Cleared of pollution and debris, Muskegon again sees lake as a virtue.
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 inThe Center for Michigan
Watch Bridge discussion on climate change and the Great Lakes
Bridge Michigan reporter Kelly House moderated a Zoom discussion with three experts about the impact of climate change on the Great Lakes region.
Posted inMichigan Environment Watch
Bird flu has killed nearly 1,500 Caspian terns on Lake Michigan islands
The seabird, which feasts on alewifes in the Great Lakes, is thought to be particularly susceptible to spreading disease because they nest closely together.
Posted inMichigan Environment Watch
Great Lakes water levels could increase on average from 7.5 to 17 inches in next few decades, study says
By treating them more like the oceans, researchers are trying to better predict future Great Lakes water levels.
Posted inMichigan Environment Watch
Humans help endangered piping plover chicks survive on Michigan beaches
Piping plovers are nesting in more places, and in slightly greater numbers.
Posted inMichigan Environment Watch
Crews work to contain significant spill in Flint River
Several thousand gallons of an oil-based substance that hasn’t been identified apparently leaked into the river upstream from the city of Flint.
Posted inMichigan Environment Watch
EPA: Two toxic hot spots in Michigan will take longer to clean up than many others in Great Lakes states
One of the biggest pollution cleanup efforts in the Great Lakes region is getting a boost.
Posted inMichigan Environment Watch
Five fixes for Michigan’s drinking water woes
The Great Lakes News Collaborative asked state and national experts how Michigan could break the cycle of underfunding and poor decision-making that has left water systems across Michigan in sorry shape.
Posted inThe Center for Michigan
Watch Bridge discussion on Michigan’s aging water infrastructure
Bridge Michigan reporter Kelly House and Circle of Blue reporter Brett Walton moderated a Zoom discussion for Bridge readers with three experts about the state and region’s decrepit water infrastructure.
Posted inMichigan Environment Watch
Some MI water systems are overbuilt, underfunded. Are mergers the answer?
Customers get cheaper, cleaner water when communities share the cost of infrastructure. But Michigan’s experience shows how political conflicts and logistical challenges can complicate the math.