Submerged, “reef-style” breakwaters may be a viable nature-based solution for shoreline protection and ecological enhancement. However, the lack of quantitative data on the effectiveness of such nature-based solutions limits the ability of managers to implement them within Great Lakes coastal communities.

Our goals are to use monitoring data to (a) inform habitat restoration and protection efforts around Lake Michigan and other Great Lakes, and (b) provide the much needed geomorphic and sediment-routing context to help assess the regional impacts of such structures (and their broader utility). We will accomplish these goals through the following objectives: Obj 1) Determine the effect of the two different artificial reefs on aquatic species abundance and diversity through comparisons to long-term (2016-present) ecological monitoring sites co-located with the reefs. Obj 2) Quantify bathymetric changes to the nearshore environment surrounding the reefs and topographic changes to the adjacent beach environment, evaluating post-reef morphodynamics in context of available pre-construction data (post-2018 at Site 1). Obj 3) Engage a variety of coastal stakeholder groups by way of discussion forums, workshops, fact sheets, or other meeting types. 

The crucial role of sustainable, safe, and affordable access to water in achieving human rights and economic prosperity is globally recognized (United Nations Resolution 64/292). For more than a century, local governments have sought the expertise of the Illinois State Water Survey (ISWS) to inform their infrastructure decisions and improve their understanding of water supply issues. However, there are still areas, such as southern Cook and eastern Will Counties (the South Suburbs), that lack the resources and coordination to initiate their own study. These areas rely on both Lake Michigan (for public drinking water) and groundwater (for public drinking water, backup and private domestic supply), and some municipalities may be forced to switch to Lake Michigan as their groundwater quality declines, impacting the allocation of Lake Michigan water for the entire region.

The primary outcomes of this study will be a refinement of and an increase in access to our collective knowledge regarding the suitability of available water resources to meet the demands of the South Suburbs. The overarching goal of ISWS, Chicago Metropolitan Planning Agency, and our numerous supporting partners, in undertaking this endeavor is to provide for a more equitable position for these, otherwise underserved, communities to plan for and negotiate their water resource futures.

The widespread utilization of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) has resulted in their appearance in soil, air, water, and biological tissues across the planet. One potential route of PFAS bioaccumulation into people is via consumption of contaminated fish. Previous research has demonstrated that low-level bioaccumulation of pollutants from contaminated sediments into benthic invertebrates is a key route of exposure into the food chain affecting human health. Contaminated sites are often located in areas populated by disadvantaged communities, and therefore consumption of fish by populations in areas of historic pollution is an important environmental justice consideration. PFAS accumulation in commercial fisheries is also an important consideration for the seafood industry and its workforce. This project will improve knowledge of bioaccumulation and other fate and transport processes in saturated media and develop new insight into public perceptions of risks of PFAS exposure through this pathway. The objectives are to: (1) understand the fate and transport processes, including competitive sorption, of complex PFAS mixtures from shallow groundwater to organisms in surface sediments, (2) identify key PFAS that are likely to drive bioaccumulation risk assessments for benthic invertebrates, (3) assess the potential for a passive sampling device to act as a biomimetic for PFAS bioaccumulation, and (4) understand public perceptions of risks posed by PFAS-contaminated fish tissue to inform public policymaking.

PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) are broadly recognized to pose a serious threat to environmental and public health, are now ubiquitous and persistent in the environment, and aquatic systems are particularly susceptible to contamination from multiple sources. Scientists recognize a critical need to better understand the fate and transport of PFAS into aquatic ecosystems and their movement within these systems once present. Understanding PFAS contamination pathways into aquatic ecosystems will allow managers and public officials to better protect food webs and top fish predators that are consumed as a protein source, ultimately protecting public health. Our main objective is to determine the sources, sinks, and cycling of PFAS in stream ecosystems of coastal southern Lake Michigan watersheds as potential routes to human exposure. Our specific objectives are to quantify the PFAS spatial distribution in these biotic matrices, estimate the flows of PFAS among ecosystem compartments, and determine if any compartments act as a persistent reservoir of contamination. We are well positioned to fulfill these objectives by leveraging a recently approved grant from the Indiana Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) – Lake Michigan Coastal Program (LMCP, funded by NOAA) which will provide support for analysis of complementary abiotic samples (i.e., water and sediment).

The objectives of this project are to assist in characterizing and managing pollution-related hazards to tributaries and adjacent communities along the southern half of Lake Michigan. We will accomplish this by 1) deriving a database of risk quotients (RQs; ratio of the environmental concentration of a chemical to a toxicity measurement) specific to this region by combining 30 years of contaminant monitoring data with standardized toxicity information, 2) using the RQs to estimate the effects of pollutants on regional fish and invertebrate populations, 3) highlighting local pollution-related environmental justice concerns by adding income and poverty data to the RQ database, and 4) creating an online tool for managers andstakeholders to search and visualize data from the RQ database and guide decision making.

This project was funded through the “Social and Economic Impacts of PFAS in the Great Lakes and Lake Champlain Regions” opportunity. 

The objectives of this study are: i) to advance the understanding of community risks of PFAS pollution exposure in MI, NY, and PA; and ii) to examine the effectiveness of the local regulations in the three states on motivating public awareness and avoidance behaviors.

New York Sea Grant is supporting outreach efforts for this proposal.