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U-M divers retrieve 8,900-year-old piece of wood from Lake Huron
Annarbor.com (12/12)
University of Michigan researchers announced they have found a 5 1/2 foot long, pole-shaped piece of wood that is 8,900 years old in Lake Huron.
Internationally renowned ‘Ocean Doctor’ to speak in Grand Rapids
MLive.com (2/3)
Known as the “Ocean Doctor,” David Guggenheim will speak in Grand Rapids, Mich., about the many similarities between the threats to the oceans and to our Great Lakes.
SSC students taking part in marine science bowl
Arenac County Independent (1/31)
Teams of Michigan high school students will be heading to Ann Arbor this weekend to take part in the annual Great Lakes Bowl, a quiz event that focuses on questions about marine and freshwater systems and biology.
No aquarium for Windsor
CBC News (1/31)
Aquariums in Cleveland, Toledo, and Chicago prove to be too much competition for Windsor.
Clarkson receives $1.4 million to study contaminants in Great Lakes fish
North Country Now (1/31)
Clarkson University has received $1.4 million to monitor formerly untraceable contaminants to water supply by studying the effects on fish in each of the Great Lakes.
Great Lakes scientists educate communities; put research to work
Great Lakes Echo (1/26)
At the Lake Superior Estuarine Research Reserve, scientists study the usual Great Lakes issues – invasive species, pollution, habitat loss, and climate change. This research is then taken directly to the community, addressing local issues.
What's going on in your neighborhood this month? Meet other people and learn together at recreational and educational events! Our new dynamic calendar is updated daily with current educational events.
2 | Pollution...
Before we get into the individual Great Lakes AOCs, let's talk about pollution. AOCs are affected by all kinds of different forms of pollution, although there are some similarities.
Dirt
Did you ever think that dirt could be a pollutant? Dirt is a conventional pollutant, and while it's not dangerous in itself, large amounts, often coming from agriculture, forestry, and construction industries, can make water unusable for drinking and swimming, and can destroy fragile aquatic life. Excess dirt also leads to stream sedimentation, altering the stream's flow and choking out aquatic life.
Acid Rain
Airborne toxic contaminants, such as car emissions and the burning of other fossil fuels, can enter the atmosphere and come back down to the land in the form of acid rain (see the hydrologic cycle). Atmospheric deposition is believed to cause about 90% of Great Lakes toxins.
Heavy Metals
Although heavy metals are naturally found in the earth's crust, these chemicals have been used for pesticides and in industrial processes, and prolonged exposure can cause deadly health effects. Heavy metals, such as DDT, dioxins and Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), can contaminate drinking water and accumulate in animal tissue, such as the fish you eat (see fish consumption advisories).
Wastewater and sewage
Wastewater, often produced by industries, and sewage are usually treated in a wastewater treatment facility, and then safely released back into a water body through a point source. However, wastewater and sewage can enter water bodies untreated, such as during a strong rainstorm that causes combined sewer overflows, and the bacteria contained in these discharges, such as E. coli and heavy metals, can be deadly.
Contaminated Runoff
When it rains or the snow melts, water runs over land, picking up anything on the ground and this runoff, also called nonpoint source pollution, eventually finds its way into water bodies. Contaminated runoff comes from a variety of sources, such as the agricultural, mining, and forestry industries and contaminated soil erosion. Runoff can also contribute to adding excess nutrients to water, leading to eutrophication.
Households (you!)
Did you know that when you water your lawn or wash your car, you could be contributing to water pollution? Check out what you can do to prevent water pollution. And just for kids!
... and solutions!
Remedial Action Plans (RAPs)
A RAP is made for each individual AOC by identifying the source of pollution and the beneficial use impairments, and then establishing plans for the cleanup effort.
Lakewide Management Plan (LaMPs)
LaMPs are focused on the ecosystem health of an individual Great Lake as a whole, rather than on just an area of concern.
Government, public, and private entities work together to form both RAPs and LaMPs, and the International Joint Commission (IJC) is charged with reviewing these programs.
