Often called the "sixth Great Lake," groundwater in the Great Lakes basin holds more water than Lake Michigan—yet knowledge gaps remain. As climate change and water demands grow, data are key to protecting this hidden resource. Read more in #LakesLetter: https://bit.ly/ll-sp26

Check out our 2026 Great Lakes Conference breakout sessions in the theme of community engagement and movement building. We hope you'll join us in Detroit! Get registered at bit.ly/GLConference26 #GreatLakes #Detroit

Talk about a spooky name: Invasive bloody red shrimp seem to have successfully set up shop in all five Great Lakes. Researchers don't have clear evidence that the shrimp are harming the Great Lakes, but any change to an already wobbly food web could bring long-term consequences:

Scientists find proof of invader established in Lake Superior

By Eric Freedman  Scientists now have evidence that yet another invasive aquatic species — the bloody red shrimp — is established in all five Great Lakes.

buff.ly

Co-Chairs of the Congressional PFAS Task Force urged the Defense Department to submit its overdue plan to prioritize PFAS cleanup at military sites, set timelines, and expand testing. The strategy was due June 16. Read the letter: mcdonaldrivet.house.gov/sites/evo-su...

Lake Superior is not only the largest of the Great Lakes, but also bigger than some states! 😮 #GreatLakes #LakeSuperior #FunFact

As of March 2026, it’s no longer considered safe for children or pregnant people to eat wild-caught walleye larger than 18 inches from the state of Minnesota. We spoke to WaterLegacy to learn more about the mercury contamination that led to this advisory. #GreatLakes #Minnesota #Fish buff.ly/GB4TT7H

Mercury Contamination Makes Eating Many Wild-Caught Fish Unsafe in Minnesota — Healthy Lakes

Elevated levels of mercury in Minnesota’s fish populations have led to fish consumption advisories. The contamination comes as a result of the environmental mismanagement of local mining operations,…

healthylakes.org

Thank you Fund for Lake Michigan for being a #LakeMichigan level sponsor of our 2026 Great Lakes Conference! Interested in being a sponsor or attending the conference? Learn more at bit.ly/GLConference26 #GreatLakes #CleanWater #Detroit

Quadrillions of tiny mussels are reshaping the Great Lakes. In our latest episode, we bring you an excerpt from "All Too Clear." Also, Ohioans are pushing back against data centers. Zaria Johnson from Ideastream Public Media tells us why. Watch it MONDAY, 7/27 at 7:30p ET on Detroit PBS!

It'll be hard to choose what sessions to go to at this year's Great Lakes Conference! Here are those in the themes of emerging issues and addressing environmental injustices. See the full list of sessions and get registered at bit.ly/GLConference26 #GreatLakes #Michigan

We're smack-dab in harmful algal bloom (HAB) season, so brush up on tips for identifying these watery hazards and keeping pets and loved ones safe:

Here's how to tell if something might be a harmful algal bloom and report it to the state

Michigan's environment department has a new online form that people can use to report suspected harmful algal blooms — usually bright green patches of lake water.

buff.ly

For the first time, Michigan’s Fisheries Division is getting funding specifically for whitefish recovery, but officials say it's not enough to solve the ecosystem issues causing the species' decline. Story by @michiganpublic.bsky.social: www.greatlakesnow.org/2026/07/23/m...

Michigan fisheries get one-time funding for whitefish restoration - Great Lakes Now

For the first time, Michigan’s Fisheries Division is getting funding specifically for whitefish recovery, but officials say it's not enough to solve the ecosystem issues causing the species' decline.

greatlakesnow.org

Last week, House and Senate Committees advanced the Water Resources Development Act, which is the biennial water infrastructure bill that authorizes U.S. Army Corps projects across the country. The bills also cover fishery investments and algal bloom mitigation efforts. Read: conta.cc/4wfoPuP

New Weekly Update from NEMWI

Email from Northeast-Midwest Institute House, Senate Committees advance WRDA bills. Plus: What is really to blame for wildfires?   NEMWI Weekly Update  July 20th, 2026   Senate EPW, House T&I Advanc

conta.cc

Is your state cool enough to have a state duck? 😎 If it doesn't, what duck would you choose? #GreatLakes #FunFact #Duck #Birds

Using data collected from competitive catch-and-release bass tournaments in the #GreatLakes region, researchers found that over 20% of smallmouth + largemouth bass weighed in at these events were >10 years old, with at least one individual reaching its early 20s greatlakesecho.org/2026/07/16/b...

