From our latest issue of The HELM:

In Lake Zurich, a northwest Chicago suburb, leaders are looking at their current water situation as a glass that is half full. This Lake County village is in the process of deciding what will be its future water source because continuing to pump from its deep aquifer is not sustainable.

“Some people think of these issues as challenges; I think of them as opportunities,” said village Trustee Richard Sustich, who is spearheading the water initiative.

On March 7, the Lake Zurich Village Board signed a memorandum that approved hiring an integrated water resources management team to advise the community as it develops its future water plan. The team will assist the village with the engineering, cost, and analysis of the different water options.

The Metropolitan Planning Councilis leading the team, which also consists of Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant, the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning, and the Center for Neighborhood Technology. Read more.

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Do you work or live along the Great Lakes coasts? Watch our newly released video series collection, containing several short videos that overview the range of coastal protection options in the Great Lakes, including:- Natural processes in the Great Lakes- Hard coastal protection structures and how they interact with/alter natural processes- Nature-based coastal solutions in the Great Lakes, ranging from green to gray approachesFind our two new video series at the link in bio.
Located in Washington, D.C., the Sea Grant Knauss Fellowship provides a unique educational and professional experience to graduate students who have an interest in ocean, coastal and Great Lakes resources, and in the national policy decisions affecting those resources. This is a one-year fellowship open to any student, regardless of citizenship, who is enrolled toward a degree in a graduate or professional program on the day of the deadline.Students enrolled at an Illinois or Indiana university or college should submit their applications through Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant by emailing Angela Archer at amcbride@purdue.edu. Students in surrounding states without a Sea Grant program should contact the National Sea Grant College Program at oar.sg.fellows@noaa.gov for a referral. Application deadline: June 3, 2026.To learn more about the fellowship, visit the link in bio.
Science is Survival at C2E2 2026! Catch us at the Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo (March 27–29) as we explore the underwater world of Subnautica through the lens of Great Lakes science.Stop by our booth to discover how Great Lakes food webs, invasive species, and aquaponics stack up against your favorite survival game!Learn more about the event at the link in bio.