On:
In: Fox Locks in the News, Important information, Press Releases

Plans are underway to open the locks for the 2020 navigation season, but Governor Evers safer at home order will delay the official opening until Saturday, May 30. Originally several of the busier locks were scheduled to be open by mid-May, but the official opening to full navigation is tentatively scheduled for 5.30.20.

“As a state authority, we need to adhere to the Governor’s orders,” said CEO Jeremy Cords. “We also need the appropriate amount of time to interview and hire lock tenders for the season.” Cords added that as conditions changes due to coronavirus, the opening date may change.

The locks typically operate with 1-5 lock tenders stationed at the nine locks that will be open this summer. Those locks are; the four Appleton locks, Cedars, Little Chute, Combined Locks, Little Kaukauna, and De Pere. The five locks in Kaukauna are scheduled to open in 2021 pending repairs to the Memorial lift bridge in Kaukauna.

Original Article

Blog – Fox Locks

Blog – Fox Locks

http://foxlocks.org/2020/05/07/2020-locks-schedule/

Fox Locks

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In: Uncategorized
...NEAR-CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS THROUGH EARLY EVENING... Very dry conditions are expected this afternoon with minimum humidity readings of 15 to 25 percent across most of the area. Northwesterly winds of 10 to 15 mph with gusts of 20 to 25 mph are expected. The combination of very low humidity and breezy winds will result in near-critical fire weather conditions through early

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=WI125F4C0DCBA0.SpecialWeatherStatement.125F4C1AAE10WI.GRBSPSGRB.3b77a733acfe35fc01f412b80021d336

w-nws.webmaster@noaa.gov

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In: Daily News

The U.S. Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation announced that five U.S. ports in the Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway System received the agency’s Robert J. Lewis Pacesetter Award for registering increases in international cargo tonnage shipped through their ports during the 2019 navigation season. Read the full story by WDIO -TV – Duluth, MN.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200507-cargo-award

Jill Estrada

On:
In: Daily News

Even under the wettest models, Lake Ontario water levels are expected to remain below the flood stages experienced in recent years, according federal regulators, but are likely to stay well above the 100-year average. Read the full story by Oswego County News Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200507-ontario

Jill Estrada

On:
In: Brookfield, Fellows, Joe Naughton, Knauss Fellow, Knauss Fellowship, SOST

Joe Naughton is broadening his horizons even while working from his Washington, D.C., apartment during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Originally from Brookfield, Wisconsin, Naughton is one of 68 fellows in the 2020 class of the John A. Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship Program. The prestigious program places early-career professionals in one-year fellowships working in federal government offices. The program is run by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the National Sea Grant Office.

Joe Naughton at home in Washington with his work-at-home buddy, Suki, his roommate’s dog. (Submitted photo)

After being chosen through a competitive state and national process last July and then receiving his placement in the fall, Naughton began his post in early February 2020. Like many, he shifted from days spent in the office to telework in mid-March.

Naughton serves as the Interagency Ocean Policy Coordinator within NOAA’s Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research (OAR). His role is a mix of science and communication, and his primary responsibility is as Executive Secretary of the Subcommittee on Ocean Science and Technology (SOST).

Explained Naughton, “The SOST is a federal coordinating body that sits under the NSTC (National Science and Technology Council), so it’s under White House purview. It coordinates all federal work related to ocean science and technology. I do a lot of work across these different agencies, coordinating communication, working on various reports, and then I communicate all of this correspondence up to the co-chairs of this Subcommittee. The co-chairs are from NOAA, the National Science Foundation and the Office of Science and Technology Policy, and I serve as the SOST liaison to these agencies. But also, within the SOST, there are these technical working groups, which I really enjoy, since it’s a little more science-focused.”

With a background in water resources engineering from his studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and Marquette University—where he earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees, respectively—Naughton is finding that the fellowship is pushing him in some new directions. While he previously focused on hydrology and urban water issues, now he’s learning more about ocean concerns. “That’s a whole new world for me,” he said.

He’s also found unexpected benefits on the communication side: “One really great thing is I’ve worked a lot on my writing, which I didn’t foresee initially. I’ve been getting my hands on a lot of reports, and that’s a huge change.”

