Great Lakes water levels may be up slightly, but still many boating hazards

Story first appeared on The Detroit News -

Great Lakes Michigan and Huron in February bounced back slightly from all-time record lows set in January, according to preliminary numbers released Friday.

After a month of seemingly-continuous snow and rain, preliminary numbers from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers show that Lake Huron and Lake Michigan finished above the all-time low mean for February.

Through the month's 28 days, Lakes Michigan and Huron posted means of 600.26 feet above sea level. The all-time lows mean for February came in 1926, when the lakes measured 599.60 feet.

That's a far more positive story than the numbers the lakes posted in January.

For that month, Lakes Michigan and Huron recorded their lowest-ever levels, with a mean of 576.02 feet above sea level. It's a number that dipped below the previous all-time low for January — 576.12 feet — as well as the all-time low for any month, 576.05 feet in March 1964.

Low lake levels can spell trouble for boaters who can wreck propellers and damage their vessels by scraping bottom in shallow waters.

"I have a feeling that boaters are going to be shocked how low the lake levels are," Andrey Duzyj said. The 58-year-old Warren resident owns a Sea Ray Sundancer and often ventures out on Lake St. Clair.

"If you own a boat be very, very careful and have your insurance ready. I have a feeling it's going to be a banner year for the salvage industry and those who help boaters get out of trouble."

"There will be no new record set this month," said John Allis, chief of the Army Corps' Great Lakes hydraulics and hydrology office.

In recent years, dropping water levels in each of the Great Lakes have become a major problem. The water loss is the result of years of drought-like conditions compounded by a 2011-2012 winter that was light on snow.

It's a situation that has impacted shore front properties, recreational boating and industrial shipping. And earlier this month, Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder announced plans to allot $21 million in dredging funds in the new state budget.

Despite the slight uptick, each of the Great Lakes now sits well below their long-term mean for February.

• Lake Superior's February mean was 600.26 feet, below its long-term average of 601.30.
• Lake Michigan Huron's February mean of 576.15 feet, below the long-term average of 578.40.
• Lake St. Clair's February mean of 572.64 feet is below the long-term average of 573.40.
• Lake Erie's February mean of 570.41 feet is below the long-term average of 570.80.
• Lake Ontario's February mean of 244.49 feet is below the long-term average of 244.80.

The snow and ice that accumulate in the upper Great Lakes during the late fall and winter, particularly in and around Lake Superior, create the runoff that dictates how high levels climb or how low they will sink during the year.

While this year's snowfall has been much more Michigan-like that what was seen last year, it will take much snowfall this winter and rainfall this spring to bring the lakes closer to normal.

"It's looking like we've had a pretty much average precipitation over this winter, which is good," Allis said. "So we would expect that would help fuel a typical seasonal rise in the lakes this spring - something we didn't see last year. That's the good news.

"The bad news is since we're still just barely above record lows; it's going to take sustained periods of wet weather for the lakes to get back up near their long-term average."

Visit Lake Charlevoix

Story first reported from USA Today

Tahoe came out on top in our recent reader poll on America's best lake, and I'll be exploring the popular alpine outpost later this week for a travel story running Aug. 10. But as its many fans made clear, the second-place finisher has plenty to offer, as well.

Though I grew up in southern Wisconsin on the shores of Lake Mendota (a sentimental favorite, but not on our shortlist), I wasn't familiar with runner up Lake Charlevoix, Michigan - or another nearby lake north of Traverse City that earned several write-in votes, Torch Lake.

Now, I'm "smitten with the mitten" (a reference to Michigan's hand-shaped geography).

