The Great Lakes region is in the midst of a seismic energy shakeup, from skyrocketing data center demand to expanding electrification. In 2026, the Great Lakes News Collaborative will explore how shifting supply and demand affect the region and its waters: www.greatlakesnow.org/2026/02/12/t...

More energy news as a bribery trial begins in Ohio for two former utility executives and burning trash and wood for electricity can now qualify as carbon-free in Minnesota. www.greatlakesnow.org/2026/02/10/m...

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Pints North Great Lakes Trivia is coming to Detroit! Join Great Lakes Now, @iprnews.bsky.social and @bridgemi.com at Brewery Faisan on Tuesday, Feb 17 at 7 PM for a free event featuring questions all about the land, water and inhabitants of the Great Lakes. RSVP: www.facebook.com/events/15157...

As dams come down, native fish are returning to their home waters. But invasive species are taking advantage of that same access. How do we separate native fish from undesirable ones? In Traverse City, researchers are testing an innovative solution called FishPass: www.youtube.com/watch?v=GdUj...

Michigan researchers have gone back in time to get a picture of ice cover on the Great Lakes since the late 19th century. Story by @iprnews.bsky.social: www.greatlakesnow.org/2026/02/04/n...

Nearly everyone in the United States has forever chemicals, or PFAS, in their blood. This guide breaks down how these chemicals get in our bodies, the potential effects on human health, how to find out if PFAS are in your drinking water and more.

"It will almost certainly lead to an increase in harmful pollution that America has made so much progress reducing over the decades." Story by @us.theconversation.com: www.greatlakesnow.org/2026/02/03/e...

Our latest episode is here! 🐟 See how FishPass in Traverse City, Michigan aims to sort and separate native fish from invasive ones. Then, learn about how wild rice goes from water to table, and check out a breakaway buoy that explored Lake Michigan’s icy waves: www.youtube.com/watch?v=K26H...

The transfer includes more than half of the beachfront, which contains all the sand dunes and vegetation that serve as nesting area for the piping plover. Story by @thenarwhal.ca: www.greatlakesnow.org/2026/01/27/o...

TONIGHT on Detroit PBS! Sort fish, harvest wild rice and learn about what a drifting buoy revealed about winter on the lakes. Read about "Sorting Fish and Breakaway Buoys" and catch the episode at 7:30 PM ET: www.greatlakesnow.org/2026/01/26/s...

In our next episode, explore a project on a Michigan river that keeps undesirable fish away. Then take a canoe out onto the Au Sable River to harvest wild rice. Plus, see what a drifting buoy revealed about winter on the lakes. Watch it MONDAY, 1/26 at 7:30p ET on Detroit PBS! youtu.be/ybrE_pxFZr0

Rising water levels and increased wave activity prompted many coastal communities to install seawalls, rock revetments and other protective structures, the study said. www.greatlakesnow.org/2026/01/21/g...

Surveys of the lamprey show their numbers have returned to pre-pandemic levels, according to a report from the Great Lakes Fishery Commission. Story by @michiganpublic.bsky.social: www.greatlakesnow.org/2026/01/12/i...

A self taught archeologist in Michigan made a major discovery. Growing up, Tom Talbot was fascinated by artifacts. Eventually, his artifact hunting led him to a find that's shedding light on what we know about ancient civilizations in North America: youtube.com/shorts/tiJDr...

Preliminary findings from researchers show a decline in antibody levels among Wisconsin eaglets with high PFAS levels in their blood, potentially reducing their ability to fight off infections. www.greatlakesnow.org/2026/01/09/h...

It’s been 50 years since a freighter sank in the Great Lakes, but in the summer of 2024, one ship came dangerously close. On June 8, 2024, the Michipicoten was carrying a load of iron ore across Lake Superior when the crew heard a loud bang. The ship was taking on water. youtu.be/OjFxqqakyno

More than 30 years ago, a group of scientists planted just 4,200 seeds of the rare Pitcher’s thistle in the sandy dunes of the Great Lakes. At the time, no one knew if the populations would survive. Today, the restored populations are thriving and spreading. www.greatlakesnow.org/2026/01/02/h...