Like many professionals these days, Naughton spends a good chunk of his days interacting with his colleagues on a screen. “I have a lot of video calls, whether it’s hopping on these technical working groups or having quick tag-ups with NOAA, NSF or whatever other agency it may be. A lot of it is expressing concerns; these agencies have their missions, and they want that vocalized in whatever federal, coordinated ocean science work is being done.”

Naughton is also gaining exposure to some NOAA-specific efforts, such as the Ambassadors Initiative, in which someone like a fellow or an administrator goes to present in a school or other setting. Naughton helps assemble collections of materials for the ambassador’s visit.

While the COVID-19 pandemic has put a damper on some of the travel, conference and professional development aspects of the Knauss Fellowship experience, Naughton is hopeful that some of those things will be possible towards the latter part of his one-year commitment.

In the meantime, he said, he’s found a supportive climate in his contacts with Wisconsin Sea Grant, the National Sea Grant Office and the other members of his Knauss class, who have been connecting virtually, whether to discuss each other’s research or simply have coffee.

Naughton is also enjoying the company of his roommate’s new puppy, a rescued Lab/beagle mix named Suki. While the pet adoption was in motion before the pandemic hit, it’s been a silver lining to be home with the new pup and help her get acclimated, or simply take a walk at lunchtime and get some fresh air.

Despite this highly unusual Knauss Fellowship year, Naughton and others in his cohort are making the most of it. Said Naughton, “The amount I’m able to touch in this fellowship is really great, and something I didn’t expect.” And despite the adjustments necessitated by the pandemic, said Naughton, “I’m definitely still fortunate to have this experience.”

Original Article

News Releases – Wisconsin Sea Grant

News Releases – Wisconsin Sea Grant

https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/news/wisconsins-knauss-fellow-broadens-horizons/

Jennifer Smith

On:
In: Uncategorized
...FREEZE WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 3 AM TO 9 AM CDT FRIDAY... ...FREEZE WATCH IN EFFECT FROM LATE FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY MORNING... * WHAT...For the Freeze Warning, sub-freezing temperatures in the upper 20s to lower 30s expected. For the Freeze Watch, sub-

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=WI125F4C0D75B0.FreezeWarning.125F4C1CA9E0WI.GRBNPWGRB.1a313a7ac614bd9f89a8de20f3c4b50b

w-nws.webmaster@noaa.gov

On:
In: Uncategorized
...FREEZE WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 3 AM TO 9 AM CDT FRIDAY... ...FREEZE WATCH IN EFFECT FROM LATE FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY MORNING... * WHAT...For the Freeze Warning, sub-freezing temperatures in the upper 20s to lower 30s expected. For the Freeze Watch, sub-

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=WI125F4C0D75B0.FreezeWatch.125F4C2BEC20WI.GRBNPWGRB.1dfc9449c9d178e51c99f4797ed1a1ba

w-nws.webmaster@noaa.gov

On:
In: Uncategorized
...NEAR-CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS TODAY... Very dry conditions are expected this afternoon with minimum humidity readings of 15 to 25 percent across most of the area. Northwesterly winds will increase to 10 to 15 mph with gusts of 20 to 25 mph. The combination of very low humidity and breezy winds will result in near-critical fire weather conditions through early

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=WI125F4C0D27F4.SpecialWeatherStatement.125F4C0DDCD0WI.GRBSPSGRB.3b77a733acfe35fc01f412b80021d336

w-nws.webmaster@noaa.gov

On:
In: Uncategorized
...ELEVATED FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS THROUGH EARLY THIS EVENING... Low relative humidities, mild temperatures, and northwest winds gusting between 15 to 25 mph, will result in elevated fire weather conditions through early this evening. Given the expected gusty winds and dry weather conditions, any fire that is started could quickly spread out of control. Please

