H20Notes - community weblog

Restoring an ancient Great Lakes fish

Fri, 24 May 2013 08:33:01 GMT

Sturgeon have lived in the Great Lakes longer than humans have walked the earth. But the ancient fish now need our help to stay here. A joint project by the federal and state officials with a Native American tribe is trying to do that by rebuilding habitat for lake sturgeon in the Kalamazoo River. WMUK’s Brian Petersen went along to find out how it’s done. more...

“Sunken Treasure”: Documentary explores Great Lakes shipwrecks, promotes respectful diving

Fri, 24 May 2013 08:31:55 GMT

With hundreds of shipwrecks scattered across the bottom of the Great Lakes, divers have access to an unrivaled underwater playground. The freshwater environment lends itself to preserving shipwrecks so well, some ships look ready to board.

Divers tempted to swipe an artifact for their mantle or crank a wheel and pretend to sail away could be fined or even imprisoned. A recent documentary aims to educate those with misguided intentions before it gets that far.

“Sunken Treasure: Preserving Michigan’s Shipwrecks” was recently released by the Michigan Underwater Preserve Council to foster respect of Great Lakes shipwrecks and preserve the fragile ecosystems that surround them.

more...

Lake levels won’t fix themselves

Fri, 24 May 2013 08:30:19 GMT

An international group recently looked at the issue of low water levels and what could be done to try and amend the situation.

The Joint International Commission called for a study to explore the impact of placing inflatable gates or other devices in the St. Clair River at the southern end of Lake Huron as a way to stop outflow from the lake.

Officials say dredging, mining and other human activities eroded the river bottom in the last century, accelerating the outflow from Lake Huron toward Lake Erie. Lake Michigan is also drained via its connection to the other Great Lakes. more...

Sugar Island beach on Detroit River opens Saturday

Fri, 24 May 2013 08:28:48 GMT

A beach on the Detroit River’s Sugar Island is opening to the public Saturday.

The island’s west beach will be accessible for activities including picnicking, sunbathing, wildlife observation, photography and volleyball. Upland areas will be off-limits to protect wildlife. Officials say the area designated for public use will be clearly marked. Some activities will be prohibited, such as setting fires, drinking alcohol and setting off fireworks. more...

Climb a Michigan dune and see it all

Fri, 24 May 2013 08:27:30 GMT

When you dig your hands and feet into the sand of one of Michigan’s towering dunes, you’re participating in thousands of years of history.These enormous sand formations along the state’s Lake Michigan coast were formed, like the Great Lakes themselves, by glaciers dominating the land of 16,000 years ago. When those glaciers retreated and melted, they left behind the rocks and clay that eventually, through erosion, became the dunes. more...

Making waves

Thu, 23 May 2013 10:23:56 GMT

A couple of scientists looking to learn all they can about Lake Ontario visited the beach near the Oak Orchard Creek Lighthouse on Saturday morning. Before they left, they had gathered data using an AUV — autonomous underwater vehicle.

Russ Miler of the Great Lakes Observing System (GLOS) operated the AUV. He said he helped plan the route the torpedo-like unit took Friday night and early Saturday based off previous data collected at other spots along the lake near Oswego and Sodus Bay. more...

Heavy rains carry more phosphorous into Lake Erie

Wed, 22 May 2013 09:26:56 GMT

Another one of those uh-oh moments related to Lake Erie, its fish and its fishermen was reported in The Dispatch last week.

Heavy rains this spring have washed an estimated 210 tons of phosphorous from farm fields inside the Maumee River watershed, Jeffrey Reutter, director of the Ohio Sea Grant Program, told an Ohio Senate Finance Subcommittee last week. Depending on future rainstorms, even more phosphorous could be heading toward Lake Erie. more...

Federal Legislation Would Help With Great Lakes Dredging

Wed, 22 May 2013 09:25:48 GMT

A $200 million backlog in Great Lakes harbor and channel dredging would end with a bill that just passed the U.S. Senate.

