MICHIGAN State of the Great Lakes 2020 REPORT

2020 State of the Great Lakes Report 1 Overseas Hitchhikers ...... 26 TABLE OF CONTENTS New federal regulatory framework is proposed to control unwanted travelers found in ballast water of ships plying the Great Lakes

Last Line of Defense ...... 29 Agreement between Michigan, Illinois and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is a significant step in keeping invasive carp out of Taking Bold Action...... 4 Great Lakes Governor Gretchen Whitmer says protecting the Great Lakes today will have lasting impact for generations Clean Water Champion...... 30 Building on Success...... 5 Public advocate’s mission is to inform, support and collaborate on drinking water issues EGLE Director Liesl Eichler Clark says we made significant strides this past year, now we need to keep the momentum going Protecting Water Resources...... 32 The Great Lakes At-a-Glance...... 6 Keweenaw Bay Indian Community takes historic step toward developing water quality standards that contribute to community wellbeing A look at some of the issues that impact the lakes bordering Michigan Fighting for Lake Erie...... 34 Leading on Justice...... 8 Adaptive Management Plan another tool to help Michigan reach goal of reducing harmful algal blooms New EGLE office helps to sustain communities along the Great Lakes through the lens of Environmental Justice Testing for Pathogens...... 36 Climate’s Impact on Water...... 10 Technique honed for beach water sampling now also used to identify COVID-19 hotspots Michigan’s climate, energy, and water infrastructure initiatives drive community resiliency and water stewardship Legacy of Achievement...... 38 Historic High Waters...... 13 Lower Menominee River Area of Concern delisting was 35 years in the making State, federal and local partners collaborate on coordinated response to rising water levels Status of Michigan AOCs...... 40 Creating Resilient Communities...... 16 Significant progress is being made around the state as cleanup work continues New tools, planning help coastal communities strive and thrive in light of constant change Making Economic Waves...... 42 Community Case Study...... 18 Reports by Great Lakes Restoration Initiative and Michigan Sea Grant demonstrate broad jobs impact from lakes Grand Haven city and township collaborate on sustainability changes to their master plans Green Jobs...... 44 International Cooperation...... 19 Michigan’s New Office of Outdoor Recreation Industry plants seeds for continued economic growth Great Lakes Commission works to translate a network of climate resiliency efforts into a comprehensive action plan Training Future Leaders...... 46 Peering Below the Waves...... 20 From Students to Stewards initiative aims to build lifelong connections with lakes and inspire tomorrow’s decision-makers Lakebed 2030 initiative provides a vision for a comprehensive mapping of Great Lakes bottomlands

Restoring Great Lakes Reefs...... 22 MICHIGAN.GOV/EGLE | 800-662-9278 Work is taking place around the state to rehabilitate important fish spawning habitat Prepared by the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy on behalf of the Office of the Governor (April 2021)

2 2020 State of the Great Lakes Report 2020 State of the Great Lakes Report 3 Building on TAKING BOLD ACTION We made significant strides this past year, Protecting the Great Lakes today will have lasting impact for generations Success now we need to keep the momentum going has put Michiganders and While my administration continues to work e faced new challenges and opportunities for the than ever. Regina Strong, 2020 Americans everywhere to the test. toward a lasting infrastructure that protects W Great Lakes State in 2020, as we continued to EGLE’s Environmental Justice While fighting the COVID-19 pandemic, we public health, it’s become even more clear do the work to protect and restore the world’s largest Public Advocate, and her office saw a historic, 500-year flooding event in that we’re facing a global climate crisis freshwater resource. This year provided opportunities are focusing on transformative Mid-Michigan that forced thousands of that will directly impact our environment, for learning and adapting to new experiences, with the approaches to engage with residents to evacuate their homes. economy and residents, with communities COVID-19 pandemic resulting in nearly all Department people and communities in a of color and low-income Michiganders of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) staff more meaningful and inclusive Despite these unprecedented suffering disproportionately. working remotely. We have continued to serve our 10 manner. All of the work we circumstances, Michiganders continue to million Michigan residents by ensuring that we carry out do must be informed by our prove that tough times don’t last, but tough Michigan continues to see climate-fueled our mission to protect Michigan’s environment and public collective efforts to engage with the public to address people do, and by taking bold action, we can disasters, including high water levels, health by managing air, water, land and energy resources. public health, equity and Environmental Justice in build a stronger, more sustainable state historic flooding and toxic algal blooms. communities across Michigan. for our children and future generations. The science is clear, and its message is One silver lining from the COVID-19 pandemic has been This past year has been unpredictable, but we’ve matched urgent: the earth’s climate is now changing faster than at the renewed interest among Michiganders to reconnect This year has also provided opportunities to think about that uncertainty with bold actions to take on crises facing any point in the history of modern civilization. to the outdoors and enjoy our water playground. We how we build back a stronger, more resilient and adaptive our waters, public health and economy. look forward to building on that renewed connection to Great Lakes State from an environmental, economic and Action in the next decade will be paramount to reducing further drive Great Lakes stewardship. social perspective. EGLE will lead the Michigan Council COVID-19 highlighted several public health disparities the harmful impacts of the real threat of climate change, on Climate Solutions, which will craft and implement the across our state, including the need for access to clean so we’ve launched the MI Healthy Climate Plan. It sets We remain steadfast in our work to address issues Governor’s MI Healthy Climate Plan. water. Which is why early on during this crisis, I ensured some of the strongest goals in the country for combating ranging from emerging contaminants such as PFAS, that at-risk households had access to clean water for climate change. Our goal is a 100 percent carbon-neutral impacts from severe storm events and stress on our This 2020 State of the Great Lakes report is a testament handwashing and sanitation by requiring service to be Michigan by 2050. The transition will mitigate the future infrastructure systems, to high water levels, changing to the hard work of our staff and our many partners at reconnected to residences that experienced shutoffs due impacts of climate change and enable Michigan to take climate, and the continued threat of invasive species. the local, state, regional and binational levels to protect, to inability to pay. This action has provided crucial services full advantage of the global energy transformation — from restore and promote our precious freshwater resources. to people across the state who need access to clean and the jobs it will generate for our skilled workforce to the This year also brought many new opportunities, This has never been more important as we face the affordable water. protections it will provide for natural resources and the including significant investments to improve our water challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. savings it will bring to communities and Michiganders. infrastructure to be safer, more efficient and resilient to Since the start of my administration, I’ve remained laser- better protect water resources and public health across I am proud of all the successes that are a result of our focused on working to improve and rebuild Michigan’s This year has tested us all, but it has also shown what we the state. partnerships with all of you. But there is always more to crumbling infrastructure — from our roads to bridges are made of. Real change requires leaders from across do. It’s important work that we cannot accomplish on our to water. We’ve seen the economic and emotional the country to make bold choices, and that is what I’m Our successes are many, such as accomplishing a own. Won’t you join us? devastation that can happen when infrastructure fails. We committed to doing for the health of the Great Lakes decades-long cleanup of the Lower Menominee River must prioritize investing in infrastructure that will secure region. The actions and bold ideas we implement today Area of Concern; reef restoration resulting from quagga jobs, bolster our economy and protect public health and will have a lasting impact for generations to come. mussel treatments along Sleeping Bear Dunes that our waters. shows promise for restoring important fish spawning habitat; and our continued efforts to build the next In October, I announced the MI Clean Water Plan, a generation of water stewards and leaders through $500 million comprehensive infrastructure investment EGLE’s Office of the Great Lakes’ work with partners on in systems from source to tap. It marks a significant the From Students to Stewards Initiative. Liesl Eichler Clark investment after decades of underinvestment in Governor Gretchen Whitmer Director, Michigan Department of Environment, infrastructure and is a unified approach to cleaner, more We took much of our work virtual and used new Great Lakes, and Energy affordable water. tools and technologies to enhance and expand our collaborations with partners, reaching more people

