Great Lakes News

<> Portman bill aims to overhaul fight against toxic algae - A bill aimed at targeting federal resources in the fight against toxic algae is headed to President Barack Obama's desk.

• S.1254 - Harmful Algal Bloom and Hypoxia Research and Control Amendments Act of 2014

<> U-M will host Great Lakes climate-change adaptation conference - EVENT ANNOUNCEMENT DATE: June 24-26, 2014 EVENT: Following the Obama administration's recent release of the National Climate Assessment, which predicts exacerbated climate impacts throughout the century, the ..

<> Water Council's new stewardship role expected to attract talent - The decision by a global water quality standards group -- Alliance for Water Stewardship -- to name Milwaukee as its North American headquarters will advance the metro region's efforts to attract water engineers and entrepreneurs, according to the Milwaukee-based Water Council.

• Water Council website
• Alliance for Water Stewardship

<> Sealing Manitoba harbors has killed off zebra mussels - Manitoba has declared victory in its first battle with invading zebra mussels but says the unique treatment it used to kill the shellfish doesn't mean the province is free of them yet. . .

Great Lakes News

<> Great Lakes & St Lawrence Cities Initiative Conference Begins - More than 100 representatives of municipalities from around the Great Lakes and St Lawrence River Basin are in Thunder Bay this week for the 11th annual Great Lakes & St Lawrence Cities Initiative (Cities Initiative) general meeting and conference.

• The Conference Website

<> Great Lakes mayors flex muscle on oil, climate change - Other Great Lakes pols could learn something from the leaders of the region's cities.

<> Shoreline residents: Lake plan ignores concerns - Plan 2014, the new report issued by the International Joint Commission, stirred up significant opposition from the lake's south shore residents and property owners [Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River], who say its allowance for higher high water levels and lower low water levels will. . . 

<> How bad will toxic algae be this year? - The way scientists forecast how bad the toxic algae on Lake Erie's Western Basin could be in a given year is changing, and scientists hope it will be more accurate and understandable.

<> The future of sustainable fishing in the U.P. - The future of commercial fishing in the Upper Peninsula depends on lake ecology and the willingness of a new generation to learn the skills and way of life of those who fish the Great Lakes.

Great Lakes News

<> Great Lakes Commons charter targets shared waters concept - On June 19, the Great Lakes Commons will meet virtually with 100 people to discuss its new charter -- the Milwaukee Water Commons is a leader of the Great Lakes Commons effort. . .

• Access the Great Lakes Commons Website

<> IJC reaffirms Plan 2014 for Lake Ontario and St. Lawrence River - The International Joint Commission (IJC) today announced that Plan 2014 is the preferred option for regulating water levels and flows of Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River.  Plan 2014 provides more natural water level fluctuations while reducing the damage from extreme high and low water-level events to nearly the same extent as the current plan.

<> COMMENTARY: Historic Badger needs your help - A quarter century after the Lake Michigan Carferry began daily cruises between Manitowoc, Wis., and Ludington, Mich., the mayors of these cities implore citizens to help preserve this significant vessel.

Great Lakes News

<> Researchers finding plastic in water samples from Great Lakes - Researchers have been finding plastic microbeads in samples taken from all the Great Lakes since 2012 and are now investigating whether they are affecting the Great Lakes food chain. . .

<> Ohio takes first big step to slow Lake Erie algae - Ohio is taking its biggest step yet toward tackling the algae fouling Lake Erie with a law that will require most farmers to undergo training before they use commercial fertilizers. . .

<> Animated satellite data shows record-setting Great Lakes ice - The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration [NOAA] recently released a year's worth of Great Lakes surface temperatures showing ice cover and temperature for one day each month of the year

<> Two New GLOS Funding Opportunities - The development and enhancement of data management programs across the Great Lakes region; and, the purchase and deployment of observing assets along the Great Lakes nearshore

Great Lakes News

<> Satellite technology used to study lake trout in Lake Superior - Scientists are using high-tech trackers on lean and siscowet lake trout to observe depth selection. But how will this effect the fish that's on your dinner table?

<> Above average number of wildfires predicted in Great Lakes region by summer's end - A federal report from the National Predictive Services Program anticipates the potential for a higher than average number of wildfires for the Great Lakes region by the end of summer. . .

<> Cleveland's Great Lakes' ore trade still coping with the lingering effects of winter - The lingering effects of this year's icy winter have been restricting Cleveland's transportation of iron ore across the lakes.

Great Lakes News

<> An international trail around the Great Lakes is in the making - Lake Michigan Water Trail Association is in the process of making an international trail around the Great Lakes, 7,000 miles, stretching through eight states and the provinces of Ontario and Quèbec.

<> Summer Surprise! Icebergs Spotted in Lake Superior - Though it's starting to feel like summer in the Great Lakes region, with temperatures soaring into the 80s (Fahrenheit), icebergs are still loitering in Lake Superior -- a reminder of an especially harsh winter [Didn't we just say it was officially ice free?]

<> President Obama Signs Bill to Help Great Lakes Communities Access More Federal Funds - A release from Rep. Louise Slaughter (D-NY) focuses on the provisions of the Water Resources Reform and Development Act (WRRDA, H.R.3080 now Public Law No: 113-121) that establish the Great Lakes Navigation System (GLNS).

·       Access complete legislative details H.R.3080

<> Portman Applauds House Passage of Algae Bill - Passage Comes Days After Ohio EPA Issued Toxic Algae Warnings in Parts of State

·       Access complete legislative details S.1254

Great Lakes News

<> Winter is over! Forecasters reveal Great Lakes are FINALLY ice free after record breaking seven months frozen - June 7th became the official ice out date of the lake which also makes in the latest in the year ice has coated the water. Nice article with graphics and images of this historic event.

<> Illinois bans the microbeads in soap that are ruining the Great Lakes

<> USDA Announces New Grant Opporunity - USDA Forest Service Northeastern Area has announced a Great Lakes Restoration Initiative grant funding opportunity for tree planting projects in the Great Lakes Basin