A few arguments in its favor from our readers:

Nancy M. Dammann: "To be fair, all these lakes are amazing. But here are a couple of other Lake Charlevoix facts worth mentioning--from any point on Lake Charlevoix, you can sail to any ocean in the world and many other lakes. Near the mouth of the lake, there is a natural safe harbor that often shelters international sailors and boaters who have left the oceans in the fall, under the false assumption that the Great Lakes will be safer than the oceans. Charlevoix's harbors have often hosted storm fleeing sailboats and provided them a home throughout entire winters. Lake Charlevoix has also been a seasonal destination since pre-Columbian times, providing an important summer place to Native Americans in the area. In addition, residents are also trying to raise funds to buy a significant chunk of lake shore (a former summer camp) and turn it into a permanent public park. The lake is 18 miles long, 3.5 miles wide at its widest, and has two arms (the South arm is 11 or 12 miles long and often much calmer than the Northern arm). It is home to loons, and ducks, and fish, the occasional otter, gorgeous boats, and amazing people and communities."

Karen Kent Guzniczak: "We've owned a retail store in Boyne City for 22 years and talk to thousands of people every year from all over the world. The comments we hear are always about how blessed we are. People are amazed at how clean and clear Lake Charlevoix is. A young child from our area went on vacation with his parents to the Caribbean and when they they flew over the water he said 'Look Lake Charlevoix.'"

Stephanie Balch: "Sandy beaches, access to restaurants, great fishing, gorgeous harbors in quaint Northern Michigan towns...and a short boat ride through Round Lake and the Pine River Channel puts you on Lake Michigan! Not a more beautiful lake to view the fall foliage."

Laurie Szabo-Dill: "Got married overlooking Lake Charlevoix, and still have people tell me it was the most beautiful wedding they've ever been to!"

Chase Petroelje: "With several small, tourist-adored towns surrounding it, Lake Charlevoix boasts some of the world's finest sunsets, beaches, boating and gastronomy...a shallow ledge outlines the entire lake, making it ideal for families, and anchoring for a day of relaxation. If that's not enough, it was the location for the wedding of world-famous author Ernest Hemingway and his wife. You know you've found an extraordinary lake when much of it is bordered by multi-million dollar houses, private water planes, and some of the largest yachts you'll ever see!"

G.T. Long: "Lake Charlevoix is where the Gods swim....other lakes may be pretty, but Lake Charlevoix is spiritual in its beauty, clear, clean, deep, and big, situated on hills and a hundred shades of green."

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Oil Spills in Great Lakes Basin a Problem

Story first appeared in the Record Eagle.
States should approve their own rules to protect the Great Lakes basin from oil pollution because federal laws inadequately address the problem, according to a new report written in response to a massive oil spill in southern Michigan.

The report released Monday by the National Wildlife Federation and University of Michigan Law School concluded there's no review of long-term risks related to oil-pipeline routing decisions and states have a "critical opportunity" to minimize impact before construction. The report says stronger rules are needed to prevent spills such as the July 2010 accident near Marshall that released more than 800,000 gallons of oil into the Kalamazoo River and Talmadge Creek.

The report's lead author, said during a conference call that she was surprised to learn from her research that there is no federal oversight for routing of oil pipelines and that the federal process focuses only on reducing risk  once a given pipeline is already in an environmentally vulnerable area. Only three Great Lakes states — Michigan, Minnesota and Illinois — require permits specifically for new oil pipeline construction.


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Oil Spills Affecting the Great Lakes

Story first appeared in The Detroit News.

States should approve their own rules to protect the Great Lakes basin from oil pollution because federal laws inadequately address the problem, according to a new report written in response to a massive oil spill near Marshall.  Grand Rapids Transportation Lawyers and Minneapolis Environmental Lawyers agree.

The report released Monday by the National Wildlife Federation and University of Michigan Law School concluded there's no review of long-term risks related to oil-pipeline routing decisions, and states have a critical opportunity to minimize impact before construction.

The report said stronger rules are needed to prevent spills such as the July 2010 accident that released more than 800,000 gallons of oil into the Kalamazoo River and Talmadge Creek.

The report's lead author, said on a conference call that she was surprised there is no federal oversight for oil pipeline routes and the federal process focuses only on reducing risk once a pipeline is in an environmentally vulnerable area. Only three Great Lakes states — Michigan, Minnesota and Illinois — require permits for new pipelines.

