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In the news: Testing Lake Michigan water to maintain a safe shoreline

May 31st, 2012 by
With the Lake Michigan lakefront now open to swimmers for the season, the Chicago Park District will be using a new system to monitor bacteria level and ensure a safe swimming environment for visitors. 
 
From The Chicago Tribune: 
“Chicago’s new elaborate system of buoys and statistical models will monitor 16 of the city’s 24 beaches, and Park District officials are seeking grant money from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to expand the system to cover all beaches by next summer.
 
The model will predict the levels of harmful bacteria at each beach using data on the location of sources of contamination, like colonies of sea gulls or sewer outlets; the motion of waves that can disturb bacteria growing in the sand; lake-current speeds; water temperature; and sunlight.”
Read more about the city’s new system for monitoring Lake Michigan here.

In the news: Federal study to help Great Lakes communities prevent floods

May 21st, 2012 by
A data collection project is currently underway that would help communities prepare for and prevent flooding in the Great Lakes basin. There are also six technical workshops for coastal management and associated professionals to be held next month at several locations around the Great Lakes. 
 
From the Great Lakes Echo
“Federal officials are studying how to help Great Lakes communities better prepare for hazardous floods.
 
‘It will be the most comprehensive study ever conducted of shoreline flooding,’ said Ken Hinterlong, a senior engineer with the Federal Emergency Management Agency. So far, only ‘…the first phase of the project is done, which is a basin-wide data collection for Lake Michigan and Lake St. Clair.’”
Visit the link above for the full article including a link to the full workshop schedule.

Chicago green roofs help protect Lake Michigan

May 16th, 2012 by
Loyola University in Chicago is committed to the environment in a number of ways, and one of their approaches holds benefits for Lake Michigan as well.
 
<span”>The University recently installed their seventh green roof system, this one on Cuneo Hall. Green roof systems provide a number of benefits, but one of them is the reduction of rainwater runoff. By providing natural materials to absorb, filter, and utilize the water, it reduces pollution and runoff volume that can wind up negatively impacting the Lake.</span”>
 
From the article on Earth Techling: 
“A green roof acts like a natural sponge that absorbs stormwater and curtails runoff,” Aaron Durnbaugh, the university’s director of sustainability, explained in a statement. He went on to note that the university’s Chicago campus is located on the shores of Lake Michigan, which makes reduced runoff a real priority for protecting local water quality.”
 

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Get ready to explore and document the incredible biodiversity of the Great Lakes region! The Great Lakes BioBlitz is an exciting event where community members, students, and nature enthusiasts come together to observe and record the diverse species in our environment.When: April 22 to May 19How: Sign up on iNaturalist.Why: -Discover Local Wildlife: Learn about the plants, animals, and insects that call the Great Lakes home. -Contribute to Science: Your observations help scientists understand and protect our natural world. -Connect with Nature: Enjoy the outdoors and connect with others who share your passion for the environment.Learn more at the link in bio.
Applications are open! Graduate student applicants can request up to $10,000 to support research expenses, graduate student stipends, travel, or other activities that help expand the scholarly or societal impact of their research.One of IISG’s long-term goals is to help build a community of researchers and outreach professionals focused on critically important Lake Michigan issues. The IISG Scholars programs are designed to help build this community by introducing researchers to the issues and the individuals, organizations, and communities that are affected by them.Applications due April 9th.Learn more about this opportunity at the link in bio.
Join us for a seminar on the latest fish biology, ecology, and fisheries science happening in Lake Michigan. Speaker will include: -Anna Hill (Purdue) with an update on alewife diet and growth rates in Lake Michigan-Charlie Roswell (INHS) with an update on Lake Michigan and Calumet River smallmouth bass movement-Dan Makauska (IL DNR) with an update from the Illinois Department of Natural ResourcesLearn more and register at the link in bio.
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