Nearshore
Beach funding dwindles
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Michigan received $152,000 in federal grants in 2014 to monitor the cleanliness of its lakes and beaches.
That’s more than $200,000 less than the state was allotted in 2013.
Nearshore
Restoring Lake Erie’s largest wetland
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The Nature Conservancy has a five-year restoration of Erie Marsh now underway.
Nearshore
Feds could revoke Michigan’s wetland authority
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Michigan is one of only two states that have the authority to regulate wetlands.
Recently the Environmental Protection Agency held a hearing to determine if Michigan’s environmental standards for wetland management meet federal benchmarks.
Nearshore
Recent gain in Great Lakes coastal wetlands shadows impending losses, experts warn
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The Great Lakes region gained 13,000 acres of coastal wetlands from 2004-09, due to low lake levels – and experts warn that this gain may obscure much larger, longer-term losses that are likely to continue.
Nearshore
Artificial wetland in Ohio filters runoff, fights algae
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Ohio officials have built an artificial wetland to help prevent blooms of toxic algae in Grand Lake St. Marys by filtering runoff from a nearby creek.
Nearshore
Detroit’s Water Renaissance: New shorelines, old problems on the Detroit River
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Water attracted early settlers to Detroit and water fueled its growth. Now it’s an important asset to the city’s recovery.
Nearshore
Survey reveals why lawn trumps native shoreline, and what to do about it
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Property owners believe their waterfronts are more natural than they really are, according to a recent University of Wisconsin survey.
Nearshore
Jeopardy in July: Beaches of Lake Michigan
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This is part of our “Jeopardy in July for Lake Lovers” feature, where we will post Great Lakes trivia throughout the month. Check back for the answers – and new questions. survey solutions
The answer to the previous question: Lake Michigan islands include Beaver, North and South Manitou, Washington and Rock islands.
Echo
Little Things, Big Problems: Spotted Knapweed
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Last year, the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative and the National Park Service began producing a series of educational videos about invasive species in the Great Lakes. New videos have recently been uploaded, and you can watch the entire “Little Things, Big Problems” series here on Echo. This video discusses the spread of the spotted knapweed and how it prevents the growth of native plants on the shores of Lake Superior.
Nearshore
Photo Friday: Hydrilla Hunting
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The hydrilla, an invasive aquatic plant, has an alarming growth rate clearly illustrated in the photographs above. The photos were captured by the Northeast Illinois Invasive Plant Partnership (NIIPP), an organization that helps prevent and manage plant invasions, and show massive growth of hydrilla in a mere 18 days. Hydrilla grows up to an inch per day and forms dense mats of vegetation at the water’s surface, according to the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. Early detection can be key in controlling the plant, before it poses a threat to native plants and wildlife, recreational fishing and boating and waterfront property values. NIIPP is seeking volunteers for a Hydrilla Hunt, a program that encourages Illinois residents to learn how to identify hydrilla and keep a lookout for the plant at local lakes, ponds and rivers.