There is a lot at stake economically when ships have to load light: carry less cargo, or risk running aground in the Great Lakes. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisc) says this bill will allow the Great Lakes to catch up on digging projects over the next six to seven years, putting the Great Lakes in better position to compete with the ocean ports. more...

Boardwalk opens as part of Lake St. Clair Metropark restoration project

Wed, 22 May 2013 09:25:06 GMT

A $1.27 million United States EPA Great Lakes Restoration Initiative grant has helped clean up and restore precious marshlands in Lake St. Clair Metropark, and a brand-new boardwalk that cuts right through the area will help the public enjoy it.

“This brings a much-needed spotlight to our site,” said Thomas Knuth, park manager of the metropark. “It draws attention to how unique and unusual this park is. It’s a gem of Macomb County.” more...

Rising Lake Superior temperatures affecting fish species

Wed, 22 May 2013 09:23:50 GMT

A new study shows that climate change could mean better conditions for some Lake Superior fish species, but worse for others.

Surface water temperatures on Lake Superior increased by about 4.5 degrees Fahrenheit between 1979 and 2006. That's one of the fastest rates of any lake on earth. The study by researchers at the University of Wisconsin shows that warming has created more suitable habitat in the lake for some fish, like Chinook salmon, walleye, and lean lake trout, but less favorable conditions for siscowet lake trout, a fatty fish that thrives in cold water. more...

Kites draw eyes to the sky at Great Lakes Kite Festival in Grand Haven

Wed, 22 May 2013 09:23:15 GMT

Kite enthusiasts and curious onlookers stopped by Grand Haven State Park on Saturday for the second day of the 25th Annual Great Lakes Kite Festival.

All eyes were on the sky, where kites of various shapes and sizes flew over the festival grounds.

Some zigged, zagged and zipped as flyers from around the country held demonstrations at the beach. The larger kites, some as long as school buses, impressed attendees with their size, while the ones at the open flying field swayed serenely in the breeze. more...

Work done at ex-brownfield site on Detroit River

Wed, 22 May 2013 09:22:24 GMT

Major environmental restoration work has been completed on a former industrial site along the Detroit River, officials announced Saturday.

Wayne County, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and others have been working for nearly a decade on the restoration of the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge Gateway in Trenton. more...

Great Lakes water levels: How did April's rain raise Lake Michigan and Huron, and what is the forecast?

Thu, 09 May 2013 10:24:37 GMT

The heavy rainfall in April did have a dramatic effect on the water level of Lake Michigan and Lake Huron.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports that the average level of Lake Michigan-Huron rose 5.16 inches from March to April.

That five inch rise is greater than the entire seasonal rise last year. Last year Lake Michigan-Huron only rose four inches from March to July. more...

U.S. Senate could free up money for Great Lakes dredging

Thu, 09 May 2013 10:20:33 GMT

The U.S. Senate may be closing in on legislation that could increase funding for dredging at harbors across the Great Lakes and the nation by freeing up more money from the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund.

As the Free Press reported in March, the fund, which is paid for by taxes on the value of imported cargo, has built up a surplus of about $6 billion, even though the Army Corps of Engineers has a growing backlog of dredging projects.

That’s especially true along the Great Lakes, where there’s a backlog of about $200 million in dredging projects spread across 60 federally maintained harbors and channels, almost half of which are in Michigan. more...

Muskegon's Andrie Inc. barge crew in Cleveland helping development of Great Lakes' first wind farm (video)

Thu, 09 May 2013 10:19:26 GMT

Through work with the Grand Valley State University’s Michigan Alternative and Renewable Energy Center, Muskegon-based Andrie Inc. has made inroads into the wind energy industry.

Those connections to Great Lakes wind farm developers have landed Andrie’s Specialized Division a unique opportunity in Lake Erie off the coast of Cleveland, Ohio. The Andrie tugboat Meredith Ashton and the company’s 90-by-50-foot jack-up barge made their way to Cleveland, Ohio, to assist in lake bottom sediment testing last week. more...