Above-average temps are becoming the norm in October. Climate change means warmer waters that threaten salmon and trout, a possible rise in tick-borne illnesses and delays in bird migration.
Unlike Michigan, the buckeye state regulates septic systems and provides money to fix the ones leaking sewage into waterways. Could such a program in Michigan address the pollution that fouls our lakes and streams?
The debate pits education advocates who want independent control of their school-year calendars against tourism leaders who want to ensure families can book vacations through Labor Day.
As Michigan state parks experience a visitor resurgence and the federal government funnels gobs of pandemic relief dollars to the state, parks officials want lawmakers to send some of the windfall their way — lawmakers say they’re listening.
A new policy giving state beach managers power to ticket people who enter the water despite warnings during rough waves, bacteria outbreaks or other dangerous conditions. It is set to take effect in May.
Once thought too cold for cyanobacteria to grow, Lake Superior in recent years has joined the other Great Lakes as a breeding ground for potentially-toxic algae as a changing climate warms its waters.
The massive storms that ripped through southeast Michigan this summer are likely the state’s new normal, but our aging infrastructure was designed for the climate of the past.
Natural populations of oil-degrading bacteria could help to clean up freshwater rivers and lakes after spills from pipelines and trains, but it’s not clear whether using bacteria could pose problems for the surrounding environment.
The state has permission to kill up to 9,650 birds and destroy up to 1,400 nests, a move state wildlife managers hope will reduce pressure on fish populations valued by anglers. Opponents say the birds are scapegoated for a fish collapse they didn’t cause.
The state is considering closing beaches and issuing fines, noting that some swimmers are ignoring danger conditions. But surfers and other sports enthusiasts live for rough waves, and want the state to more narrowly tailor any order.
After a recent inspection of the Union Street Dam revealed a need for extensive repairs, city officials are asking a state appeals court to decide ASAP whether the controversial FishPass project can proceed, which would allow the city to replace the dam.
Red flag alerts and other safety measures aren’t enough to keep people out of the water, state officials say, so they want to amp up the rules. They’re looking at drowning totals and the danger to rescuers, and say ticketing violators may help.
Video taken by a boater caught a dramatic glimpse of 200 feet of cliff dropping into the water at an iconic natural area. While it raises questions about the state’s battered shoreline, ‘erosion is always happening,’ a park official said.
The Minnesota city on Lake Superior is earning a reputation as a future destination for climate migrants. Experts say the entire Great Lakes region is primed for an influx, prompting questions on how to prepare for coming change.
What does Michigan’s future look like if we adequately prepare the state’s water resources for climate change? Goodbye to septics and shore-hugging homes. Hello to more diversified crops on Michigan farms.
Only a few small communities in the Great Lakes Basin have sought water diversions. But with climate change, some fear that increasingly parched swaths of the U.S. will seek access to the fresh water that surrounds us.
New research suggests that microplastics act like a chemical sponge, soaking up contaminants such as persistent organic pollutants and heavy metals. Those chemicals, in turn, appear to be causing deformities in larval fish.