4 2020 State of the Great Lakes Report 2020 State of the Great Lakes Report 5 A look at some of the issues that impact THE GREAT LAKES AT-A-GLANCE the lakes bordering Michigan

GREAT LAKES PROFILE 2019 WATER LEVEL RECORDS TOP CONTAMINANTS BEACHES AND E. COLI

Total surface area of the Great Lakes Which months saw record highs? What has been found in the water Number of monitored Great Lakes beaches where column and fish tissue? action was taken to protect public health. Lake Superior: May-September 86,910 SQUARE MILES 1. PCBs 3. Dioxins Lakes Michigan-Huron: None Year Monitored Action Surface area of Great Lakes, Great 2. Chlordane 4. Mercury 2019 198 41 Lakes bays and Lake St. Clair under Lake Erie: May-September 2018 210 60 Michigan jurisdiction Source: EGLE 2017 185 43 2016 209 43 42,167 SQUARE MILES 2020 WATER LEVEL RECORDS FISH EAT ADVISORIES 2015 203 65 Miles of Great Lakes shorelines Lake Superior: January, February 2014 160 50 258 Lakes Michigan-Huron: January-August 10 year avg. 215 59 3,288 “Do Not Eat” or “limited” Source: NOAA Lake Erie: February-May consumption warnings for all water Source: EGLE bodies across Michigan as of May 2019.

Source: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Source: Department of Health and Human Services DRINKING WATER SOURCES Superior GOOD AREAS OF CONCERN LAKE ASSESSMENTS 5.39 MILLION Fourteen areas of legacy Michiganders get their drinking water Based on a set of nine overarching indicators contamination were identified across from the Great Lakes or connecting waterways. of ecosystem health supported by 45 science- Michigan in 1987. Huron based sub-indicators. FAIR 289 3 DELISTED Number of community water suppliers that draw Lower Menominee River 2020, White from the Great Lakes or connecting waterways. Ontario Lake 2014, Deer Lake 2014 Michigan FAIR 2.58 MILLION FAIR Erie 11 ACTIVE Clinton River, Detroit River, Kalamazoo Number of residents who use wells Source: U.S. EPA and Environment and Climate Change River, Manistique River, Muskegon POOR Canada, 2019 State of the Great Lakes Highlights report Source: EGLE Binational.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/May- Lake, River Raisin, Rouge River, 4.2020-2019-SOGL-FINAL.pdf Saginaw River/Bay, St. Clair River, St. Marys River, Torch Lake (U.P.)

6 2020 State of the Great Lakes Report Source: EGLE 2020 State of the Great Lakes Report 7 (Left) Industry and shipping docks line a portion of the St. Mary River at Port Huron. Legacy industry can have adverse impacts on nearby communities. (Right) A steel plant in southwest Detroit is one of several industrial and manufacturing facilities in the area. (Photos courtesy of the Michigan Department of Transportation)

operations to industries that compromised the on Environmental Justice. The council LEADINGNew EGLE office helps to sustain communities alongON the Great Lak esJUSTICE through the lens of Environmental Justice ecosystem of the lakes, the work of the Office serves as an advisory voice for the state on of the Environmental Justice Public Advocate Environmental Justice issues and includes By Regina Strong, Environmental Justice Public Advocate, addresses impacts on communities that are representation from front-line community Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy economically disadvantaged and continue to be members, community organizations, local disproportionally affected by cumulative effects governments, tribes and labor, as well as he connection between Michigan and together to develop statewide strategies. of past environmental degradation. The office business and industry. other Great Lakes communities is The office works collaboratively across takes a holistic approach in considering how based not only on the region’s abundant state agencies to proactively engage with these communities are affected by decision- To hear directly from communities, the T natural resources and interdependent the communities to address Environmental making and looks for ways to improve policies Response Team is also planning virtual economies, but also on the impact of those Justice issues and complaints. Efforts and public engagement. The goal is to ensure regional roundtables around the state in 2021 connections on the wellbeing of the area’s focus on ensuring that low-income residents that the state’s residents have opportunities for to ensure that people throughout Michigan residents. As a region with a longstanding and communities of color are equitably meaningful access and equitable participation are at the table on environmental issues. industrial past, its residents, particularly represented in various actions. The office also in the development and implementation of The Office of the Environmental Justice those in vulnerable and Environmental works closely with 12 federally-recognized environmental laws and regulations. Public Advocate is currently developing a Justice communities, have dealt with legacy tribes in Michigan on a wide range of Great Michigan-specific EJ Screening Tool to better challenges for decades. Lakes and environmental issues. With significant investments under way in identify Environmental Justice communities. Great Lakes restoration, work continues Other efforts under way include work toward Recognizing the resulting complexities, Earlier this year, Governor Whitmer stressed to address challenges presented by integrating Environmental Justice into EGLE’s ranging from access to drinking water to the importance of including the voices of Michigan’s industrial past, as well as new work through training and implementation. residents affected by pollution, the state people affected by environmental issues: “We emerging issues such as the contaminant took action to address impacts on people must ensure that the implementation and PFAS. These efforts ensure that Michigan Michigan is moving aggressively to address across the state. enforcement of environmental protections, creates an equitable and vibrant quality of climate change on numerous fronts, with a regulations and policies in Michigan will be fair life in communities across the state, while focus on ensuring that low-income residents In early 2019, Governor Whitmer created the and meaningful to all Michiganders, regardless protecting residents and preserving the and communities of color are equitably Office of the Environmental Justice Public of geography, race, color, origin or income.” state’s resources. represented in the actions. We are thinking Advocate and the role of the Environmental not only about the adaptation and stress Justice Public Advocate. The Executive Order Michigan has the unique distinction of serving Last year, the Office of the Environmental issues caused by climate, but also equity that created the office also created an as the heart of the automotive industry, along Justice Public Advocate and the Interagency and ensuring that low-income residents and Interagency Environmental Justice Response with industrial sites and businesses on the Environmental Justice Response Team communities of color are provided with the Team, bringing several state agencies shores of the Great Lakes. From historic logging launched the Michigan Advisory Council tools so both can adapt to climate effects.

