Paddle boarders cross Platte Lake, Michigan, where a decades-long campaign reduced algal blooms caused by runoff from a fish hatchery. Image: J. Carl Ganter/ Circle of Blue
Nearshore

Great Lakes beach closings are no protection from harmful pollutants

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By Amalia Medina

A green flag flying on a Great Lakes beach does not necessarily mean it’s safe to swim. Checking beach monitoring websites like BeachGuard is not a surefire solution either. These two findings are central to a public health research project, the Great Lakes Microbial Water Quality Assessment, that set out to measure microbial and chemical threats in Great Lakes waters, and how to reduce the number of illnesses they cause each year. A report from the project, sponsored by the International Joint Commission said decades-old testing methods are inadequate and “advances in newer methods are critically needed.” The commission is bi-national agency that advises the U.S. and Canada on managing water along the border. The need for such research is considered urgent.

Mussels native to Michigan’s fresh water. Image: Daelyn Woolnough
Water

Harnessing mussels to filter fresh water: A biological cure for contaminants is being studied

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By Amalia Medina

Water tanks line a room in Philadelphia’s Water Works on the bank of the Schuylkill River. Inside are small fish that are hosts to tiny organisms that researchers say can help solve polluted waterways. Tucked under the fish gills are microscopic mussels that will mature and become capable of filtering 10 to 15 gallons of water per day. Those data points make Lance Butler, who leads the research, hopeful. In essence, mussels are “our canaries in the coal mine for our water,” he said.