Sea Grant is focused on lake levels and other pressing Great Lakes issues

Posted March 9th, 2020 in Director's Blog, News
waves crashing over constructed shoreline with Chicago skyline in the background

For the last annual reporting period, the Sea Grant program had another very good year. In 2018 alone, nationwide, the program helped to create or sustain more than 7,600 jobs and 1,600 businesses, protected or restored nearly 11,000 acres of habitats, reached 22,469 K-12 students through educational programs and had an overall economic impact of $624.6 million.

While the administration has proposed zeroing out Sea Grant for four consecutive years, the House and Senate has continued to support the program. In fact, throughout its more than half a century run the program has consistently enjoyed strong bipartisan support from members of Congress. With this support, we plan to continue providing strong science-based support for a healthy and vibrant Great Lakes economy and environment for years to come.

If you are so motivated, you may consider communicating with your Congressperson about the value of Sea Grant. If you would like more information about Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant’s success stories in the two states and the region, read our recent impacts booklet or 2-page summaries of our work.

The Great Lakes Sea Grant programs are focused on pressing regional concerns, and right now, we are keeping our eyes on high lake levels. According to NOAA, in February, the Lake Michigan water level broke a 32-year record by about 5.5 inches. For some perspective on the rate of increase, in January of 2020, the lake was 18 inches higher than in January of 2019. High lake levels, along with dangerous wave action, can cause beach erosion, flooding and water safety concerns.

To learn more about potential impacts, we have joined with Wisconsin Sea Grant and Michigan Sea Grant to fund a project to study physical, hydrodynamic and social issues related to coastal erosion along Lake Michigan shorelines. This multi-state effort will focus on a number of questions related to this timely issue. We are also investigating other ways that we can provide science-based information to residents and decision makers.

I hope you enjoy reading our new Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant quarterly e-newsletter. This issue highlights several research projects, including a look at the interaction of microplastics and PFAS in Great Lakes waters and a social science study about what motivates people to take action to protect water quality. Addressing another timely issue, as water rates around the country increase, we have helped develop resources to help communities address water affordability concerns. You can also learn about the American Citizen Planner program in Indiana that provides training for public officials and volunteers on processes of comprehensive planning.

Tomas Höök
Director, Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant

 

Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant is a part of University of Illinois Extension and Purdue Extension.

IISG Instagram

Some partnerships just make sense. Happy Valentine’s Day from IISG! 💕

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Some partnerships just make sense. Happy Valentine’s Day from IISG! 💕

This February marks a major milestone: 30 years of aquatic invasive species outreach by our team! To celebrate, IISG Director, Stuart Carlton, and Strategic Communication Coordinator, Renie Miles, sat down for a Sea Grant Chat with two key figures in IISG’s AIS history: Pat Charlebois, our assistant director and program leader, who spent over two decades leading our prevention efforts, and Katie O’Reilly, who took over that role in 2022. We discussed the evolution of the invasive species issue in the Great Lakes, the shift toward understanding human behavior, and the creative strategies that make this team so effective.

Dive into the full interview at the link in bio.

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This February marks a major milestone: 30 years of aquatic invasive species outreach by our team! To celebrate, IISG Director, Stuart Carlton, and Strategic Communication Coordinator, Renie Miles, sat down for a Sea Grant Chat with two key figures in IISG’s AIS history: Pat Charlebois, our assistant director and program leader, who spent over two decades leading our prevention efforts, and Katie O’Reilly, who took over that role in 2022. We discussed the evolution of the invasive species issue in the Great Lakes, the shift toward understanding human behavior, and the creative strategies that make this team so effective. Dive into the full interview at the link in bio.

Introducing the Lake Michigan Explorer!
Start exploring the varied factors that impact the Great Lakes with our Explorer Series. This searchable database of external resources can help you find hands-on activities that spark curiosity and inspire action.

✨ What’s inside?
Lesson plans, fact sheets, and reading materials
Engaging videos and visualizations
Easy-to-use filters by grade level, topic, and time.
Perfect for classrooms and informal learning, this resource empowers students to become stewards of the Great Lakes.

🔗 in bio for more.

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Open post by ilinseagrant with ID 17993556791875462
Introducing the Lake Michigan Explorer! Start exploring the varied factors that impact the Great Lakes with our Explorer Series. This searchable database of external resources can help you find hands-on activities that spark curiosity and inspire action. ✨ What’s inside?Lesson plans, fact sheets, and reading materialsEngaging videos and visualizationsEasy-to-use filters by grade level, topic, and time.Perfect for classrooms and informal learning, this resource empowers students to become stewards of the Great Lakes.🔗 in bio for more.