8 2020 State of the Great Lakes Report 2020 State of the Great Lakes Report 9 U.S. 23 runs along Lake Huron in East Tawas. High water levels, driven by increased precipitation due to climate CLIMATE’S change, are having a detrimental impact on northeast Michigan infrastructure, such as Tawas State Park. (Photo courtesy of Michigan Department of Transportation)

IMPACT The overarching goal is to ensure businesses, industry, agriculture, utilities, communities and the public have the best available information, tools and technologies to engage in activities to improve efficiency and water conservation to ON WATER ensure sustainability of our water resources. Michigan’s climate, energy, and water infrastructure initiatives drive community resiliency and water stewardship Programs such as the Catalyst Communities, facilitated by the Office of Climate and Energy, the collaborative Resilient By Dr. Brandy Brown, Office of Climate and Energy, Communities Program and the Department of Health and and Emily Finnell, Office of the Great Lakes, Michigan Human Services’ Healthy Homes offer tools and resources Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy for municipalities and residents to help prepare for climate change impacts and build resilient communities. cross Michigan, communities are being affected Creating resilient communities from a social, ecological by changing climate. This is evident from the and economic perspective can also help in the face of new A shores of Lake Superior, now the fastest warming challenges such as the COVID-19 pandemic. lake recorded on earth, to record high waters in other lakes, increases in waterborne diseases and failing Liesl Clark told an audience at the Climate Leadership The Catalyst Communities program is based on four infrastructure from severe and intense storms. Conference in Detroit. themes that will move Michigan toward climate readiness: Water Public Advocate and the Water Use Advisory emergency preparedness, adaption planning resources, To help Michigan combat the global effects of climate “We are thinking not only about the adaptation and Council will work collaboratively to identify opportunities economic resilience and integrating equity. The program change, Governor Whitmer recently ordered EGLE’s stress issues caused by climate, but also equity and to strategically integrate water stewardship into current will provide education, training, planning and technical Office of Climate and Energy to coordinate the state’s ensuring that low-income residents and communities of and future climate, energy and water infrastructure resources to local public officials as they prepare for climate efforts to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050 through color are provided with the tools to both adapt to climate policies and programs. New technological advancements impacts on emergency response and public health. development and implementation of the MI Healthy effects and that they’ll benefit from climate initiatives have also occurred within various water sectors that Climate Plan, outlined in Executive Order 2020-182 and like clean jobs and green infrastructure,” she said during need to be considered, which can provide insight into The online Climate Academy launched in November Executive Directive 2020-10. The MI Healthy Climate a plenary address. potential water, energy and infrastructure savings for all 2020 provides training for local officials through a multi- Plan is a comprehensive effort meant to protect public water user groups. tier instruction curriculum focused on adapting locally health and the environment while helping to develop In addition, the MI Clean Water Plan is investing $500 new clean energy jobs by making Michigan carbon- million in Michigan’s aging water infrastructure. The neutral by 2050. plan presents an opportunity to improve drinking and wastewater infrastructure, expand green infrastructure, The Office of Climate and Energy was created by Governor address water loss through leaky systems and educate the Whitmer to coordinate activities of state departments public about water and energy efficiency and conservation. Climate change in the Great Lakes Region (1951-2017) and agencies on climate response, provide insight and recommendations to state government and local Both of these new initiatives present an opportunity to units of government on how to mitigate climate impact create a greater focus on advancing Michigan’s water and adapt to climate changes, and provide guidance conservation and efficiency goals and objectives under and assistance for the reduction of greenhouse gas the Great Lakes Compact through strategic integration emissions, renewable energy and energy efficiency, and into Michigan’s effort to achieve a carbon neutral climate adaptation and resiliency. footprint by 2050 to address climate change, increase energy efficiency, improve aging infrastructure and Michigan is moving aggressively to address climate protect the environment and public health. O change on numerous fronts, with a focus on ensuring that low-income residents and communities of color Over the coming months, EGLE’s Office of the Great 2.3 F 16 DAYS 14% 35% are equitably represented in the actions, EGLE Director Lakes, Office of Climate and Energy, Office of the Clean Average Frost-free Total Heavy precipitation temperature season precipitation events

10 2020 State of the Great Lakes Report 2020 State of the Great Lakes Report 11 producing vegetation. These direct and indirect climate impacts can exacerbate current health problems, as well as create new health threats for all Michiganders. Figure 3 shows how changes in climate lead to health effects.

Figure 3: Changes in our atmosphere lead to health effects (Figure adapted from Minnesota Department of Health, 2016).

producing vegetation. These direct and indirect climate impactsRise can in exacerbate atmospheric current health problems, as well as create new health threats for all Michiganders. Figure 3 shows how changes in climate GREENHOUSElead to health effects. GASES

FigureCHANGES3: Changes in our atmosphere IN OUR lead ATMOSPHEREto health effects (Figure adapted LEAD from MinnesotaTO HEALTH Department ofEFFECTS Health, 2016). Rise in TEMPERATURE Change in PRECIPITATION Rise in atmospheric GREENHOUSE GASES Changes in...

Rise in TEMPERATURE Change in PRECIPITATION EXTREME WEATHER WATER QUALITY ECOSYSTEM HISTORIC AIR QUALITY EVENTS AND QUANTITY CHANGES

