Category: Water
Wisconsin officials ask the public to report algal blooms in Lake Superior | Great Lakes Echo
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources is banking on public oversight of the largest Great Lake to help gauge the threat of increasingly common algal blooms. Blue-green algae, also known as cyanobacteria, can produce toxins that pose a danger to public health, said Kait Reinl, research coordinator at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Lake […]
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Illegal dumping nets probation sentence in Ohio fish kill | Great Lakes Echo
By Eric Freedman A federal judge has sentenced an Ohio business owner to one year on probation and a $5,000 fine for illegally dumping a hazardous ammonia-containing substance into the Scioto River near Kenton. The crime killed more than 40,000 fish. U.S. Magistrate Judge Darrell Clay also ordered Mark Shepherd, 72, to perform 150 […]
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Great Lakes beach closings are no protection from harmful pollutants | Great Lakes Echo
By Amalia Medina A green flag flying on a Great Lakes beach does not necessarily mean it’s safe to swim. Checking beach monitoring websites like BeachGuard is not a surefire solution either. These two findings are central to a public health research project, the Great Lakes Microbial Water Quality Assessment, that set out to measure […]
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Harnessing mussels to filter fresh water: A biological cure for contaminants is being studied | Great Lakes Echo
By Amalia Medina Water tanks line a room in Philadelphia’s Water Works on the bank of the Schuylkill River. Inside are small fish that are hosts to tiny organisms that researchers say can help solve polluted waterways. Tucked under the fish gills are microscopic mussels that will mature and become capable of filtering 10 to […]
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From pet to ‘monster.’ The battle to rid Michigan’s Glen Lake of giant koi | Great Lakes Echo
By Gabrielle Nelson Robert Karner and the Glen Lake Association are on a mission to preserve the crystal-clear waters of Glen Lake next to Sleeping Bear Dunes and protect its ecosystem from invasive species. That includes Eurasian watermilfoil and one that’s gaining attention, Japanese koi. In May, bowfishers partnered with the association, a preservation and […]
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Michigan and Ohio receive $500,000 to study rare turtles | Great Lakes Echo
By Ruth Thornton State wildlife agencies in Michigan and Ohio have received nearly $500,000 in federal funding to study rare turtles. The grant is part of more than $7 million distributed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to benefit rare and declining fish and wildlife and their habitats across the country. Other states receiving […]
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Forty years on, future of contaminant plume under Ann Arbor still murky | Great Lakes Echo
By Elinor Epperson Gelman Sciences LLC manufactured medical filters for decades, but that’s not the public health issue the company is known for. Dioxane from Gelman’s Scio Township plant leaked into Ann Arbor’s groundwater, creating a plume of contamination more than 4 miles long. That contamination was discovered by a University of Michigan graduate student, […]
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Green infrastructure job trainings aim to support growing field | Great Lakes Echo
By Elinor Epperson As more green infrastructure projects are installed across the state, more workers are needed to maintain them. Friends of the Rouge, a Detroit-area nonprofit that manages the River Rouge watershed, is offering a short course about maintaining green infrastructure like rain gardens. The course is an opportunity for workers to expand their […]
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Experts predict moderate Lake Erie toxic algae bloom | Great Lakes Echo
By Gabrielle Nelson Lake Erie’s annual algae bloom has begun to form weeks ahead of schedule off the coast of southeast Michigan, but scientists say they expect only a moderate bloom this year. “There was scum off Monroe,” said Richard Stumpf, a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration oceanographer who leads the federal government’s bloom forecasting […]
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Michigan program helps hobbyists safely rehome aquatic flora and fauna | Great Lakes Echo
By Elinor Epperson Don’t flush that unwanted goldfish – find it a new home instead. Home aquariums and water gardening are two of the many routes invasive species take to enter Michigan habitats. A Michigan State University Extension program provides educational materials and resources for rehoming unwanted aquatic pets. Reduce Invasive Pet and Plant Escapes […]
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