News

The Tittabawassee River has flooded three times already this year. Each time floodwaters carry dirt from the bottom of the river all over yards, basements, fields and parks. This sediment is contaminated with Dioxin from Dow chemical's plant in Midland, Mich. More...

Dow Chemical polluted the Tittabawassee River with dioxin. Dioxin has been linked to several health issues, including cancer. A comprehensive clean up of the river has barely begun. Dow chemical, the Environmental Protection Agency and the state of Michigan have wrestled over the cleanup for 30 years. More...

After spending more than $13 million fighting efforts to clean up the Chicago River, the agency that handles Cook County's sewage and stormwater on Tuesday officially dropped its opposition. The Metropolitan Water Reclamation District's elected board endorsed a new policy that backs more stringent water quality standards. More...

North East Township supervisors on Monday tabled a proposed ban on hydro-fracking in the township. The ban -- plus a proposal to increase setback requirements for natural gas wells -- needs more study, supervisors said. More...

Mayor Jeff Scrima wants voters in a referendum to make the final decision on any city project costing more than $50 million, and the only one of those on the horizon is the city's request for Lake Michigan water. More...

As part of National Rip Current Awareness Week, the Coast Guard is warning swimmers about the dangers of getting caught in a rip current. Coast Guard officers at Station Oswego say it is a common misconception that rip currents only happen in the ocean. In fact, they can also occur in any of the Great Lakes. More...

American auto makers' return to profitability is welcome news for the state's battered economy. Jobs are gradually rebounding and tax revenue is gaining ground. But with the end of the school year comes another important opportunity to boost Michigan even further: a strong tourism season. More...

Restoration efforts on the St. Clair River include 2,250 feet of riverbank in Marysville and 320 feet in Port Huron. An even larger effort, nearly a mile of riverfront between Vantage Point and Seaway Terminal, is planned at Desmond Landing. More...

More than a dozen kayakers and canoeists were to gather Wednesday morning on the west side of Houghton Lake to start an 11-day river voyage ending in Muskegon, Mich. A combination of environmental research, educational outreach and public relations, the Voyage of Discovery is putting a spotlight on the 217 miles of navigable waters of the river the same way a similar event highlighted the Grand River last summer. More...

Mechanical problems forced an American Airlines plane en route to China to dump thousands of pounds of fuel over Lake Michigan. Reports are that the flight took off from Chicago's O'Hare International Airport on Sunday night and returned safely to O'Hare about 90 minutes later. More...

Wisconsin's Department of Natural Resources is gearing up to combat phragmites, an aggressive weed that can grow up to 20 feet tall. The invasive plants are crowding out native species and obscuring valuable waterfront views. More...

The St. Clair County Health Department tests public beaches every week for E. coli throughout the summer. The state grant that pays for the program might be going away, so testing could be on the line in coming years. More...

The steam yacht Cangarda recently began her inaugural trip on the Erie Canal, the New York State Canal Corporation announced. The 126-ft long vessel, built in, 1901, is the last remaining U.S.-built steam yacht in America, and one of only three left in the world. More...

The U.S. Coast Guard is encouraging recreational boaters to take advantage of several practices and initiatives that, when applied, will greatly decrease the chance of death or injury when boating. More...

Addressing and preventing flooding is a good reason to start paying attention to stormwater management issues, but the public's attention shouldn't recede with the water. More...

The recent announcement that the U.S. Navy will be deploying three of its ships on the Great Lakes in 2012 as part of the federal government's participation in the War of 1812 bicentennial celebration is a welcome surprise. More...

A rip current is a strong, usually narrow surface current flowing outward from a shore. It results from the return flow of waves and wind-driven water. More...

There's another route for Asian carp. They're riding on trucks... that are bringing live carp from fish farms in the South. More...

The Lake Express ferry will visit the port of Kewaunee on Saturday and allow visitors to tour the ship and take short cruises along the Lake Michigan coast. More...

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is holding a public meeting next week as it develops a comprehensive resource management plan for Drummond Island in Lake Huron. More...

The decision falls to the Ohio Supreme Court, which heard arguments Feb. 1 and is expected to make a ruling by July 2. More...

The level in the Port of Montreal is 1.8metres higher than at the same time last year - good news for sailors, though commercial shippers have been told to reduce their speed to avoid creating giant waves. More...

In July 2010, President Obama announced his commitment to implementing the first National Policy for the Stewardship of the Ocean, Our Coasts, and the Great Lakes. The National Ocean Council is now developing Strategic Action Plans to achieve nine national priority objectives that address some of the most pressing challenges facing these areas. The Great Lakes Listening Session to gather comments on the draft action plans is set for Monday, June 13, in Chicago. Your comments are important! Register now to attend in person or via webinar. More...

Today, the Indiana stretch of the Lake Michigan shoreline was designated as a National Recreation Trail. More...

The "Long-shining Waters" intertwines the stories of three women living next to the big lake at different times in history. More...