The report said Michigan's process is comparatively minimal: Applicants propose a pipeline route, and it's typically approved if found to be reasonable, and pipeline companies must minimize physical impact and environmental damage from construction and repair.

By contrast, Minnesota accepts a limited number of proposals and ultimately selects the approved route for the pipeline.

The report also found that Enbridge had no responsibility to report the rupture and spill to Michigan officials, as the state has specifically exempted pipelines from its reporting requirement. Transportation-related facilities are frequently exempted from state requirements for reporting of oil spills.

The Michigan Department of Environmental Quality spokesman said his department looks forward to reviewing the report.

The pipeline that ruptured about 60 miles east of Grand Rapids and caused the spill is operated by Calgary, Alberta-based Enbridge Inc.


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Great Lakes Reps Want to Separate from Mississippi River

First appeared in Associated Press

Groups representing states and cities in the Great Lakes region on Tuesday proposed spending up to $9.5 billion on a massive engineering project to separate the lakes from the Mississippi River watershed in the Chicago area, describing it as the only sure way to protect both aquatic systems from invasions by destructive species such as Asian carp.

The organizations issued a report suggesting three alternatives for severing an artificial link between the two drainage basins that was constructed more than a century ago. Scientists say it has already provided a pathway for exotic species and is the likeliest route through which menacing carp could reach the lakes, where they could destabilize food webs and threaten a valuable fishing industry.

"We simply can't afford to risk that," said Tim Eder, executive director of the Great Lakes Commission, which sponsored the study with the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative. "The Great Lakes have suffered immensely because of invasive species. We have to put a stop to this."

The report's release is sure to ramp up pressure on the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which is conducting its own study of how to close off 18 potential pathways between the two systems, including the Chicago waterways. The corps plans to release its findings in late 2015, a timetable it says is necessary because of the job's complexity and regulatory requirements. A pending federal lawsuit by five states - Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Ohio and Pennsylvania - demands quicker action.

"This study shows that hydrological separation is both technically and economically feasible," said Rep. Dave Camp, a Michigan Republican.

A spokeswoman said the corps would not comment until it could review the report.

The project that linked the two drainage basins began in the 1890s when engineers reversed the flow of the Chicago River to flush sewage away from the city and into a newly built, 28-mile-long canal that created a connection between Lake Michigan and the Illinois River, a tributary of the Mississippi. It is now a network of rivers, locks and canals.

In their report, the two groups call for placing barriers at key points to cut off the flow of water between the two drainage basins by 2029.

One alternative would put barriers in five locations near Lake Michigan. Another would erect a single barrier in the ship canal before it branches off into connecting waterways. A third plan would use four barriers.

The report does not express a preference but says the four-barrier plan would cost less than the others - between $3.26 billion and $4.27 billion. That plan, the report says, would cause less disruption of waterborne commerce and fewer problems with flood and stormwater control, all of which opponents contend would result from dividing the two systems. It also comes closest to restoring the natural divide between the watersheds, said David Ullrich, executive director of the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative.

The report doesn't make a detailed proposal for covering the costs but says the four-barrier plan could be done if the average household in the Great Lakes basin paid about $1 a month through 2059.

The five-barrier and single-barrier plans' price tags could reach about $9.5 billion.

Despite the high cost, the report's sponsors said the project would save money in the long run by shielding both systems from species invasions. Zebra and quagga mussels and sea lamprey already have exacted a heavy toll on the Great Lakes economy, and the region's leaders fear the Asian carp could make things much worse.

"Yes, it's expensive. But the cost of doing nothing is greater," Ullrich said.

Asian carp escaped from Southern fish farms and sewage treatment plants decades ago and migrated up the Mississippi and its tributaries, gobbling up plankton that is essential for other nourishing other fish.

The study, commissioned by the two groups and developed by a private engineering firm, will make the idea of separation easier for people in the region to grasp, said Joel Brammeier, president of the Alliance for the Great Lakes, a Chicago-based environmental group.

"It's a natural, practical, on-the-ground map of how to get it done," Brammeier said.