Exposure Pathway Exposure Pathway Exposure Pathway Exposure Pathway • Wildfire smoke • Heat waves Changes• in...Drought • More animal hosts • Particulates • Extreme cold • Flood • More ticks & • Longer pollen season • Storms • Harmful algal blooms mosquitoes • Ozone and smog EXTREME WEATHER WATER QUALITY •ECOSYSTEM Longer vector season AIR QUALITY HealthEVENTS Outcomes HealthAND QUANTITY Outcomes CHANGES HIGH WATERS Health Outcomes • Heat illness and death • Waterborne diseases Health Outcomes State, federal and local partners collaborate on •Exposure New and Pathwayworsening •Exposure Cold-related Pathway injuries •Exposure Worsening Pathway existing •Exposure Lyme disease Pathway • existingWildfire respiratory smoke •• WorseningHeat waves existing • respiratoryDrought illness •• WestMore Nileanimal Virus hosts coordinated response to rising water levels • illnessParticulates • cardio-respiratoryExtreme cold •• MentalFlood stress •• OtherMore tickstick- and& •• AllergicLonger pollendiseases season • illnessesStorms • Harmful algal blooms mosquito-bornemosquitoes •• MentalOzone stressand smog • Mental stress • diseasesLonger vector season Health Outcomes Health Outcomes By Jay Eickholt, Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy Health Outcomes • Heat illness and death • Waterborne diseases Health Outcomes 12 • New and worsening • Cold-related injuries • Worsening existing • Lyme disease existing respiratory • Worsening existing respiratory illness • West Nile Virus illness cardio-respiratory • Mental stress • Other tick- and ome to more than 11,000 inland lakes, processes to help with emergency permit • Allergic diseases illnesses mosquito-borne 51,000 miles of rivers and surrounded reviews for residential and municipal property • Mental stress • Mental stress diseases by four Great Lakes, Michigan protection. Local emergency management H communities have a strong connection continued to engage with state and elected to water. But this relationship is changing 12 officials about issues communities were due to climate change and intense weather facing. The Federal Emergency Management events that are leading to record amounts Agency (FEMA) also issued a notice to the to the impacts of climate change on communities, communities address leaky systems to save money on of water throughout the state. For coastal state of Michigan that the impacts from mitigating harms and implementing clean energy water and energy bills as well as conserve water. communities, this change is constant. rising water levels would not be eligible for a solutions. After completing the sessions, attendees Stafford Emergency Declaration. Therefore, will be better equipped to prepare their communities In addition, the Resilient Communities Program created Michigan is in the middle of the wettest Michigan would not receive any federal for potential climate impacts. Participants will work by EGLE’s Coastal Management Program — in partnership one-, three-, and five-year periods since disaster relief. to secure a resilient future for their communities into with the Michigan Association of Planners, the University recordkeeping began more than a century the next century by building emergency response of Michigan and the Land Information Access Association ago. Most of the Great Lakes met or broke At the urging of Governor Whitmer and with preparedness, public health awareness and economic — helps to foster and support planning that promotes monthly or all-time records in late 2019 and the full support of state leadership, EGLE revitalization solutions. These tools will help every community resilience in the face of rapid economic 2020. The rising waters on the Great Lakes formed an inter-agency group consisting of Michigan community to succeed in a changing climate changes and increasing climate variability. resulted in major shoreline erosion, inland local, state and federal experts. The group and the transition to clean energy. inundation, flooded homes that had been was a starting point to engage at all levels Creating a more resilient future will require collaborative dry for decades and infrastructure impacts of government to streamline state processes Michigan’s investment in water infrastructure and collective action by many partners at the watershed from rising surface water and groundwater. to the maximum extent possible to assist improvements, including green infrastructure solutions, scale, long-term and adaptive management approaches, The changes have caused concern for many local response agencies and residents. increases community resiliency to changing climate nature-based solutions and ongoing communication and local governments as they struggled to In February 2020, a High Water Summit by offering nature-based solutions that mimic natural information sharing. These programs and efforts will help mitigate impacts from high waters. was held in Lansing to bring all levels of systems to help communities better mitigate impacts to build back a better and more resilient Great Lakes State, government up to date with the high water from the increased frequency and intensity of storms one in which communities, infrastructure, ecosystems and In late 2019, local emergency managers and situation in Michigan and act as a starting that lead to flooding and high waters. Programs such economies can withstand, adapt to and recover from future the Michigan Department of Environment, point for a core state team to coordinate as the Water Leak Pilot launched by the Office of the climate-related stressors and changing conditions and that Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) began state efforts and troubleshoot questions Clean Water Public Advocate can help residents and is socially equitable and inclusive of all people. to coordinate and restructure internal that may arise.

12 2020 State of the Great Lakes Report 2020 State of the Great Lakes Report 13 Key takeaways from the summit: • Local emergency management needs to be engaged with their community and residents to ensure all properties are encompassed in response efforts and assistance is being provided in a uniform way. • There would be no federal disaster relief; communities and the state of Michigan would have to coordinate resources and fund any actions. • Stakeholders would have to work collaboratively to collect data and complete mapping to show the impacts from high water. This information would help inform future infrastructure development and community recovery efforts. • EGLE committed to expedite shoreline protection permitting through its Water Resources Division so public health and Learn More critical infrastructure can be protected. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers catalogs • A state agency action team would meet water level data and forecasts, basin conditions, regularly to communicate and coordinate outflows, and other information relating to Great efforts to address high water issues. A tiger dam, a tube structure used to hold back water, was installed Lakes water levels at their Great Lakes Information in Spring 2020 along the canal in the Jefferson-Chalmers area of website. Information is updated regularly. Since the summit, the state agency action Detroit next to sandbags that were installed the prior year. (Photo team has met monthly to coordinate response courtesy of EGLE) efforts and resources to address high waters. It also has been in regular communication with federal and local agencies. EGLE has continued One example is a $5 million relocation and and collaborate on a variety of high water and to expedite permits for shoreline protection shoreline revetment at Orchard Beach State disaster work groups to ensure a coordinated efforts such as revetments and other protective Park in Manistee County to protect a historic and efficient response at all levels. Efforts measures. These shoreline protection efforts pavilion structure at the top of a bluff that are also ongoing to assist local government continue to be a large part of individual property was being eroded by high water levels. in identifying at-risk properties. owner responses to high water. The permitting of projects on the Great Lakes went from The Michigan Department of Health and In addition to responding to immediate roughly 200 permits in fiscal year 2010 to more Human Services (DHHS) has received a grant challenges due to high waters, the state than 2,000 in fiscal year 2020. from the federal Centers for Disease Control is partnering with local, state and federal and Prevention (CDC) that earmarked funds partners to help provide tools and resources Michigan’s park system has also been heavily for mitigation against the environmental to communities to improve resiliency and impacted by high waters. The Michigan health hazards caused by high water. explore new approaches that protect the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has environment and public health and safety. been funding protective measures for state The DHHS cited recent flooding due to severe lands and parks, as well as assisting with road storms in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula as an Further research is needed to study the long- stabilization that leads to state properties. example of areas that would be served by term impacts of a hardened shoreline on the initiative. Funding will be shared with sediment movement and beach nourishment local health departments to better plan and as a result of many measures taken to In December 2020, the Michigan Department improve resilience in Michigan communities. address high waters not only in Michigan but of Natural Resources (DNR) moved a historic across the Great Lakes region. shelter at Orchard Beach State Park in Manistee The state agency action team will continue 230 feet away from the Lake Michigan shoreline, to monitor Great Lakes water levels for 2021 which was being eroded by high water levels. (Photo courtesy of DNR) 14 2020 State of the Great Lakes Report 2020 State of the Great Lakes Report 15 adopted municipal plans and policies that establish the Resiliency Roadblocks steps that are necessary to position a community for Five barriers to moving from planning to implementation. resilience success. Creating 1. Limited “next step” expertise to make technical, science- MAP also published an issue of our magazine on based changes to local policy. resilience planning best practices and hosted a daylong 2. Not all local officials have been exposed to sustainability Resilience Summit, which highlighted national experts, and resiliency concepts or understand their roles to drive Resilient our partners and local practitioners who are doing the policy change. work in Michigan. 3. Ideological and partisan messaging can prevent some Building on shared knowledge and experience, MAP’s communities from exploring science-based policy solutions. Communities next round of EGLE funding provided a grant match for six coastal communities to hire planning consultants 4. Difficulty rallying leaders and residents around policy New tools, planning help coastal communities strive and thrive in light of constant change to assist in developing and adopting local resilience change that has longer-term benefits. plans. This pilot project served to build the knowledge of By Andrea Brown, Michigan Association of Planning private sector planners, enhancing their experience and 5. Lack of funding or staff resources to make necessary positioning them to provide resilience planning services to resiliency changes to the master plan or local zoning codes. municipalities throughout the state. MAP also developed ommunities create master plans as a tool Over the past six years, MAP has partnered with the and launched a workshop for planning consultants to Source: Michigan Association of Planning to use so they can thrive, both now and in Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, ensure they possess the necessary skills to successfully the future. More and more, there is a sense and Energy’s (EGLE) Coastal Management Program, the work with local governments. that these plans should focus on making a University of Michigan (U-M) and the Land Information Ccommunity as resilient as possible. In the past year, Access Association (LIAA) to develop strategic Once a plan is adopted, implementation is key. MAP Participants in the academy will come away from this the rising level of the Great Lakes and the COVID-19 approaches that increase the knowledge of municipal has received additional funding from EGLE to assist experience with the technical knowledge and local pandemic are dramatic examples of the adversity planners and officials about community resilience. communities seeking to implement resiliency policies partnerships necessary to advance planning and zoning communities are facing. and ordinance changes identified in their master plans. changes in their community that provide non-structural An early objective of the partnership was to introduce the This would enable municipalities to take actions that approaches to coastal shoreline protection. Participants As the professional association for community planners idea of integrating coastal sustainability and resilience might otherwise be delayed due to inertia, leadership will return to their communities and organizations as and appointed land use officials in the state of Michigan, into municipal master plans. U-M and LIAA provided the changes or cost. Grand Haven (see page 18) is a ambassadors for coastal resilience, to lead local efforts the Michigan Association of Planning (MAP) understands technical expertise and science-based approaches, while successful example. to educate the community and build on momentum that community planning directly affects long-term MAP provided access to professional planners as well acquired at the leadership academy. community resiliency in a complex and changing world. as appointed and elected municipal leaders. Together, Educating local officials is an important first step, but Resilience is the ability of a community to recover or we developed and delivered a master planning process even when equipped with tools and best practices for “bounce back” from adversity — whether an economic for a community resilience workshop curriculum to resiliency planning, there are barriers to moving from downturn, extreme weather, environmental disaster or prepare municipalities to create and adopt their own planning to implementation. To help coastal leaders demographic shift. local resilience policies. Long-term resilience starts with understand the range of policies and solutions to prepare for and respond to high waters, MAP produced a publication, Survive and Thrive, which summarized lessons learned from the pilot communities. Identify Assets Next up? MAP, in coordination with EGLE’s Coastal Natural Resources, Outdoor Recreation, Residential Management Program, Michigan Sea Grant and U-M, will pilot a leadership academy for coastal communities. The Understand Disturbances Adopt and Implement academy will consist of a sequence of three intensive, Ecological and Socioeconomic Evaluate and Refine peer-learning virtual workshops for local decision-makers Resilience dealing with coastal hazards. The approach is intended Strategies to build and nurture a cluster of 12-15 local community Assess Vulnerabilities leaders from several jurisdictions who will forge the strong Sensitivity and Capacity to Adapt relationships necessary to carry forth strategies to respond Public comments were tabulated following a city of to the impacts of rising Great Lakes water levels and the Trenton zoning ordinance session. (Photo courtesy of resolve to collectively work together going forward. Beckett Raeder Inc.)

