Echo
River monitoring cuts could stop crucial data flow to river regulators
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More than a dozen devices broadcasting crucial water data from rivers across Michigan could soon be switched off as a result of projected state and federal budget cuts.
Echo
Majority of pregnant women in study exposed to chemicals linked to birth defects
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Most pregnant women tested positive for chemicals linked to birth defects in a recent study by the Minnesota Department of Health.
Echo
Photo Friday: Platte Point Beach – Lake Michigan
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To submit an image to Great Lakes Echo Photo Friday, send photo, caption and your name to greatlakesecho@gmail.com.
Echo
Land use key to protecting Muskegon River from effects of climate change
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The fate of the Muskegon River in a warming climate depends on how the land around it is managed.
Echo
Buoy observatory gives hourly updates on Muskegon Lake
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You don’t have to step into waders to get the latest information on Muskegon Lake. Thanks to the Muskegon Lake Buoy Observatory and Grand Valley State University, you can get updates on the lake’s water quality, food web structure and more without getting your feet wet. The solar-powered buoy observatory is anchored from April to November collecting information from the water and the air to put together a real-time picture of Muskegon Lake’s environment. The EPA dubbed the lake an Area of Concern in 1985 due to its history of trouble with water quality, habitat degradation and pollution, and is funding the project with a Great Lakes Restoration Initiative grant. With data updated hourly, researchers get a real-time picture of the lake’s environment, schools can keep tabs on the lake for classroom projects and the general public can get updates on weather and fishing conditions.
Land
Fresh funds fuel phragmite fight
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Phragmites grow aggressively out-competing natives like bulrushes, cattails and sage plants and now wetland managers want it eradicated and replaced by native species.
Echo
Spotlight shines on women lighthouse keepers
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The most visible legacy of Michigan’s lighthouse heritage is in the buildings preserved along the coast — among them the Whitefish Point Light Station on Lake Superior, Grand Traverse Lighthouse in Leelanau State Park and Big Sable Point.
Energy
Geothermal offers promise, challenges for Great Lakes states
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A small Detroit suburb is tapping the earth’s natural energy by creating a geothermal utility — the first of its kind in the Great Lakes region.
Echo
Carp fight: Stymied in the courts, states widen the scope of the battle
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The carp fights rage on.
An appeals court ruled against closing the Chicago locks. Now Great Lakes state attorneys are looking for support outside the region.