Black bass in Great Lakes can live more than 10 years, study finds

By Kyrmyzy Turebayeva   A new study based on data from competitive angling events in the Great Lakes found that more than 20% of black bass weighed-in at these events are over 10 years old.

greatlakesecho.org

Thank you @mottfoundation.bsky.social for being a #LakeSuperior level sponsor of our 2026 Great Lakes Conference! Interested in being a sponsor or attending the conference? Learn more at bit.ly/GLConference26 #GreatLakes #Michigan

Last month, the Joint U.S.–Canadian Committee of Advisors to the GLFC passed a resolution in support of the Save Great Lakes Fish Act of 2025. The bill authorizes $500M over 10 years for the U.S section of the GLFC to combat invasive species of mussels. conta.cc/4wjLbLT

New Weekly Update from NEMWI

Email from Northeast-Midwest Institute Black River AOC takes a step towards delisting, GLFC advisors endorse SGLF Act   NEMWI Weekly Update  July 13th, 2026   Final BUI Removed at Black River AOC 

conta.cc

We've got more breakout sessions than ever at this year's Great Lakes Conference! Check out these ones covering skills, training, and organizational development; and Great Lakes science research and Traditional Ecological Knowledge. Register now at bit.ly/GLConference26 #GreatLakes #Michigan

Across the nation, advocates like @nationalwildlife.bsky.social's Laura Rubin are using science to support policies that make communities healthier. Through @healthylakes.org, she helped secure federal funding to support Muskegon Lake's restoration in Michigan.

Lake sturgeon are not only the biggest fish in the Great Lakes, they're also the oldest! #GreatLakes #FunFact #Fish

Great news, there's a new Ask Dr. Fish episode for you to listen to! @drkatfish.bsky.social We were on a sabbatical last year, but we've been recording monthly in 2026 (videos on youtube). The podcast has been waiting for editing, but now you can expect new eps! #AskDrFish www.askdrfish.com/14

Ask Dr. Fish | Cover Your Head

We ask our Drs Fish about the journey to their current careers, carp, and fireworks."50 million pounds of carp removed from the Illinois River"Original Redneck Fishin' Tournament, Browning, IL, Jul...

askdrfish.com

What can the Great Lakes learn from global biodiversity efforts? A new Lakes Letter article highlights how IPBES is bringing together scientists, Indigenous knowledge holders, and policymakers to turn research into action. Read more in #LakesLetter: https://bit.ly/ll-sp26

Since May 2024, environmental conditions have improved enough to remove the last of the nine beneficial use impairments (BUIs) at the Black River Area of Concern (AOC), setting Black River to be delisted. Read more: conta.cc/4wjLbLT

Thank you Fred & Barbara Erb Family Foundation for being a #LakeSuperior level sponsor of our 2026 Great Lakes Conference! Interested in being a sponsor or attending the conference? Learn more at bit.ly/GLConference26 #GreatLakes #Michigan

After decades of coordinated cleanup efforts, the lake is no longer designated as an Area of Concern, with community celebrations planned from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. on August 15, 2026.

Muskegon is throwing a celebration for a lake that spent decades on a pollution list

After decades of coordinated cleanup efforts, the lake is no longer designated as an Area of Concern, with community celebrations planned from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. on August 15, 2026.

mlive.com

The full All Too Clear documentary is now streaming on @pbs.org with @greatlakesnow.bsky.social, and on YouTube! If you've been waiting to watch, now's your chance. #greatlakes

Indiana has the most coal ash sites in the country. Now it wants to be the first state in the Great Lakes region to oversee how the toxic waste from coal-burning power plants is disposed of and managed. www.greatlakesnow.org/2026/07/14/i...

Indiana wants to be in charge of its own coal ash dumps - Great Lakes Now

More energy news as Ohio makes hundreds of millions from fracking beneath public lands and a shuttered Michigan nuclear plant nears a highly anticipated restart.

greatlakesnow.org

For the first time in over a century, lake sturgeon have returned to Ozaukee County, Wisconsin. We spoke to Cheryl Nenn with @mkeriverkeeper.bsky.social to learn more the revitalization efforts helping this prehistoric fish population to recover. #GreatLakes #Wisconsin #Fish buff.ly/cJQE2qG

Lake Sturgeon Return to Ozaukee County, Wisconsin, in Major Win for Revitalization Efforts — Healthy Lakes

For the first time in over a century, lake sturgeon have returned to Ozaukee County, Wisconsin. Earlier this spring, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources identified a three-year-old male…

healthylakes.org

Thank you @joycefdn.bsky.social for being a #LakeSuperior level sponsor of our 2026 Great Lakes Conference! Interested in being a sponsor or attending the conference? Learn more at bit.ly/GLConference26 #GreatLakes #CleanWater #Detroit

Threats to native turtles in Illinois include the loss and fragmentation of habitats like wetlands, of which Illinois has lost as much as 90% to development.

Scientists team up in ‘unparalleled’ effort to protect Illinois’ endangered turtles from increasing threats

chicagotribune.com

Invasive mussels are stripping the Great Lakes of nutrients that baby whitefish need to survive. Could this doom the species? All Too Clear is a documentary by @hiddenbelow.bsky.social that uses cutting edge technology to explore the lakes like never before: video.detroitpbs.org/video/all-to...