16 2020 State of the Great Lakes Report 2020 State of the Great Lakes Report 17 International Cooperation Community Great Lakes Commission works to translate a network of climate resiliency efforts into a comprehensive action plan Case Study By Erika Jensen, Interim Executive Director, Great Lakes Commission Grand Haven city and township collaborate on ecord high lake levels and increasingly severe countless nongovernmental stakeholders are working sustainability changes to their master plans weather events throughout the Great Lakes basin are on projects and making investments that will contribute R highlighting the need for regional climate resilience. to climate resilience. The GLC is focused on convening The Great Lakes states and provinces are leading many these groups, facilitating dialogue and information- collaborative effort by the city of Grand important efforts to build resilience, including enhancing sharing and ultimately leveraging individual programs Haven and Grand Haven Township is an coastal wetlands, preventing erosion and reducing nutrient into basinwide progress. A important example of community resiliency pollution that leads to harmful algal blooms. planning. Tourism is important for the city’s and The GLC is working with our partners to develop and region’s economy, and the area’s natural features are These efforts are dispersed across the complex network implement a climate resilience action plan. This plan essential components to the area’s quality of life. of stakeholders in the Great Lakes basin — including two will outline goals and list high-level activities, programs federal governments, dozens of tribal nations, eight states, and tasks needed in the areas of climate change and In 2015, the city and township formed a joint two Canadian provinces and thousands of municipalities. resilience. Agreement on this broad set of goals is intended planning committee to participate in a study funded As each jurisdiction works independently to address the to help the region’s stakeholders work together effectively by a grant from EGLE’s Coastal Management effects of climate change, members of Congress and others to ensure that the Great Lakes and its communities are Program to determine the potential physical and are asking this question: who is coordinating all this work? resilient and productive for generations to come. environmental impacts of dynamic coastline processes on their communities with a simple The Great Lakes Commission (GLC), a binational scenario-based approach. The city is on the shores government agency, is working to answer that question. About the Commission of Lake Michigan and is characterized by sand The GLC membership, which includes representatives dunes, wetlands and beaches. The Grand River from each of the eight U.S. states (Michigan, Illinois, The Great Lakes Commission is an interstate compact runs along the northern boundary of the city as it Indiana, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and agency established under the Great Lakes Basin Compact empties into the lake. Wisconsin) and two Canadian provinces (Ontario and of 1955. The Commission is authorized by state and U.S. Quebec) in the Great Lakes basin, convened a Standing federal law and dedicated to promoting a strong economy, Building Coastal Resiliency in the City of Grand Committee on Climate Resilience in January 2020. healthy environment and high quality of life for the Great Haven, a report about the effort, provided the Lakes-St. Lawrence basin and its residents. Learn more basis for the resiliency recommendations that Through this forum, the GLC is working to define resilience were subsequently incorporated into a master plan for the Great Lakes basin and catalog the programs and at www.glc.org. update, which was adopted in 2016. The master projects in each jurisdiction that contribute to Great plan encourages development patterns that are Lakes resilience. It also is formulating a joint action plan economically, socially and environmentally viable. to identify short-, medium-, and long-term goals that will help ensure a resilient future for the 48 million people The city followed up on the plan by participating who call the Great Lakes region home. in the Michigan Association of Planning’s Coastal Resilience Regulatory Solutions project, which was The GLC is taking a comprehensive view of resilience: completed in 2018. With the goal of protecting one in which communities, infrastructure, ecosystems sensitive natural landscapes, the city retained the and the economy can withstand, adapt to and recover Land Information Access Association (LIAA) to map from climate-related stressors and changing conditions “at risk” landscapes, update the city’s Sensitive to ensure equitable and inclusive social, economic and Areas Overlay District, develop a shoreline setback (Top) The Grand Haven beachfront as seen from the air. environmental well-being across the basin. requirement and create a management guide for (Bottom) Erosion from high water levels has devastated homeowners living in sensitive landscapes. The city beachfront property near Grand Haven. (Photos courtesy The good news is that there is a strong foundation of completed all four initiatives in less than a year. of Land Information Access Association) work to build upon — both federal governments, all of the state and provincial governments, municipalities, and

