Great Lakes Echo (https://greatlakesecho.org/tag/echo/page/50/)
Our “Jeopardy in July for Lake Lovers” feature was so popular, we decided to continue posting Great Lakes trivia . Keeping checking back for the answers — and new questions. online polls
The answer to the previous question: Lake Ontario’s microclimate delays the onset of fall frost, contributing to the success of fruit orchards on the south shore.
Once home to a prized trout fishery, the Little Plover River has repeatedly dried up and this year had the dubious distinction of being named one of America’s most endangered rivers by American Rivers, a water advocacy group.
Public water supplies are safer than ever — a lot safer than most bottled water. But new concerns about emerging contaminants like pharmaceuticals and fragrances could drive up future costs for water treatment.
Nationwide, there are 1,320 final sites on the Environmental Protection Agency’s National Priority List of waste sites that have released or can release hazardous contaminants. They are either awaiting or undergoing cleanup. Sites can be deleted from the list when “no further response is required to protect human health or the environment,” according to the EPA. Each site is scored through the Hazard Ranking System on a scale from 0-100. The higher the score, the greater threat they represent.
As the number of active state-licensed commercial fishing operations dwindles on the Great Lakes, their downward spiral signals a change in culture as well as economics and environment.
If you’ve been boating on the Great Lakes this summer, it might it surprise you to know that deep below you lives a rare species of fish that’s been around since the dinosaurs. It can live past 100 years old and can be over six feet long. Most of us know next to nothing about the lake sturgeon, but it is a fascinating creature with a stormy history. Nancy Auer is a professor of biology at Michigan Technological University. She recently co-authored a book with environmentalist Dave Dempsey about the fish.
Throughout the summer Great Lakes Echo will feature an occasional series of public service announcements produced by Michigan’s Ottawa County Health Department to promote clean beaches. This one encourages beachgoers to leave their pets at home. “As far as pets go, it is the problem of owner’s not picking up after their pets,” said Kristina Wieghmink, communications specialist for the health department. “It’s the excrement washed into the water that causes a potential health risk.” Echo recently reported that abandoned pet waste can lead to human health hazards.
This week Kart discusses Great Lakes climate change, mosquito bites and European frog-bit.
Photographer Tim Trombley of Great Lakes Photography is another reader who answered Echo’s call for photos this summer. He entitled this picture “Sea Cow,” as the pattern of the rocks along the shallows of Lake Superior resembles the markings commonly seen on cows. “I’m always so amazed by the clarity of the water in Lake Superior, as seen in this photo,” Trombley said. “A kayak is the best way to spend time on this lake when the conditions permit.”
The Glen Lake Association operates the longest running boat washing program in Michigan. The effort pays off by keeping Big and Little Glen lakes nearly free of invasive species and the free service takes less than five minutes to complete.