Mark Biel, chairman of an Illinois business coalition called UnLock Our Jobs that opposes separating the watersheds, said the Great Lakes groups' proposals would take many years to carry out and would devastate cargo shipping and pleasure boating in the Chicago area while doing nothing to prevent species invasions elsewhere.

"Calling this a solution is ludicrous," Biel said.

But the report's authors said their plan envisions upgrades to docks and other infrastructure that, in the long run, would boost water commerce while improving water quality and flood protection. The barriers themselves would make up just 3 percent of the total cost.

The Army Corps of Engineers contends an electric barrier in the shipping canal is preventing Asian carp and other fish from swimming upstream toward Lake Michigan, although carp DNA has been found beyond the device. Eder said the barrier is a good temporary measure, but not a permanent solution.

"It's kind of like the old Clint Eastwood adage, 'How lucky do you feel?'" he said. "We can take chances that the electric barrier and other measures will work, but I don't think we should."

U.S. to Commit $78.5M to Halt Asian Carp

Associated Press

 

TRAVERSE CITY -- Navigational locks and gates in Chicago-area waterways crucial for shipping may be opened less frequently than usual under a $78.5 million campaign to prevent Asian carp from overrunning the Great Lakes, federal officials said Monday.

The plan falls short of closing the navigational structures entirely, as demanded by Michigan and five other Great Lakes states. They fear the locks will provide an opening to the lakes for the giant carp, which some scientists say could devastate the region's $7 billion fishing industry.

But the Obama administration described the plan as part of an effective strategy for keeping the invasive fish at bay while long-term biological controls are developed. The government said it would take 25 actions to slow the advance of the carp, which can reach 4 feet long and 100 pounds.

Nancy Sutley, head of the White House Council on Environmental Quality, called the plan "an unparalleled effort on the part of the federal government."

"Today, we have an opportunity to work together to prevent environmental and economic damage before it happens," Sutley said after talks Monday with several governors from the region.

But Michigan officials said nothing short of closing the locks would give the lakes adequate protection. State Attorney General Mike Cox, a Republican running for governor, accused President Barack Obama of letting politics dictate policy.

Obama "proved today that he'll do anything to protect the narrow interests of his home state of Illinois, even if it means destroying Michigan's economy," Cox said.

Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm, a Democrat and strong Obama supporter, said in a phone conference she didn't believe "there is any parochialism happening. I do believe there are great and honest differences of opinion."

Sutley also denied political motivation: "We are taking actions based on science."

Bighead and silver carp, Asian species imported to cleanse fish farms and sewage plants in the Deep South, have been migrating up the Mississippi and Illinois rivers for decades. They have infested rivers and canals near Chicago, and their DNA has been detected in Lake Michigan itself, although no actual carp have been found there.

The Supreme Court last month refused Michigan's request to order the locks and gates closed, a move opposed by the Obama administration and Illinois. They argue that closing the locks would cause millions in losses for barge operators and could lead to flooding.

Michigan last week asked the high court to reconsider and is pushing ahead with a separate lawsuit that calls for permanently severing the century-old, man-made linkage between the Great Lakes and Mississippi River basins. Joining Michigan in the dispute are Minnesota, Wisconsin, New York, Ohio and Pennsylvania.

The Obama administration's strategy, announced Monday, calls for modifying operations of the navigational structures by April 30. It says four scenarios are being considered, including opening two primary locks for just three or four days a week, or closing the locks one week per month or every other week. Another option is continuing to operate them normally.

When the locks are opened, poisons would be spread in the waters to kill any Asian carp lurking nearby.

Granholm said she feared the measures wouldn't be enough. "You have to permanently shut these locks down," she said.

Administration officials said a $10.5 million contract will be awarded to build a third electric barrier in the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal, a crucial link with Lake Michigan. The two existing barriers emit pulses designed to repel the carp and give them a non-lethal jolt if they don't turn away.

Also pledged was $13.2 million for construction of barriers to prevent the carp from bypassing the electric devices by slipping into the canal from the adjacent Des Plaines River during flooding.

