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

This quick fact sheet provides highlights of IISG’s work through 2024 with a bi-state perspective.

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/

15 educators from across the Great Lakes Basin spent a week on Lake Michigan aboard the US EPA R/V Lake Guardian from July 7-13, 2025. This story map highlights the journey and shares the stories of the participants’ experiences in their own words.

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/

This brochure for pet owners details information about the problems posed by unwanted or expired veterinary medicine in the home, and provides comprehensive guidance about proper disposal using take-back programs or an appropriate alternative method. This brochure was created in collaboration with the American Veterinary Medical Association.

References:

1. Announcing: The Top 10 Pet Toxins. American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. https://www.aspca.org/news/announcing-top-10-pet-toxins. Accessed 28 September 2021.
2. Kaczala, F. and S.E. Blum. 2016. The occurrence of veterinary pharmaceuticals in the environment: a review. Current Analytical Chemistry. 12:169-182. https://dx.doi.org/10.2174%2F1573411012666151009193108.
3. Dodgen, L.K., W.R. Kelly, S.V. Panno, S.J. Taylor, D.L. Armstrong, K.N. Wiles, Y. Zhang, and W. Zheng. 2017. Characterizing pharmaceutical, personal care product, and hormone contamination in a karst aquifer of southwestern Illinois, USA, using water quality and stream flow parameters. Science of the Total Environment. 578:281-289. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2016.10.103.
4. Ebele, A.J., M.A. Abdallah, and S. Harrad. 2017. Pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) in the freshwater aquatic environment. Emerging Contaminants. 3(1):1-16. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.emcon.2016.12.004.
   Aliko, V., R.S. Korriku, M. Pagano, and C. Faggio. 2021. Double-edged sword: Fluoxetine and ibuprofen as development jeopardizers and apoptosis’ inducers in common toad, Bufo bufo, tadpoles. Science of The Total Environment. 776 (145945). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.145945.
5. https://www.fda.gov/consumers/consumer-updates/where-and-how-dispose-unused-medicines. Accessed 28 September 2021.