If you care about Michigan, please support our work.
Donate TodayGreat Lakes
Articles
Michigan’s coast is being armored with seawalls, making erosion worse
Desperate to save homes from encroaching waves, shoreline property owners are hardening shorelines on the Great Lakes at a feverish pace. Experts fear these barriers will do harm in the long term.
As Great Lakes rise, less sand for Michigan beachgoers during coronavirus
Record-breaking Great Lakes water levels already wreak havoc on Michigan’s coastline. Now, they’re creating a new problem: How to maintain social distance at beaches reduced to a sliver of sand?
Wary of water safety, Michigan residents want stronger regulation
Polling by The Center for Michigan of more than 3,100 residents shows broad support for increased regulations to protect waterways and heightened anxieties about their safety.
Michigan’s cherished Great Lakes, clean waters face threats from all sides
Flint was a wake-up call about access to clean water. Since that crisis, numerous new threats have emerged to Michigan’s waterways, from PFAS to corporate extractions.
What Democratic presidential candidates’ plans mean for Michigan environment
Democratic presidential candidates’ plans for water quality, climate change and other environmental issues could have major effects on Michigan.
Loving this mild Michigan winter? Outdoor enthusiasts sure aren’t.
Michigan’s tepid winter is stressing ski hills, snowmobile clubs, sporting good stores and restaurants alike. Get used to it. This could be the new normal with climate change, experts say.
How much brook trout is enough? Michigan keeps changing catch limits.
State regulators have changed daily catch limits for Michigan’s state fish four times since 2017 as they try to balance conservation concerns against the frustration of many Upper Peninsula anglers.
Michigan environmental roundup: Lawmakers tackle moose hunts, water shutoffs
The latest can’t-miss journalism about natural resources in Michigan and the Great Lakes.
Michigan environment roundup: Bringing solar power to the Upper Peninsula
The latest can’t-miss journalism about natural resources in Michigan and the Great Lakes.
A U-M researcher gets public’s help tracking deadly balloons in the Great Lakes
What goes up must come down, and balloon debris is killing wildlife, says Lara O'Brien. She launched a survey in June that’s already found more than 1,000 pieces of balloons along Michigan’s Great Lakes — as far away as Isle Royale.
Opinion | Cleanup of Great Lakes pollution hot spots is good for economy
Cleaning up the mess we’ve made of our waterways isn’t just the right thing to do; it helps revitalize communities.
Algae is again fouling Lake Erie. Thanks a lot, Ohio.
As water quality fears rise, many Michigan farmers are doing their part to stem the flow of algae-producing nutrients, widespread measures that Ohio can only dream of.
Audit: Michigan Office of the Great Lakes didn't keep track of money
The government agency is supposed to restore wetlands, but hasn’t updated action plans for years and failed to keep tabs on grants, an audit finds.
Rising waters of Lake Michigan assault Grand Traverse coast. In photos.
Vanishing beaches. Swamped piers. Snapped concrete. Near-record high waters battered the scenic peninsula from Traverse City to Leland.
Battle looms over laws to slow spread of invasive species in Great Lakes
Ballast water regulations have limited the introduction of new species in the Great Lakes, but new research shows they may be spread by domestic freighters. The shipping industry claims new rules would cost hundreds of millions of dollars.
All eyes on Grand Traverse Bay as deadline looms for tribal fishing decree
A consent decree that carves out fishing rights in the Great Lakes for five Michigan tribes is set to expire next August and negotiations have yet to start with the state. The outcome could shape fisheries for decades.
Study: Asian carp could thrive in Lake Michigan, despite earlier doubts
A new University of Michigan study found that voracious bighead carp could survive in wider areas of Lake Michigan than previously thought. The findings loudened calls for Congress to approve a $778 million barrier to prevent the invasive fish from jeopardizing the Great Lakes’ $7 billion commercial fishery.
Before debates, Gretchen Whitmer urges Democrats to protect Great Lakes
Joining fellow Democratic governors in Illinois, Minnesota, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, Michigan’s governor urges presidential hopefuls to protect the Great Lakes by backing proposals that would improve water quality and thwart invasive species.
Commercial fishing is sinking fast in Michigan. Time for more regulations?
Sportfishing is booming in Michigan, while fewer than two dozen commercial businesses tie their livelihoods to the Great Lakes. The industry has a rich heritage, but some say it’s time to ‘pull the plug on the horse and carriage industry.’
Invasive mussels challenge commercial whitefish fishing in the Great Lakes
The spread of invasive quagga and zebra mussels in the Great Lakes has wreaked havoc on Great Lakes food chains. They may be behind a startling decline in whitefish, the most valuable stock for fishermen.