“A river is like a urinary tract.” And so begins my favorite paragraph in Alex Prud’homme’s new book, The Ripple Effect. The New York native tackles the state of freshwater, how it got here and where it’s headed.

In the midst of summer beach season, some Great Lakes states are having to pick which beaches they’ll monitor for contamination with what critics say is an unfair distribution of federal funds.

Funding predicted for 2011 indicates that states with more beaches aren’t receiving substantially more funding to monitor them.

Ohio gov’s veto avoids lawsuits from U.S. states and scorn from Canadians. Let’s hope Ohio lawmakers don’t override it with misplaced job creation zeal.

When you’re picking your summer reads for this season, why not stick to local and pick books with a Great Lakes flavor?

Here is Great Lakes themed summer reading list – what do you think we’ve missed?

Even with one of the tightest mercury emission regulations in the country, Illinois suffers from out-of-state mercury pollution, according to a recent report.

The report urges federal officials to implement national air toxic standards.

Bidding ends today for two of them.

Need more time to ponder new digs?

Here are a few more up for grabs.

Flint’s urban pioneers seek to provide locally grown food and re-shape the notion of what it is to be a farmer. And oh yeah, make a profit.

A system using satellite images and current predictions warns water treatment plant operators when to treat water to avoid four odors and taste. Now the forecasts are available to the public to help make swim decisions.

In 1813 young naval commander Oliver Hazard Perry led the warship Niagara to victory over the British in the Battle of Lake Erie. Today Lake Erie is a battleground for a different water conflict.

Federal funding has taken a hit and Asian carp control muddles along.
That’s nothing compared to eroding environmental protection by the Great Lakes states.