In the news: More intense rains could swamp Chicago’s aging sewers

Posted April 21st, 2011 in Climate Ready Communities, News, Stormwater & Green Infrastructure, Water Resource Economics

From Chicago Tribune:

In a city built on a swamp, where rainstorms already flood basements and force sewage into Lake Michigan and local streams, climate change could make Chicago’s chronic water pollution woes even worse.

Researchers hired by Mayor Richard Daley’s office estimate that intense rainfall will happen more frequently in the not-so-distant future because of warming global temperatures, challenging the region’s aging sewers and the troubled Deep Tunnel project more than ever.

Rains of greater than 2.5 inches a day, the amount that can trigger sewage dumping into Lake Michigan, are expected to increase by 50 percent between now and 2039, according to a study by scientists from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and Texas Tech University. By the end of the century, the number of big storms could jump by a whopping 160 percent. Read more.  

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Ripple Effects is a collection of 8 activities for grades 6–12 that introduces students to aquatic invasive species in the Great Lakes.

Through research, reporting, and role-playing games, students will:

✅ Explore how non-native species arrived
✅ Understand why they threaten native ecosystems
✅ Investigate their impact on the Great Lakes

Aligned with Next Generation Science Standards and Great Lakes Literacy Principles, this curriculum is perfect for engaging students in real-world science and stewardship.

🔗 visit the link in bio to learn more

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Open post by ilinseagrant with ID 17951809740076508
Ripple Effects is a collection of 8 activities for grades 6–12 that introduces students to aquatic invasive species in the Great Lakes.Through research, reporting, and role-playing games, students will:✅ Explore how non-native species arrived✅ Understand why they threaten native ecosystems✅ Investigate their impact on the Great LakesAligned with Next Generation Science Standards and Great Lakes Literacy Principles, this curriculum is perfect for engaging students in real-world science and stewardship.🔗 visit the link in bio to learn more

Graduate students: don’t miss your chance to advance your research and expand your professional network! The 2026 Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant Graduate Scholars Program is now open for applications. Whether your work focuses on coastal resiliency, Great Lakes science, water resources, or community engagement, this opportunity offers funding and professional development to support your graduate research. Learn more and apply today — opportunities like this don’t come every year!

👉 Read the full details at the link in bio.

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Open post by ilinseagrant with ID 17914034181268469
Graduate students: don’t miss your chance to advance your research and expand your professional network! The 2026 Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant Graduate Scholars Program is now open for applications. Whether your work focuses on coastal resiliency, Great Lakes science, water resources, or community engagement, this opportunity offers funding and professional development to support your graduate research. Learn more and apply today — opportunities like this don’t come every year!👉 Read the full details at the link in bio.

✨ Start Your New Year with Great Lakes Learning! ✨

Kick off 2026 by exploring the Center for Great Lakes Literacy Resource Library. It’s your one-stop hub for lesson plans, activities, and tools to bring Great Lakes science into your teaching setting.

Visit the link in bio to dive in today!

#TeachingTuesday
#GreatLakes #NewYearNewResources

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Open post by ilinseagrant with ID 17852662431611099
✨ Start Your New Year with Great Lakes Learning! ✨Kick off 2026 by exploring the Center for Great Lakes Literacy Resource Library. It’s your one-stop hub for lesson plans, activities, and tools to bring Great Lakes science into your teaching setting.Visit the link in bio to dive in today! #TeachingTuesday#GreatLakes #NewYearNewResources