Sea Grant Illinois-Indiana
The new issue of IISG’s newsletter The HELM is now available. This issue covers a number of pressing issues in the Great Lakes and southern Lake Michigan region, including Asian carp and water supply planning in suburban Chicago. Here are some headlines:
• Lake Zurich dips into water supply planning
• Asian carp summit fosters networking, new programs
• Seed grant funding helps projects bloom
• New ‘Clean Boats, Clean Waters’ looking for volunteers
Don’t miss out! Join us for a deep dive into the latest Lake Michigan fisheries science.
Topics will include:
-Reef restoration impacts on aquatic and fish species
-Wild reproduction rates for salmon and trout species from the Great Lakes Mass Marking Program
-Fisheries update from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources
Learn more & register at the link in bio.
With spring around the corner, are you curious how this year’s ice cover on Lake Michigan compares to past years? @noaa.glerl has got you covered with the data. Then you can borrow our Great Lakes Basin floor map to help students visualize the data.
View the data: https://www.glerl.noaa.gov/data/ice/
Request to borrow the map: https://iiseagrant.org/education/loanable-kits/
#TeachingTuesday
#GreatLakes
Satellite Photo: February 12, 2023, MODIS satellite imagery indicates below-average ice cover on the Great Lakes for this time of year. (Credit: NOAA GLERL / NOAA Great Lakes CoastWatch Node)
Since January, we’ve been busy helping students and educators dive deeper into hands‑on science! This winter, our team supported community engagement at the Step N2 STEM event, the Annual HASTI Conference, at Decatur Classical School, and at the Chicago River Student Congress.
Educators and students joined us to:
🔍 Explored macroinvertebrates up close
🌊 Learned about watersheds through an interactive game
🔬 Investigated plankton under a microscope
🦠 Engineered and raced plankton in the Great Plankton Race
#TeachingTuesday
Celebrate Earth Day with freshwater science and good conversation! Join Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant, the Northwestern Center for Water, Loyola University researcher Tim Hoellein, and IISG’s Sarah Zack for Science Sips: Trash Talk about Chicago Waterways. Learn what research reveals about litter and trash in Lake Michigan and Chicago waterways and what we can do to help.
Plus, enjoy Great Lakes trivia games!
📅 April 22, 2026
⏰ 7–9 PM
📍 Sketchbook Brewing Company, Evanston Tap Room
Come curious and ready to test your Great Lakes knowledge!