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=WI125F4BFEA774.SpecialWeatherStatement.125F4C0B44C0WI.GRBSPSGRB.3b77a733acfe35fc01f412b80021d336

w-nws.webmaster@noaa.gov

On:
In: Daily News

A community group formed in Oscoda, Michigan, called on the Air Force to stop the flow of PFAS contaminants from Wurtsmith Air Force base into Oscoda area surface waters by no later than 2023, and to immediately begin remediation of the PFAS plumes. Read the full story by the Iosco News.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200506-pfas

Ned Willig

On:
In: Daily News

National Park Service rangers issued citations Sunday to stop contractors working on repairs to seawalls along the Lake Michigan shoreline in Odgen Dunes, Indiana. The Park Service said the contracts had not received necessary permits for the construction. Read the full story by The Times of Northwest Indiana.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200506-nps-odgen

Ned Willig

On:
In: AP, Lake Michigan, Michigan, News, shipwrecks
Shipwreck fragment emerges along Lake Michigan beach

LUDINGTON, Mich. (AP) — A portion of a shipwreck was recently discovered on a Lake Michigan beach near Ludington State Park and historians are working to identify the wreckage.

The fragment was revealed by waves amid high water levels on the Great Lakes. It was spotted by people walking on the beach, the Ludington Daily News reported.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2020/05/shipwreck-fragment-emerges-along-lake-michigan-beach/

The Associated Press

On:
In: Chicago, Climate change, COVID-19, Drinking Water, Freshwater Weekly

May 1, 2020

This week: The Hell of Not Having Running Water During a Pandemic + Lawsuit to Stop Clean Water Rollbacks + Drinking Water Quality Threatened by Climate Change + Increased Water Withdrawal Approved by Judge +  Chicagoans Waiting for Plovers Monty and Rose to Return

The Hell of Not Having Running Water During a Pandemic

Amidst the pandemic, We The People Of Detroit CEO and founder Monica Lewis-Patrick continues her free water delivery service. After Governor Whitmer made an executive order on water restoration, food pantries and nonprofits delivering water are calculating hundreds if not thousands of residents still without running water. For years, We The People Of Detroit has argued that shutoffs threaten the health of impoverished families. African Americans bear the brunt of this pandemic with higher COVID-19 death tolls occurring in the same areas without running water.

Lawsuit to Stop Clean Water Rollbacks

Six environmental groups filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration to stop clean water rollbacks.  The Trump Administration duplicitously named the rollbacks “Navigable Waters Protection Rule” although it would eliminate those protections. The lawsuit contends the rules are a violation of the Clean Water Act.

Drinking Water Quality Threatened by Climate Change

With Great Lakes water temperatures increasing due to climate change, precipitation has also increased, including extreme rain events. Increased rain means increased runoff that dumps nutrient pollution into our waterways. When coupled with high temperatures, this runoff creates the perfect conditions for harmful algal blooms. The combined events create severe threats to our drinking water, demonstrating our vast water supply can still be vulnerable and undrinkable if not properly protected.

Increased Water Withdrawal Approved by Judge

Unfortunately, a judge ruled this week that Néstle Waters Inc. can increase its pumping rate to withdraw 576,000 gallons of groundwater per day.  Michigan Citizens for Water Conservation, an environmental organization that has worked for years to protect groundwater and surface water from water withdrawals, is considering options in response to the decision.

Chicagoans Waiting for Plovers Monty and Rose to Return

A nesting pair of piping plovers at Montrose Beach in Chicago persevered through a music festival and more last summer.  This summer, the plovers, affectionately named Monty and Rose, may not have to share the beach with humans due to the pandemic.

Original Article

Blog – Freshwater Future

Blog – Freshwater Future

https://freshwaterfuture.org/uncategorized/freshwater-weekly-may-5-2020/

Alexis Smith

On:
In: Gary Abud Jr., Great Lakes, Great Lakes Learning, lake erie, Lake Huron, Lake Michigan, Lake Ontario, Lake Superior, Latest News, News, science, Science, Technology, Research
Great Lakes Learning: Freshwater science for the youngest learners – Part 2

As the author of Great Lakes Now’s Collection of Lesson Plans, educational consultant Gary Abud Jr. is now providing more support for parents, teachers and caregivers who want to incorporate Great Lakes learning into their time with children and students. His series of writings can be found HERE along with the lesson plans and a Virtual Field Trip.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2020/05/great-lakes-learning-younger-learners-2/

Gary Abud Jr.

