Great Lakes Echo (https://greatlakesecho.org/category/test/page/99/)
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As carbon levels increase from fossil fuel emissions, oceans and perhaps the Great Lakes become more acidic. That could affect freshwater ecology. Researchers want a bigger, better network of Great Lakes carbon sensors.
The Great Lakes’ record-low water levels are rightly receiving all of the attention now, but evidence is growing that Michigan’s fragile groundwater resources are quietly becoming a concern for the future. Robert Glennon, professor of law and public policy at the University of Arizona and author of “Unquenchable: America’s Water Crisis and What to do About It,” knows Michigan well and shares his insights. Echo has reported on the consequences of drought on Great Lakes groundwater – which can also be seen on this map – and the challenge of measuring its effects. The need for better groundwater conservation continues to be a widely overlooked issue facing the Basin.
As vehicles become more efficient, gas tax rates have remained the same and no longer provide enough money to pay for building and upkeeping roads and bridges. Tracking how much a vehicle drives may be an answer — but only way down the road.
Each week, Great Lakes Echo features a photo story about a different Area of Concern designated by the U.S. or Canadian governments in the Great Lakes basin.
Guess where the area is located, based on the description of the site.
It may not be the best time for a swim in Lake Michigan, but that isn’t stopping 37 Illinois residents on Friday. Those taking part in the 8th annual 2013 SUPER Plunge will be braving the icy waters to raise money for Special Olympics Illinois. The SUPER acronym says it all: Some Unbelievable Plungers Enter Repeatedly. It’s so named because participants are expected to dive not once, not twice, but 24 times over the course of 24 hours. The Lake Michigan water may be frigid, but the event is undoubtedly effective.
A new study indicates that certain drugs may make fish hungrier and bolder.
And the impacts could cause significant changes not only to fish but to the entire ecosystem.
The developers of a remote-controlled, geese-scaring device called the Goosinator say it controls health-threatening E. coli bacteria deposited by geese droppings. Geese and seagull droppings contribute to beach and park closings, said Dave Colton, the Goosinator’s director of sales. Company officials say their product helps keep areas fowl free. Its bright orange color and glaring teeth scare the geese, according to the product website. And a separate, stationary Goosinator acts like a scarecrow to make sure they don’t return, Colton said.
Check out this video that shows Lake Erie freeze over a span of three days. It was created by Great Lakes Vista, a website that captures live feeds and still photos of Lake Erie. The site’s images are captured using an old camcorder in a weatherproof box. Software takes a picture every two minutes in addition to a video stream that runs constantly, according to Mark Lasmanis, the owner and operator of Great Lakes Vista. Those who donate to the site get access to the active video stream as a perk, but the site also features archives of the last hour of still images, which comes in handy if you want to check developing weather conditions.
The U.S. Government Accountability Office is proposing measures to prevent future oil pipeline spills. They include automated valves, spill modeling software, locating response personnel closer to pipelines and collecting better data on response times.
Mr. Great Lakes (Jeff Kart) reports from Bay City, Michigan’s Delta College Q-90.1 FM.
This week Kart discussed an energy forum at Delta College on March 4, dragonflies in Saginaw, and a project to reduce high bacteria levels on the Kawkawlin River. Text at Mr Great Lakes