From data centers to nuclear plants, Michigan will see some big energy-related decisions next year that could shape the state’s environment for decades to come. Story by @bridgemi.com: www.greatlakesnow.org/2025/12/30/5...

TONIGHT on Detroit PBS! A freighter takes on water in Lake Superior and a lawsuit over farming on wetlands. Read about "Rescuing Freighters and Busting Swamps" and catch the episode at 7:30 PM ET: www.greatlakesnow.org/rescuing-fre...

In 2024, a freighter on Lake Superior nearly sank. The experience changed the life of one crew member. Catch this story and learn about a legal battle with big implications for farms and wetlands in the next episode of Great Lakes Now. Watch it MONDAY, 12/29 at 7:30p ET on Detroit PBS!

'Twas the night before Fishmas, and all through the lakes... Check out our whimsical remake of the classic holiday tale featuring Great Lakes fish 🐟 www.greatlakesnow.org/2023/12/18/i...

In "Wrecked: The Edmund Fitzgerald and the Sinking of the American Economy," author Thomas Nelson explores how the Edmund Fitzgerald is more than just the subject of a popular song. News Editor @lisajohn.bsky.social spoke with Nelson about his book and more: youtu.be/qjblVccD2oo

At Farrand Hall, chefs don’t just source their ingredients. They forage for them. What began as a vacation home for owners James Gray and Jacob Hagan has grown into a one-of-a-kind dining experience. GLN News Editor @lisajohn.bsky.social visited Farrand Hall to learn more: youtu.be/ISnwxwTUcKQ

Lead exposure remains a serious health risk in Michigan, but many residents don’t know whether their water system complies with state rules or whether their service line contains lead. Story by @planetdetroit.org: www.greatlakesnow.org/2025/12/how-...

Wisconsin’s wetlands are under threat just as climate change is intensifying rainfall. Despite proven success in mitigating flood damage, protections are eroding and critical funding streams face an uncertain future. Story by @circleofblue.bsky.social: www.greatlakesnow.org/2025/12/the-...

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers recently revived an alternative to the Line 5 tunnel. The new option was proposed in a supplemental environmental impact statement published by the federal agency last month. www.greatlakesnow.org/2025/12/tens...

One of the most valued fish in the Great Lakes is in serious trouble, and the race is on to find a solution and save them. youtu.be/xKGr5t1W85k

For 118 years, MSU Extension has existed to serve the public with programs ranging from canning classes to soil testing and financial literacy workshops. Now, it aims to bill itself as an antidote to online misinformation. Story by @bridgemi.com: www.greatlakesnow.org/2025/12/in-w...

What’s being done to keep whitefish from disappearing? Why do chefs at a restaurant in our region forage for your food? And how did the Erie Canal shape the world we live in? Find out in our latest episode: youtu.be/cDasyGwwVMM

November is Native American Heritage Month, and we teamed up with One Detroit and @bridgedet313.bsky.social for a report on wild rice, a part of Indigenous history in Michigan. Also known as "manoomin," it used to grow in abundance. Now there’s an effort to bring it back: youtu.be/nPz1KFOdvJI

Environmental groups warn the proposal to change the definition of "waters of the United States" would eliminate crucial safeguards for "countless" bodies of water. Story by @insideclimatenews.org: www.greatlakesnow.org/2025/11/trum...

TONIGHT on Detroit PBS! The race to save whitefish, a restaurant with local flavors and the Erie Canal turns 200. Read about "The Fight to Save Lake Whitefish" and catch the episode premiere at 7:30 PM ET: www.greatlakesnow.org/the-fight-to...

Before farms and suburbs, the Great Black Swamp thrived. Restoring it could help curb Lake Erie’s harmful algal blooms today. www.greatlakesnow.org/2025/11/the-...