18 2020 State of the Great Lakes Report 2020 State of the Great Lakes Report 19 What needs to be done What could Lakebed 2030 deliver? Fulfilling this vision requires building capacity at local, The initiative would provide a framework for a regional and international scales and further developing comprehensive map of the Great Lakes, supporting: (or creating) collaborations that share collected data, technological advances and workflow strategies. The • Quantitative understanding of Great Lakes ecosystems information must be freely accessible in a digital and their functioning as the basis for their management repository so gaps in data coverage can be assessed and adaptation. and prioritized through continuing collaborations. • Development of a universal data and information portal. Advancements in technology • Capacity building and accelerated technology transfer, Autonomous survey platforms will be integral to a Lakebed training and education supporting Great Lakes literacy. 2030 initiative. Rapid advances in acoustic technology • Binational support for a healthy and resilient Great and robotics are leading to innovative approaches that Lakes where marine ecosystems are mapped and maximize efficiency, resolution and visualization. properly managed. Multibeam sonar data can provide a broad understanding • Support the articulation of the economic, cultural of the lakebed bathymetry, substrate and water column in and security values of the Great Lakes through a single pass. Unmanned surface vessels, autonomous mapping products. underwater vehicles and long range sub-surface gliders • Promote a more targeted and effective information now navigate all marine domains equipped with a wide flow as well as innovative ways of conducting Great variety of sensor packages. The use of these platforms the Lakes mapping. PEERING BELOW WAVES extends data collection windows and requires significantly Lakebed 2030 initiative provides a vision for a comprehensive mapping of Great Lakes bottomlands fewer personnel for operation. Further developments By Hans W. Van Sumeren, Director, Great Lakes Water Studies Institute at Northwestern Michigan College in unmanned aerial systems can capture nearshore environments at a much lower cost and faster response. here is a need for better mapping of the Great Great Lakes initiative Lakes and all the world’s large lakes. In fact, there Partnering with the Marine Technology Society and the How it works is significantly more information at a much higher Great Lakes Observing System, Northwestern Michigan The bathymetric mapping systems used today can collect resolution of the surface of Mars than there is for College in Traverse City has hosted several TechSurge data across multiple frequencies at swath widths of more T than three times the water depth. This use of multiple either the Great Lakes or the world’s oceans. Estimates of Lakebed 2030 conferences to discuss the initiative. high-resolution bathymetry and substrate data for the Great frequencies provides multispectral backscatter return Lakes basin vary from 4-12 percent, lagging behind the 20 A successful Lakebed 2030 project will produce a from the lakebed, with each return providing significant percent coverage of the world’s oceans. With advances definitive map of the Great Lakes, empower policy delineation in habitat classification and general lakebed in technology and the need for a better understanding of decision-making, encourage sustainable use of the lakes structure. Staggering those frequencies during a single the Great Lakes, we are now at a key juncture to develop and foster scientific research that relies on comprehensive collection pass ensures comparability of the backscatter Northern Michigan College students conduct multibeam partnerships and raise the funding needed to launch information on the Great Lakes. Funding mechanisms across all frequencies thus providing the user multiple perspectives of the lakebed in a single transect. sonar operations as part of one of the numerous marine Lakebed 2030, a full mapping of all the Great Lakes. could include promoting public/private partnerships, sector training programs offered by the college. (Photo attracting new investments, aligning priorities with the courtesy of Hans W. Van Sumeren) Why it’s important philanthropic sector priorities and crowdfunding. Mapping the Straits Large gaps in lakebed mapping indicate a need for data Recent mapping in the Straits of Mackinac by the collection strategies. New collaborative approaches The bigger picture National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) combined with accessible data repositories and technological The vision for Lakebed 2030 is to develop a comprehensive included the use of multiple autonomous surface vessels What’s next advancements can help move researchers closer to a well- map for a sustainable and healthy Great Lakes, foster coupled virtually to a survey vessel, which allowed for a Realizing a comprehensive map of the Great Lakes will understood Great Lakes basin and may allow for one day new joint research collaboration and cooperation within near doubling of the swath of mapping coverage without require significant contributions from beyond the formal realizing a complete and comprehensive view of the basin’s the Great Lakes basin and prioritize critical Great Lakes requiring additional personnel or time on task. Massive mapping and science channels. Integrating commercial lakebed. A Lakebed 2030 initiative would drive support and mapping needs. It also could synthesize past, current amounts of data being collected include multiple depths off-the-shelf mapping technologies into crowdsourcing the development of strategies for obtaining 100 percent and future mapping efforts to define trends, knowledge at decimeter resolution and highly accurate positions, opportunities represents an additional approach toward coverage of the Great Lakes bottomlands. gaps and priorities for future research. identification of lakebed features, significant substrate reducing the gaps in data coverage and accelerating the identification and complete water column coverage. vision of Lakebed 2030. Off-the-shelf technologies are Advancements such as this have revolutionized the improving in quality and accessibility and could be used to (Above) A Kongsberg Mesotech Ltd. maritime autonomous underwater vehicle, with multibeam sonar, used to map ability to comprehensively visualize the lakebed and outfit ferries, commercial ships and recreational vessels bottomlands. (Photo courtesy of Kongsberg Mesotech Ltd.) water column. to collect data during their normal operations.

20 2020 State of the Great Lakes Report 2020 State of the Great Lakes Report 21 RESTORING THE RIGHT MATERIALS In the past, reef “restoration” might have taken on aspects of a recycling project, with any excess material at hand dumped GREAT LAKES REEFS into a body of water and serving more as a fish “attractor” Work is taking place around the state to than as a functioning reef. In recent years, significant efforts have gone into understanding the material makeup of Great rehabilitate important fish spawning habitat Lakes reefs and incorporating these optimal designs and materials to more closely mimic historic functioning of these systems. Regular ongoing evaluations, using cutting edge tools ost people are aware that reefs are an important component of such as side-scan sonar mapping, are also providing insights into ocean systems and provide food, cover and spawning areas for how restored reefs respond to the harsh physical conditions (e.g., waves, Mmarine fish. However, not everyone is aware that similar areas exist in strong currents, ice scour) present in the Great Lakes. the Great Lakes — and are just as important. The Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is working with partners and collaborators Ice covers dock pilings in Elk Rapids reef project. (Photo courtesy of throughout the Great Lakes to better understand how reefs function in these Michigan Department of Natural Resources) systems, identify and protect high-quality spawning reefs and restore degraded reefs to fully functioning reproductive habitat for fish.

A diver collects samples on a rock reef. (Photo courtesy of Fauna Creative) SUCCESS STORY After much of the habitat of the St. Clair and Detroit Rivers was destroyed or modified due to dredging, construction of shipping channels or WHAT IS A REEF? sedimentation, the construction of new limestone cobble reefs in both systems has been a major component of regional habitat restoration Reefs in the Great Lakes are made of rocks, not coral, but high-quality reef habitat efforts. These efforts have been undertaken by partners from state, is still critical for native fish including lake trout, lake whitefish, cisco, walleye, federal and provincial governments; private entities; not-for-profit smallmouth bass and yellow perch. During spawning season, these fish use reefs organizations; and academic institutions. The new reefs provide a place to deposit and protect eggs. At other times of the year, reefs provide cover for for lake sturgeon, walleye and other native fish to lay their eggs, where young fish and forage for fish of all sizes. Reefs have enormous influence on they and newly hatched fry will be protected from sediment, strong Great Lakes fish populations. A large, fully functioning Great Lakes reef complex currents and predators. Over a dozen native fish species have been could produce more fish in a year than a modern / state-of-the-art hatchery. documented using the reefs.

