Lake Superior

IJC meeting to focus on sewage overflows and other water quality problems affecting the Great Lakes

Fish on pharmaceuticals, alien invaders and poo in the Great Lakes will be on the agenda  Wednesday and Thursday (Oct. 7-8) when the International Joint Commission hold its  biennial meeting in Windsor, Ontario.

The commission, which mediates Great Lakes and other border issues between the U.S.  and Canada, will discuss several weighty issues facing the lakes, including: Invasive  species, chemicals of emerging concern (fish on Prozac and other drugs), sewage  overflows and water quality.

The commission’s meeting will focus largely on its 14th Biennial report on Great Lakes Water Quality.

It was fitting that a photo of a sewage treatment plant graced the Read More » »

Superior: The Largest Lake in The World

Lake Superior is the largest freshwater lake in the world—larger than the entire state of South Carolina. It is so large in volume, it could contain all the other Great Lakes plus five Lake Eries. Superior is the largest, deepest, and wildest of the Lakes, but unfortunately, Superior is also in danger.

Because of its superlative size, it takes contaminants about 190 years to cycle through Lake Superior. Mining sites and increases in population and tourism are contributing to the growing volume of sediment, phosphorus, mercury, and chlorides in Superior and the rivers that feed it. These contaminants are threatening the Read More » »

The State of the Great Lakes – Minnesota

Click to view a larger map of the restoration sites.

State of Great Lakes – Minnesota
Fact Sheet (PDF)

The Great Lakes are one of our most precious national treasures. With nearly 20 percent of the Earth’s fresh surface water,they provide drinking water to 28 million U.S. residents. But threats to the Great Lakes basin are making our waters less fishable, closing our beaches to swimming and affecting our drinking water.

The Great Lakes are a Read More » »

The State of the Great Lakes – Wisconsin

The State of the Great Lakes – Wisconsin

Click to view a larger map of the restoration sites.

State of Great Lakes – Wisconsin
Fact Sheet (PDF)

The Great Lakes are one of our most precious national treasures. With nearly 20 percent of the Earth’s fresh surface water, they provide drinking water to 28 million U.S. residents. But threats to the Great Lakes basin are making our waters less fishable, closing our beaches to swimming and Read More » »