Our latest episode is almost here! Join researchers as they race against the clock to save whitefish. Then, take a seat at Farrand Hall, a restaurant that serves up local flavors. Plus, the Erie Canal celebrates its 200th anniversary. Catch the premiere MONDAY, 11/24 at 7:30 PM ET on Detroit PBS.

In the latest PFAS news roundup: 690,000 customers in Pennsylvania are eligible for a water bill credit, a “cover-up” in Canada’s North Bay and Wisconsin legislators estimate pollution cleanup could cost several billion dollars. www.greatlakesnow.org/2025/11/more...

Stanton Yards, a Detroit riverfront development, aims to be a gathering place where people find inspiration in art and reconnect with nature 🌲 www.greatlakesnow.org/2025/11/detr...

Great Lakes Now contributor Kathy Johnson visited Monroe, Michigan to board the oldest operational tugboat on the Great Lakes, providing insights into life aboard and examining the essential role these vessels play. youtu.be/XqxdvAHAqvU

Drivers around the Great Lakes region beware! In the weeks following “fall back,” collisions between wildlife and vehicles rises by 16%. www.greatlakesnow.org/2025/11/road...

50 years ago today, the Edmund Fitzgerald sank and 29 lives were lost. A new excerpt from “Wrecked: The Edmund Fitzgerald and the Sinking of the American Economy” looks at the legal battles families faced in the aftermath. www.greatlakesnow.org/2025/11/fift...

It's #GarWeek! Celebrate these living fossils by learning all about what makes this freshwater species known as "trash fish" so special in our latest conversation with @solomonrdavid.bsky.social. www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nw84...

Situated in a town of a little over a thousand people in Colon, Michigan, is an idyllic and pastoral outdoor dining experience. It’s become a hub for city folks traveling from Chicago, Detroit and Ann Arbor who are yearning to dine amongst tall timbers. www.greatlakesnow.org/2025/11/goin...

Fifty years after the tragic loss of the Edmund Fitzgerald, she remains the Great Lakes’ last major shipwreck. These disasters were once a regular part of life on the lakes. How has shipping changed since the loss of this iconic vessel? youtu.be/jSeqiT2kKi4

An internal memo from Ontario’s electricity system operator outlines concerns with TC Energy’s large pumped storage proposal in Meaford, including cost overruns and an inability to meet short-term energy needs. Story by @thenarwhal.ca: www.greatlakesnow.org/2025/11/onta...

Sludge and septage are spread across around half a million acres statewide, but most of it has never been tested for PFAS. www.greatlakesnow.org/2025/11/slud...

For Halloween, artist and educator Geo Rutherford brings you four spooky stories from around the Great Lakes 👻 Learn about the permanent resident of the sunken SS Kamloops, the mystery of Flight 2501, a tragedy at Niagara Falls and the loneliest lighthouse in North America. youtu.be/JOvO6acPP8o

Just in time for Halloween, learn about the SS Kamloops — an eerie story about a shipwreck in Lake Superior, and “Old Whitey” who seems to follow divers around the wreck. www.greatlakesnow.org/2024/10/spoo...

Long after the Halloween season has ended, some Great Lakes’ invasive species remain a scary sight: blood-sucking parasites with suction-cup mouths, thousands of rotting fish carcasses washed ashore and sharp mussel shells that puncture the feet of beachgoers ☠️ www.greatlakesnow.org/2024/10/grea...

Our latest episode is here! 🚢🌊 Learn why shipwrecks stopped after the Edmund Fitzgerald and board a century-old tugboat. youtu.be/SyDQ_VDgu0Q

For decades, officials have worried the fish could wreak disaster on the world’s largest freshwater ecosystem and the multibillion-dollar tourism, boating and fishing industries that rely on it. Now, the fight might be getting easier. www.greatlakesnow.org/2025/10/illi...