Water level variability in Lake Michigan, such as the rapid 6 ft rise between record lows in 2013 to near highs in 2020, had substantial impacts along the southern Lake Michigan coast, forcing communities to quickly respond and plan for future changes. To help address this challenge, Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant (IISG) hosted a series of four virtual workshops in October 2020, focused on improving communication about water level variability along the Lake Michigan coast of Illinois and Indiana. This factsheet summarizes the need, goals, and outcomes of the workshop series, and highlights key resources developed by IISG to address prioritized datasets and outreach products identified in the workshops.

References:

1. V.M. Fall and C.J. Foley. 2020. Virtual Workshop Series: Improving Communication About Changing Lake Michigan Water Levels in the Chicago Metropolitan Area, Workshop Summary. 25 pp. URL: https://iiseagrant.org/publications/virtual-lake-levels-workshop-report/
2. V.M. Fall and A. Milicia. 2021. Ready for Lake Michigan Highs and Lows: Strategies and Case Studies, Storymap. Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant Publication Number IISG21-RCE-WEB-049. URL: https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/356d9776b3db4dabb23d624d9e2b6837
3. Fall, Veronica and Allison Milicia. Increasing Illinois and Indiana Shoreline Resilience: Information A to Z. Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant Report Number IISG21-RCE-RSM-058. https://iiseagrant.org/publications/increasing-illinois-and-indiana-shoreline-resilience-information-a-to-z.
4. US Army Corps of Engineers Detroit District Website. Great Lakes Water Level Data. URL: https://www.lre.usace.army.mil/Missions/Great-Lakes-Information/Great-Lakes-Information-2/Water-Level-Data/

The use of live crayfish in classrooms has been identified as a pathway for the introduction of invasive crayfish into our local waterways. To address this issue, the Investigating Crayfish and Freshwater Ecosystems curriculum was developed to teach students about Great Lakes ecosystems, the significance of native crayfish, and the ecological threats posed by invasive crayfish. It contains nine lesson plans aligned to Next Generation Science Standards, Common Core State Standards, and Center for Great Lakes Literacy Principles. The curriculum is best suited for students in grades 6-12 but offers numerous adaptations/extensions to meet the divergent needs of students in grades 2–5.

This document is available on the Invasive Crayfish Collaborative website: https://invasivecrayfish.org/crayfish-curriculum/

Understanding future water demand is key to managing these resources sustainably. The Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP), Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant (IISG), and University of Illinois Extension recently updated the region’s water demand forecast to reflect new population and employment projections. The forecast shows that water use is expected to continue declining, due to steady advances in water conservation and efficiency that are outpacing population and employment growth. However, in some areas, forecasted water demand will exceed available groundwater supplies.

This publication is available through the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning’s website at: https://cmap.illinois.gov/wp-content/uploads/dlm_uploads/Regional-Water-Demand-Forecast-for-Northeastern-Illinois-2020-2050.pdf

Small- to medium-scale aquaculture businesses in the USDA North Central region face marketing challenges. In this publication, Purdue and Illinois researchers use a step-by-step approach to advise farmers how direct marketing can shorten the supply chain and help them find new customers willing to pay premium prices.

This publication is available for download from the Purdue University Extension Education Store at: https://edustore.purdue.edu/fnr-642-w.html

Aquaponics: Farming Fish, Growing Greens teaches STEM through aquaponics, a water-based agricultural system that combines aquaculture and hydroponics. This 9-12 grade curriculum was designed to be used along with an onsite aquaponics system. Curriculum topics include an Introduction to aquaculture, fundamental parts of an aquaponics system, the nitrogen cycle, water quality, population dynamics, our modern food system and more. Lessons were developed to build on each other and be delivered in sequence but can also be used individually.

If you would like to access to all the Aquaponics: Farming Fish, Growing Greens curriculum resources such as slide decks, submit your requests to iisg@purdue.edu.

Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant’s annual magazine.

This issue highlights:

• Swimming Safer: Sharing knowledge, data, and resources
• IISG interns can have invaluable real world experience
• Spelling out nature’s benefits helps inform land use decisions
• Largemouth bass in the busy Chicago River are seeking out natural areas
• Educators explore water quality along the Wild Mile
• We’re funding new research to address emerging coastal issues