A diver uses a grid to quantify invasive species impacts on a reef. A lake sturgeon caught near Saugatuck. (Photo courtesy of Michigan (Photo courtesy of Michigan Department of Natural Resources) Department of Natural Resources)

BUILDING REEFS LESSONS LEARNED When people think of habitat restoration, the picture that often comes to mind Reef habitat restoration in the Great Lakes is built on a long history of research documenting is of some kind of physical manipulation; think logs in streams or replanting the importance of reefs and how they function — conducted with support from numerous wetland plants along a lakeshore. Those same kinds of physical habitat partners and collaborators — and has significant implications for Great Lakes fish manipulations are also occurring in the Great Lakes, but often on a much populations. The lessons learned from these projects are being implemented in the larger scale. Twenty-nine reefs were constructed in Thunder Bay, Lake Huron, many ongoing and new habitat restoration efforts around the Great Lakes. With habitat in 2010 and 2011 with different configurations to measure fish community improvement for the fish they pursue, Great Lakes anglers can expect increased success responses to habitat restoration. Reef construction increased the capacity for for many years to come. fry production without apparently decreasing the use of intact natural reefs.

A pile of rocks to be used in reef restoration near Elk Rapids. (Photo courtesy of Matthew Dae Smith/Big Foot Media)

22 2020 State of the Great Lakes Report 2020 State of the Great Lakes Report 23 REEF DEGRADATION VARIES AROUND MICHIGAN SEDIMENTATION

There are a number of environmental stressors on reefs in Michigan waters and work is progressing among Case study: Excessive sedimentation has degraded important reef habitats and nursery areas for fish numerous stakeholders to find solutions to improving degraded reefs. Some examples: species as a result of human development and land use changes, such as logging and agriculture. Where: Saginaw Bay, Lake Huron CONTAMINANTS What’s being done: Rock is being placed to restore reef habitat and create a sheltered environment protected from predators where fish eggs can incubate. As the eggs hatch, the warm and highly productive Case study: Legacy contaminants such as copper mine tailings (stamp sands) waters of the inner bay will provide excellent nursery habitat and abundant food sources for larval and from the Wolverine and Mohawk mines are migrating southward due to wave young fish, encouraging fast growth and increasing survival potential. action and inundating Buffalo Reef. Behind the effort: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Geological Survey, Purdue University, Where: Keweenaw Peninsula, Lake Superior Michigan Department of Natural Resources and the Saginaw Bay Watershed Initiative Network. What’s being done: Various efforts over the past few years, including removing a 25-foot-high stamp-sand ridge from the Lake Superior shoreline, dredging of a natural trough that is in Lake Superior north of the reef and dredging of Grand Traverse Harbor. REEF RESTORATION Behind the effort: Michigan Department of Natural Resources, U.S. Case study: Invasive species have directly influenced native Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Keweenaw fish through predation or competition for food resources. Bay Indian Community, the Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission and the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy. Where: Elk Rapids and Harbor Springs, Lake Michigan In rocky spawning reefs, Wave action has slowly moved stamp sands from along the shore of the Keweenaw What’s being done: Peninsula into Lake Superior and inundated Buffalo Reef. (Photo courtesy of the Michigan Department of rusty crayfish, along with invasive round goby, can Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy) consume more than 50 percent of the eggs that are laid by native fish species. Invasive crayfish and gobies also compete with native species by feeding AQUATIC INVASIVE SPECIES on invertebrates that are important fish prey and removing aquatic plants that provide habitat for fish. Case study: Invasive species have changed the architecture of reef complexes. Spawning reef restoration approaches are being developed and tested that involve control or removal Where: Good Harbor Reef, Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, of invasive rusty crayfish and round goby across Lake Michigan several spawning reefs in Little Traverse Bay and Grand Traverse Bay. Innovative barriers and trapping methods In the mid-2000s, intensive monitoring and What’s being done: to remove invasive crayfish to keep them off reefs are research of the nearshore waters was launched to test efforts to eradicate also being tested. Initial results are promising: Nearly 25 Dreissenid mussels along the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. percent of fish eggs were retained after restoration versus Starting in 2016, divers began clearing mussels from rocks at an just over 5 percent prior to restoration. experimental plot; that summer, close to one million mussels were removed from 430 square feet of the reef and results to date have been extremely Behind the effort: The Nature Conservancy, Central Michigan promising. In 2019, a slightly larger treatment (300 square meters) was University and the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. conducted using Zequanox (a bacteria-based molluscicide), resulting in a significant reduction in mussel density in the weeks following application. A rusty crayfish. (Photo courtesy of Fauna Creative) These efforts are helping to “reset” Good Harbor Reef and lay the groundwork for larger-scale ecosystem restoration efforts throughout the Great Lakes.

Behind the effort: U.S. National Park Service, Michigan Department of Natural The information for this article was provided by Michigan Department of Natural Resources Basin Coordinators Jay Resources, Great Lakes Commission, the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and LimnoTech. Wesley, Lake Michigan; Patrick Hanchin, Lake Superior; Randy Claramunt, Lake Huron; and Jim Francis, Lake Erie; Quagga mussels coat an underwater rock. (Photo courtesy of Harvey Bootsma with University of Wisconsin- and compiled by David Clapp, Manager, Charlevoix Fisheries Research Station, Fisheries Division, DNR. Milwaukee)

24 2020 State of the Great Lakes Report 2020 State of the Great Lakes Report 25 Since the pivotal NANPCA, ballast water regulation has changed substantially with advancements Ballast Discharges in Great Lakes at international, national and state levels. In Ballast water regulation is a state and the absence of protective federal regulations, binational issue. A total of 1,080,934 metric Michigan has since 2007 required oceangoing vessels to treat discharged ballast water to prevent tons of ballast water was discharged at U.S. Overseas the movement of aquatic invasive species. The and Canadian ports on the Great Lakes by vessels can use one of four treatment methods: overseas vessels from 2010 through 2013. hypochlorite, chlorine dioxide, ultraviolet radiation Top 10 Great Lakes ports receiving ballast or deoxygenation. Vessels can also use an water discharges in that timeframe. alternative treatment, but they have to prove its Hitchhikers effectiveness to the Michigan Department of 1. Duluth-Superior, Minnesota Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE). 2. Thunder Bay, Canada 3. Hamilton, Canada New federal regulatory framework is proposed to control unwanted travelers Michigan is not the only government body to pass ballast water regulations. The U.S. Coast 4. Toledo, Ohio found in ballast water of ships plying the Great Lakes Guard published rules, the U.S. Environmental 5. Windsor, Canada Protection Agency (USEPA) developed a permitting 6. Milwaukee, Wisconsin 7. Sarnia, Canada By Sarah LeSage, Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy 8. Goderich, Canada ebra mussels have forever changed the federal legislation in 1990. The Nonindigenous 9. Toronto, Canada Great Lakes by causing serious ecological Aquatic Nuisance Prevention and Control Act 10. Valleyfield, Canada and economic harm. They are native to (NANPCA) was established to prevent the Z Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency the Caspian Sea in Eastern Europe and were introduction of all new aquatic invasive species discovered in Lake St. Clair in 1988, having and to limit the spread of aquatic invasive species arrived in ballast water that was discharged from already in U.S. waters. an oceangoing ship. Among other important objectives, the NANPCA Ballast water has been the primary pathway for also initiated ballast water regulation. Regulating non-native aquatic species to become established ballast water — which ships take onboard to control in the Great Lakes basin as global trade connects or maintain trim, draught, stability or stresses the Great Lakes to ports across the world. of the vessel during a voyage — is complicated, evolving and influenced by economic growth and The zebra mussel invasion of the Great Lakes global trade, as well as by the irreversible harm played a central role in prompting passage of that can be caused by aquatic invasive species.