An additional $9.5 million will be spent to promote commercial fishing of carp, research chemical treatments to kill off the carp if the electric barriers fail, and study other control techniques such as preventing carp from spawning or developing poisons that would kill the carp but not other fish.

Agencies also will speed up their analysis of DNA samples and continue exploring the waterways in hopes of determining whether Asian carp have actually gotten past the electric barriers -- and if so, how many.

The carp battle involves the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which operates the navigational structures; the Environmental Protection Agency; the Fish and Wildlife Service; and the Coast Guard. State and local agencies also are taking part.

Feds Outline Plan to Nurse Great Lakes to Health

USA Today

TRAVERSE CITY, Michigan  —  The Obama administration has developed a five-year blueprint for rescuing the Great Lakes, a sprawling ecosystem plagued by toxic contamination, shrinking wildlife habitat and invasive species.

The plan envisions spending more than $2.2 billion for long-awaited repairs after a century of damage to the lakes, which hold 20% of the world's fresh water. The Associated Press obtained a copy of the document, which Lisa Jackson, head of the Environmental Protection Agency, was releasing at a news conference Sunday in Washington.



"We're committed to creating a new standard of care that will leave the Great Lakes better for the next generation," Jackson said in a statement.

Among the goals is a "zero tolerance policy" toward future invasions by foreign species, including the Asian carp, a huge, ravenous fish that has overrun portions of the Mississippi River system and is threatening to enter Lake Michigan.

Others include cleanup of the region's most heavily polluted sites, restoring wetlands and other crucial habitat, and improving water quality in shallow areas, where runoff from cities and farms has led to unsightly algae blooms and beach closings.

Also promised is a strategy for monitoring the ecosystem's health and holding federal agencies accountable for carrying out the plan.

During his 2008 campaign, Obama pledged $5 billion over a decade toward fulfilling a Great Lakes cleanup wish list developed by a coalition of agencies, scientists and activists.

Congress last year approved his request for a first installment of $475 million. The newly released plan assumes yearly appropriations of the same amount through 2014, except for the $300 million President Obama requested this month in his 2011 budget.

The 41-page plan sets out ecological targets and specific actions to be taken by 16 federal agencies working with state, local and tribal governments and private groups.

Among the goals it seeks by 2014: finishing work at five toxic hot spots that have languished on cleanup lists for two decades; a 40% reduction in the rate at which invasive species are discovered in the lakes; measurable decreases in phosphorus runoff; and protection of nearly 100,000 wetland acres.

It also will help save species such as the lake sturgeon, a prehistoric fish that can reach 8 feet long and 200 pounds but is endangered because of overharvesting and habitat degradation. The plan promises to provide 25,000 young sturgeon for stocking programs.

Combined with enforcement of environmental rules and new ones where needed, officials said the plan would help make Great Lakes fish safe to eat, their waters suitable for drinking and swimming, and their native plants and animals thriving.

The lakes provide drinking water to more than 30 million people and are the backbone of a regional economy dependent on tourism, outdoor recreation, shipping and manufacturing.

"We now have a golden opportunity, even a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, to make huge progress," Wisconsin Gov. Jim Doyle, co-chairman of the Council of Great Lakes Governors, said in a telephone interview Saturday. "We've been talking about this for a long time. Now the federal government is putting some real resources behind it."

Jeff Skelding, director of the Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition, which represents environmental groups across the region, praised the plan's commitment to long-range funding for the restoration but said Congress should boost Obama's 2011 spending request to $475 million.

The coalition also says too much restoration money is being diverted to fighting Asian carp, which could endanger the region's $7 billion sport fishing industry by gobbling plankton and unraveling the food chain.

An "all-out effort" is needed to keep the carp out of the lakes, but funding should come from elsewhere in the federal budget, the coalition said.

Cameron Davis, EPA's senior adviser on the Great Lakes, said about $58 million in restoration funds would go to the carp battle this year. But invasive species programs are getting less restoration money than other needs such as toxic cleanups and habitat improvements, he said.

