A new study from MSU researchers used aerial photography to show just how much Michigan’s western shoreline has changed since the high water crisis of 2020. The expansion of hard armoring brings consequences for people and the environment.
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.
Michigan Supreme Court to consider Line 5 permit challenges
The state’s highest court will hear two challenges to the Michigan Public Service Commission’s approval of a permit for Enbridge Inc.’s proposed Line 5 tunnel in the Straits of Mackinac.
Michigan fish farmers chart sustainable future for Great Lakes
As global aquaculture has grown to meet increasing demand for protein, a small but determined group of inland fish farmers in the Great Lakes region are building a more sustainable, local supply.
New tool in fight against Great Lakes invasive species: muskrats
In the battle against invasive species, the common muskrat may be an unsung hero. A new study done in the UP by scientists from the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians, Loyola University and the University of Connecticut finds that muskrats are an effective way to control invasive cattails in wetlands.
50 years after Edmund Fitzgerald, Michigan author explores its mystery, legend
Author John U. Bacon’s forthcoming book about the Great Lakes’ most famous shipwreck concludes that many factors ‘came together at exactly the wrong place and the wrong time’ to doom the freighter.
Time running out for Great Lakes whitefish. Can ponds become their Noah’s Ark?
On the brink of collapse in Lakes Michigan and Huron, whitefish need a miracle. Now, some want to relocate fish en masse to inland waters to preserve dying bloodlines.
Free screening of new documentary about Great Lakes’ underwater secrets
The Detroit premiere of ‘All Too Clear: Beneath the Surface of the Great Lakes,’ a new documentary that reveals the hidden beauty and threats to the Great Lakes, is set to screen for free at the Detroit Film Theatre.
Expand spearfishing in Michigan? Anglers want more varieties, fishing sites
Spearfishers want the Natural Resources Commission to continue allowing them to fish in more areas and to catch more species.
Great Lakes have entered era of extreme temps, study finds
University of Michigan researchers have confirmed increasing cold snaps and heat waves on the Great Lakes.
Tugboat crewmembers sorely needed in Michigan, US. Can Trump push help?
The Great Lakes Maritime Academy in Traverse City is hopeful a push from President Donald Trump to revive the American maritime industry can help fill entry-level positions on tugboats and barges in the Great Lakes.