On:
In: CHAOS, Coastal Hazards of Lake Superior, Deanna Apps US Army Corps of Engineers, Joe Moore NWS, Melanie Perello, NWS lakeshore flooding and storm damage reporting form

Information provided by Melanie Perello, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources

CHAOS has come to Lake Superior. However, it’s organized chaos, so that’s a good thing.

CHAOS stands for the Coastal Hazards of Superior. The group, organized by the Coastal programs and Sea Grant programs in Minnesota and Wisconsin, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Office for Coastal Management and the Lake Superior National Estuarine Research Reserve, is a community of practice for sharing knowledge and resources about natural hazards that affect Lake Superior coastal communities in Minnesota and Wisconsin.

It provides an opportunity for local community leaders, managers, researchers and communicators to engage over concerns about coastal hazards across western Lake Superior. Recent storms, flooding and shoreline erosion have strained local communities, making CHAOS’ goal of building collaborations among groups impacted by these hazards even more important.

Membership is free and open to all. To join or for more information, contact Melanie Perello at Minnesota’s Lake Superior Coastal Program: melanie.perello@state.mn.us.

Storm damage to a boathouse on Devil’s Island in the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore. Image by Gene Clark, Wisconsin Sea Grant.

The group hosted its first event on April 29, a webinar attended by more than 70 participants, featuring presentations on Lake Superior water levels and lakeshore flood modeling and forecasting. Deanna Apps, a physical scientist at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Detroit District, explained historical and recent lake levels, the drivers of water level fluctuations and how the Army Corps forecasts future conditions.

Joseph Moore, warning coordination meteorologist at the National Weather Service-Duluth Office, highlighted efforts to model and forecast lakeshore flooding events and explained the need for reports of lakeshore flooding storm damages.

Following the presentations, webinar participants had the opportunity to network in small breakout groups to discuss actions they will take in response to the information shared.

A recording of the presentations is being edited and will soon be shared on the Wisconsin Sea Grant’s YouTube Channel.

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers – High water level resources

Apps highlighted several resources available from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers:

Water Level Forecasts: https://www.lre.usace.army.mil/Missions/Great-Lakes-Information/Great-Lakes-Water-Levels/Water-Level-Forecast/

Water Level Observations: https://www.lre.usace.army.mil/Missions/Great-Lakes-Information/Great-Lakes-Information-2/Water-Level-Data/

Basin Conditions & Great Lakes Information: https://www.lre.usace.army.mil/Missions/Great-Lakes-Information/Great-Lakes-Information-2/Basin-Conditions/

Living on the Coast: https://publications.aqua.wisc.edu/product/living-on-the-coast-protecting-investments-in-shore-property-on-the-great-lakes/

Report storm damages to the National Weather Service (NWS)

Moore highlighted the importance of observational data for lakeshore flood modeling and projections. The NWS seeks reports of damages attributed to recent and past storm events — cost estimates and photos or videos are extremely valuable. These reports are useful not only for current modeling but will become part of the official storm record and help improve future modeling.

To learn more about efforts to model lakeshore flooding: https://www.weather.gov/dlh/lakeshoreflooding

Want to help? Anyone can make a report using this online form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd87gub2R_vCVCZkZ5GaPC88LIFfVhd0d7paSXjRbiD5GCZ7A/viewform

Resource highlights

With projections of higher water levels on Lake Superior this summer, these additional resources may be helpful.

Original Article

Blog – Wisconsin Sea Grant

Blog – Wisconsin Sea Grant

https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/blog/new-community-of-practice-focuses-on-western-lake-superior-hazards/

Marie Zhuikov

On:
In: Daily News

Sightings of river otters along western Lake Erie at Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge in Ohio and Point Pelee National Park in Leamington, Ontario, and evidence of a return of river otter to Toronto Harbour, raise the prospects that they just might return one day to the Detroit River too.  Read the full story by Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200505-otters

Beth Wanamaker