Another $13 Million From EPA To Fight Asian Carp

Detroit Free Press

The Environmental Protection Agency announced $13 million in funding late today for measures that would help keep Asian carp out of the Great Lakes.

The funding will come from $475 million already approved by Congress this fall to help restore the Great Lakes.

The EPA said the money would go to efforts that would keep Asian carp in the Des Plaines and other rivers and canals from washing into the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal during floods.

That fear was raised in the past six months by environmental groups and others concerned about spread of the voracious invasive species of carp.

The money will also go to pay for more DNA testing to determine where Asian carp are in the Chicago waterways that lead to Lake Michigan. So far, that testing has shown the presence of flying silver carp seven miles from Lake Michigan.

Michigan members of Congress have been pushing hard in the last two weeks to make sure that various federal agencies dealing with the carp problem get the funding they need.

T. Boone Pickens Encourages Alternative Energy In Michigan

Story from the Chicago Tribune

MACKINAC ISLAND, Mich. - Energy baron T. Boone Pickens said Thursday the Great Lakes region has great potential for generating wind power, although he has no immediate plans to back up the assessment with his own money.

Pickens, who made his fortune as a Texas oil producer, preached his newly minted gospel of alternative energy during the Detroit Regional Chamber's annual policy conference. The billionaire shared the stage with Gov. Jennifer Granholm, who has made renewable energy the centerpiece of her push to diversify Michigan's economy.

Both said Michigan can play a key role in weaning the U.S. off foreign oil -- an essential goal for protecting the nation's security and economy. Without a national energy plan focused on alternatives, Americans will be importing three-fourths of their oil at a staggering cost of $300 a barrel within a decade, Pickens said.

Despite promises from presidents going back to Richard Nixon, the nation has yet to confront its oil addiction, Pickens said. Soaring fuel costs last year were one consequence of inaction, he said.

"Cheap oil continued to be a bailout to us over those years," he said. "Consequently, America was never asked to look at what would happen" if supplies tightened and prices soared. "For 40 years, I have watched us having no energy plan and wondered when we were going to hit the wall."

He is funding a $60 million campaign to boost wind power and natural gas, and is trying to develop a gigantic wind farm in western Texas. Pickens said he isn't looking for investments in Michigan projects because he is focusing on his home state, but would encourage others to do so.

"Michigan is a big state and you have a lot of resources here," he said. "I would think people would see it as an opportunity."

Winning energy independence, he said, will require cultivating a wide variety of sources -- including manufacturing cars powered by batteries, natural gas and other unconventional fuels.

"I'm for anything, just so it's American," he said in an interview. "I want off foreign oil. I don't want the oil from Venezuela or the Mideast or Africa."

He also endorsed an energy tax to reduce demand for oil and generate revenue for renewable energy development but said he wouldn't make it a priority. "I don't stump for taxing anybody," he said, adding that the politicians he'd spoken with "get a tight collar" when he raised the issue.

Granholm agreed: "It's hard. Citizens are hurting."

Wind, solar and battery technology hold the best promise for Michigan, although the state is promoting other forms of alternative energy such as biomass, Granholm said. Legislation enacted last year requires that 10 percent of the state's energy come from renewable sources by 2015.

"In the next few years, we are going to create an entire new industry in designing and manufacturing advanced batteries for green vehicles," the Democratic governor said.

The state is offering $700 million in tax credits to encourage development of battery technology and hopes for a share of federal economic stimulus money earmarked for the purpose.

Many of Michigan's auto suppliers are well positioned to manufacture components for wind turbines, such as gear boxes, drive trains and carbon fiber moldings, Granholm said.

"It's far less expensive to ship a wind turbine blade or tower to Duluth from Bay City or Port Huron or Muskegon than from Denmark," she said. "We have the deep water ports and the manufacturing supply chain, and we're putting on a full-court press to attract more wind turbine manufacturers to Michigan."

Another state tax credit aims to lure solar producers to join Hemlock Semiconductor and United Solar Ovonic, two Michigan companies already in the business.