Great Lakes News Collaborative
The Great Lakes News Collaborative includes Bridge Michigan; Circle of Blue; Great Lakes Now at Detroit Public Television; and Michigan Radio, Michigan’s NPR News Leader; who work together to bring audiences news and information about the impact of climate change, pollution, and aging infrastructure on the Great Lakes and drinking water. This independent journalism is supported by the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation.
Videos from the Great Lakes News Collaborative
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Researchers: Current Great Lakes stewardship is “ill-equipped” to handle future challenges
Amendment to Clean Water Act improves Great Lakes through critical observation, collaboration
“It’s a good thing”: Fishflies in Great Lakes region signify healthy water
What are wetlands for, anyway?
The TED Countdown Summit is coming to Detroit
Illinois, feds grapple with agreement that would advance billion dollar plan to stop invasive carp
Weathering the floods: Detroit neighborhood faces uncertain future due to climate change
Hope springs eternal for Michigan legislator who champions drinking water equity
Nibi Chronicles: The “Water is Life” festival goes beyond the music
Mapping the Great Lakes: Where do you live?
Latest News

Concerns about Michigan steelhead populations prompt new catch limits
State regulators are ratcheting down the number of fish anglers can keep in some rivers, citing fears that the fish could be in trouble. State scientists disagree.

Building a Smart Lake Erie Watershed
Water quality sensors in Lake Erie are being networked to make more data accessible to researchers and government agencies, as well as the public.
No convictions for Flint: Attorney general ends water crisis prosecutions
A state prosecution team on Tuesday announced it’s given up on the effort to criminally charge public officials for the Flint water crisis. One unsurprised community leader called it “the norm” for a city repeatedly failed by the state.
Michigan steps up dam removal in race against climate change
As climate change threatens to warm Michigan rivers, dam removal can drive temperatures down by several degrees overnight. An influx of state and federal money has boosted removal efforts, but advocates say more is needed.
The spawn from lake sturgeon in Michigan to be introduced to Cuyahoga River
The progeny of lake sturgeon from Michigan will be released into the Cuyahoga River at Cleveland, Ohio.

Michigan water rights advocate questions effectiveness of proposed affordability legislation
Too much ‘wiggle room’ for utilities, plus temporary assistance program doesn’t address underlying issues, says Detroit’s Monica Lewis-Patrick.

Wetland banks save cities, townships, and counties money for building roads
Buying wetlands on the commercial market is expensive. The state of Michigan set up a program to give municipal road agencies a way to mitigate damage to wetlands more cheaply.

US EPA okays Ohio plan to reduce toxic cyanobacterial blooms; Environmentalists say it won’t work
Environmentalists say the Ohio plan will not work because it doesn’t hold agriculture responsible for the runoff from fields using manure from factory farms as fertilizer.

In warming Great Lakes, climate triage means some cold waters won’t be saved
Government officials begin the grim task of prioritizing which cold lakes and rivers to sacrifice — or save — as the climate changes. Not all cold-water loving fish may survive in the northern Great Lakes region.

Enbridge: Federal review of Line 5 tunnel permit is ‘inexplicably lethargic’
The Canadian energy giant pleads with Michigan officials to intervene, saying federal authorities are slow-walking their review of a key permit needed to build a tunnel in a pipeline under the Straits of Mackinac.
Climate change is harming Michigan hunting and fishing, groups warn lawmakers
Michigan’s wild places are under threat as warmer temperatures cause species to migrate northward and rivers to overheat. Advocates called for more resources to protect Michigan’s fish and game from those changes.

Clock ticks for water utilities to join national PFAS settlements
A decision is needed soon for funds to remove toxic chemicals from drinking water.

What do Michigan rattlers chow down?
Massasaugas strongly prefer small mammal prey, yet individuals occasionally consume other prey, including amphibians, reptiles and birds.

State of Michigan sues Gerald R. Ford Airport Authority for PFAS pollution
The Michigan Attorney General’s office sued the Grand Rapids airport authority on behalf of EGLE over a dispute on responsibility for PFAS contamination.

Researchers: Current Great Lakes stewardship is “ill-equipped” to handle future challenges
University of Michigan report calls for new guiding principles and leaders with skills to work across disciplines.

Government watchdog: EPA slow to raise alarm in Benton Harbor water crisis
Government auditors say EPA officials failed to follow a new “elevation policy” that’s meant to generate a stronger response to the most urgent environmental and public health threats.

Grassroots greenspace projects expand Detroit’s open space network
Activists aim to enrich their neighbors’ quality of life and deepen their connection to nature.

Chicago Suburbs, Running Out of Water, Will Tap Lake Michigan
America’s groundwater is now running dry where water is abundant.

Minnesota Tribe Sets Enforceable Rules To Safeguard Wild Rice and Water Supply
Ineffective voluntary pollution prevention practices are set aside for mandatory regulation.
What’s being done about plastic trash getting into the Great Lakes?
As researchers learn more about the hazards of plastics and microplastics in the Great Lakes, it’s becoming clear Canada and the U.S. need to cooperate in stopping the pollution.

Pentagon to address PFAS at Wurtsmith base near Oscoda
Military officials announced they will install groundwater treatment systems around the former Wurtsmith Air Force Base to clean up chemical compounds linked to serious health issues.