IISG in the news: How a river went from diversity to dumpsite

Posted July 15th, 2010 in Great Lakes Cleanup, News

Leslie Dorworth, IISG aquatic ecology specialist has written several articles for Grist magazine about the Grand Calumet River. This one describes how things got so bad for this polluted waterway:

The Grand Calumet River is about 13 miles long and flows through one of the most industrialized areas in the United States. At one time, the river’s branches and tributaries flowed throughout northwest Indiana and supported globally unique fish and wildlife. Today, thanks to being moved and manipulated by humans over the years, the Calumet river system is one of the smallest watersheds in the region, and there are stretches of river that support nothing but sludge worms.

How did this happen? Two words: people and industry. Read more.

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Happy Earth Day 🌎💙

From the Great Lakes to your local community, every action counts. Whether it’s reducing waste, protecting water, or learning something new, small steps make a big impact.

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Open post by ilinseagrant with ID 18583161733038907
Happy Earth Day 🌎💙From the Great Lakes to your local community, every action counts. Whether it’s reducing waste, protecting water, or learning something new, small steps make a big impact.

Join the 2026 Great Lakes BioBlitz! 🌎🦋📸
Starting Earth Day, educators, students, youth groups, and families are invited to help document biodiversity across the Great Lakes region using iNaturalist. A kick-off webinar is scheduled for April 16th at 2 pm CT.
Participate anytime during the four‑week event. Snap photos, make observations, and contribute to real conservation data while getting students outside and engaged with nature.

Learn more and get ready to explore: https://sites.google.com/wisc.edu/annual-great-lakes-bioblitz/2026

#TeachingTuesday
#GreatLakes

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Open post by ilinseagrant with ID 18002302076879373
Join the 2026 Great Lakes BioBlitz! 🌎🦋📸Starting Earth Day, educators, students, youth groups, and families are invited to help document biodiversity across the Great Lakes region using iNaturalist. A kick-off webinar is scheduled for April 16th at 2 pm CT.Participate anytime during the four‑week event. Snap photos, make observations, and contribute to real conservation data while getting students outside and engaged with nature. Learn more and get ready to explore: https://sites.google.com/wisc.edu/annual-great-lakes-bioblitz/2026 #TeachingTuesday#GreatLakes