New research gives a clearer picture of where oil might go if Line 5 breaks open in the Great Lakes

<> New research gives a clearer picture of where oil might go if Line 5 breaks open in the Great Lakes – 3/31/16. The University of Michigan's Water Center released new computer simulations -- the simulations show that up to 152 miles of coastline in Lakes Huron and Michigan could be hit by a single oil spill from Line 5. When all 840 simulated spills are plotted on a map, a total of 720 miles of shoreline in the U.S. and Canada are considered at risk. More than 700 miles of Great Lakes shoreline potentially vulnerable to Straits of Mackinac oil spills

New study highlights expense of battling invasive species

<> New study highlights expense of battling invasive species - A University of Wisconsin-Madison study concludes that the estimated cost of controlling a single invasive species, the spiny waterflea, in just one lake could range from $86.5 million to $163 million over 20 years.

USDA Launches $41 Million Initiative to Improve Water Quality for Western Lake Erie Basin

<> USDA Launches $41 Million Initiative to Improve Water Quality for Western Lake Erie Basin - Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced that USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) will invest $41 million in a three-year initiative to support the work of farmers in Ohio, Michigan and Indiana to improve water quality in the Western Lake Erie Basin (WLEB) -- the initiative helps farmers and ranchers implement science-based conservation measures to reduce runoff from farms entering the region's waterways.

Soo Locks opens, 2016 shipping season gets underway

<> Soo Locks opens, 2016 shipping season gets underway - The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Detroit District, announced the Soo Locks in Sault Ste. Marie, MI, opened Friday, March 25, marking the beginning of the 2016 Great Lakes shipping season.

Summary of First Year of Ohio Department of Higher Education Harmful Algal Bloom Research Initiative

<> Summary of First Year of Ohio Department of Higher Education Harmful Algal Bloom Research Initiative - Ohio Sea Grant, on behalf of The Ohio State University, the University of Toledo and the Ohio Department of Higher Education (ODHE), has released the annual report for the first year of funding for the Harmful Algal Bloom Research Initiative (HABRI), which seeks solutions for harmful algal blooms in Ohio.

Ontario's Great Lakes Strategy First Progress Report

<> Ontario's Great Lakes Strategy First Progress Report - The progress report outlines some of the key accomplishments and new scientific findings established during the first three years of Ontario's Great Lakes Strategy -- actions across 14 different Great Lakes ministries and numerous partners, including First Nation and Métis communities, municipalities, conservation authorities, environmental organizations, the science community, and the industrial, agricultural, recreational and tourism sectors.

EPA Announces $1 Million in Pollution Prevention Funding for Great Lakes States

<> EPA Announces $1 Million in Pollution Prevention Funding for Great Lakes States - U.S. EPA is announcing approximately $1 million in funding to support pollution prevention work in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio and Wisconsin.