Communities in Michigan and elsewhere in the Midwest are taking steps to guard against groundwater depletion, including some surprising places near the Great Lakes.
Great Lakes News Collaborative
Bridge Michigan, Circle of Blue, Great Lakes Now at Detroit Public Television, The Narwhal and Michigan Public work together to report on the most pressing threats to the Great Lakes region’s water. This independent journalism is supported by the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation.
Water’s True Cost
As the nation prepares to pour hundreds of billions of federal dollars into rescuing water systems, the Great Lakes News Collaborative investigates the true cost of water in Michigan. Read the series.
Ready or Not
The Great Lakes region is frequently touted as one of the most climate-resilient places in the U.S., in part because of its enviable water resources. But climate change also threatens our water. The Great Lakes News Collaborative explores what it will take to prepare. Read the series.
Posted inMichigan Environment Watch
What's being done about plastic trash getting into the Great Lakes?
As researchers learn more about the hazards of plastics and microplastics in the Great Lakes, it’s becoming clear Canada and the U.S. need to cooperate in stopping the pollution.
Posted inMichigan Environment Watch
In Benton Harbor, lead lines are gone but water remains a luxury
It took years of resident complaints and millions in federal money but the lead water lines have finally been replaced. But now there’s a growing challenge in this cash-strapped city: ever-increasing water bills.
Posted inMichigan Environment Watch
New federal money is the start of an effort to make Great Lakes coasts more resilient
Federal money can be used to restore wetlands, buy property to use as a buffer, and invest in nature-based infrastructure.
Posted inMichigan Environment Watch
Consumers’ decision on 13 dams could alter Michigan rivers, towns
Consumers Energy is weighing what to do with old, hydropower dams that cost more to operate and maintain than the value of the energy they provide. But removing the dams has consequences for major rivers and local economies.
Posted inMichigan Environment Watch
Control for frog-bit and water soldiers
Almost a century later, frog-bit has become a formidable nuisance, especially along parts of Lake Huron and in southeast Michigan.
Posted inMichigan Environment Watch
Michigan ‘river walker’ program warns anglers on eating contaminated fish
Industrial pollution taints the fish in a host of Michigan rivers, but anglers often don’t know the risks. River walkers like Jim Bridgforth aim to change that — but not everyone has the luxury of skipping a fresh-caught meal.
Posted inMichigan Environment Watch
Michigan crews prepare for a Great Lakes oil spill
Training exercises like the one that recently took place in Rogers City help companies that transport or store oil in the Great Lakes prepare for a worst-case scenario.
Posted inMichigan Environment Watch
Michigan tribes fight long odds to restore wild rice, their history
Once abundant in Michigan, wild rice has dwindled in numbers since the early 1900s. Now, tribes are partnering with government agencies to bring back the grain that is vital to their heritage.
Posted inMichigan Environment Watch
Workers in short supply as U.S. invests $1.3 trillion in infrastructure repairs
Big money is coming into Michigan, other states, but an expert says ‘the elephant in the room is: where are the workers going to come from?’