The Federal Leda is a bulk carrier that stops in ports on the Great Lakes and throughout Europe. Here, it’s docked in northern Michigan. (Left) Cargo ships and outdoor recreation enthusiasts alike share the waters of the Great Lakes. Ballast water from freighters can often carry non-native species which can be introduced into the Great Lakes without proper treatment. (Photos courtesy of Dave Kenyon, DNR)

26 2020 State of the Great Lakes Report 2020 State of the Great Lakes Report 27 program and other Great Lakes states developed which explains the proposed new standards. Michigan and implemented their own programs. In response to submitted numerous concerns about the failure of the this complex regulatory framework, the Coast Guard proposed standards to protect water quality and prevent Authorization Act of 2018 was established. Also known as the introduction of aquatic invasive species and their the Vessel Incidental Discharge Act (VIDA), it streamlines spread within the Great Lakes. In addition, a formal LAST LINE OF DEFENSE Agreement between Michigan, Illinois and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is a requirements for the commercial vessel community. objection to the proposed standard was submitted in significant step in keeping invasive carp out of Great Lakes December 2020 by Governor Whitmer. The USEPA is VIDA creates a new regulatory framework that: evaluating the comments prior to finalizing the standards. By Joanne Foreman, Michigan Department of Natural Resources • Overhauls ballast water regulation in the United States. More than 30 years have passed since the initial zebra or more than two decades, the Great Lakes region has • Establishes a new part of the Clean Water Act. mussel invasion and discovery. They have quickly worked tirelessly to make sure invasive carp do not colonized all the Great Lakes, spread to many inland lakes • Preempts state authority to have state-specific F enter Lake Michigan. Bighead, silver and black carp in the region and continue to spread to the western U.S. regulations. — the invasive Asian carp species of greatest concern — and Canada by recreational vessels. New aquatic invasive have been identified in the Chicago River just a few miles • Establishes the USEPA as the federal lead in species which can be spread from nearby waters or from west of Lake Michigan. Efforts have been under way for establishing new standards for ballast water. across the world continue to threaten the Great Lakes. a number of years to keep the carp from advancing any • Establishes the U.S. Coast Guard as the federal lead farther. It is predicted that the arrival of live bighead, While advancements have been made to mitigate some on monitoring, inspection and standards enforcement. silver or black carp in the Great Lakes could have drastic of the risks of introducing aquatic invasive species via effects on the region’s $7 billion fishery, $16 billion • Authorizes $50 million for a Great Lakes and Lake ballast from oceangoing vessels, there is more work to boating industry and other tourism-based industries, Champlain Invasive Species Program. be done. It’s critical to remain engaged on ballast water property owners, recreationalists and others dependent regulation and make investments in treatment technology on the Great Lakes and its tributaries. In accordance with VIDA, the USEPA released in October to protect the unique Great Lakes ecosystem and the 2020 a proposed new standard on its VIDA website, people and businesses that rely on them. The States of Michigan and Illinois have announced an effort to work jointly to protect the Great Lakes through an intergovernmental agreement that will allow Illinois to use up to $8 million appropriated in 2018 by the Michigan Legislature to support the pre-construction engineering and design phase of the Brandon Road IMPACT OF AQUATIC INVASIVE SPECIES Ecosystem Project in conjunction with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The project evaluated options and Efforts under way at the Brandon Road Lock and Dam are technologies near the Brandon Road Lock and Dam key to preventing the movement of invasive Asian carp site in Will County, Illinois, near Joliet, to prevent the from the Chicago Area Waterway System into the Great Lakes. (Photo courtesy of U.S. Army Corps of Engineers) upstream transfer of aquatic nuisance species from the 42% 180+ Mississippi River Basin into the Great Lakes Basin, while Threatened or endangered Non-native aquatic organisms minimizing impacts to existing waterway uses and users. including an electric barrier, underwater sound, an air species considered at risk due have colonized the Great bubble curtain and a flushing lock in a newly engineered The pre-construction and engineering design agreement, channel designed to prevent invasive carp movement to non-native species Lakes since the 1800s finalized by both the State of Illinois and the U.S. Army while allowing barge passage. An electric dispersal barrier Corps of Engineers on December 29, 2020, stipulates installed in the waterway near Romeoville, Illinois in 2002 Illinois cover 35 percent of the projected costs. With to prevent invasive species from moving into and out of Michigan’s $8 million financial commitment through the the Great Lakes has since been supplemented by two intergovernmental agreement, the Illinois Department additional electric barriers in the same location. A fourth $24 million $5.7 billion of Natural Resources will contribute the remaining $2.5 more powerful barrier at the Romeoville site is expected Spent each year to control Total economic impact of million to complete the project. Illinois’ portion of the to be operational in 2021. aquatic invasive plants aquatic invasive species in A U.S. Fish and Wildlife funding was made possible by Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker’s in Michigan the Great Lakes region Service fisheries biologist weighs a Rebuild Illinois bipartisan capital plan. Other funding As the Brandon Road project moves forward, current bighead carp, considered an invasive would be secured through the U.S. Army Corps of efforts will continue, including the electric barriers near species. (Photo courtesy of USFWS) Engineers Work Plan. Romeoville and expanded nonstructural measures, focused commercial fishing, monitoring and prescribed netting to The Brandon Road project will install layered technologies reduce the risk of spawning or of small fish movement through the existing lock and dam.

28 2020 State of the Great Lakes Report 2020 State of the Great Lakes Report 29 CLEAN WATER Clean Water Ambassadors represent communities all across Michigan. The ambassadors will advise the Office of the Clean CHAMPION Water Public Advocate on local and statewide drinking water issues. Lakes, and Energy (EGLE), is launching a Water Leak Pilot Public advocate’s mission is to inform, support program in two Michigan communities in partnership with and collaborate on drinking water issues community-based organizations and state and local partners. The program aims to reduce water waste in Highland Park and Benton Harbor. Water leaks are a financial burden for By Ninah Sasy, Office of the Clean Water Public Advocate, municipalities and their residents. They can contribute to Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, water quality concerns and are an energy burden for utilities. and Energy During the 12-month pilot period, the Water Leak Pilot nfrastructure needs are great in Michigan, and the costs Pipes are replaced in the Kalamazoo area through the Drinking program aims to reduce water waste and the financial for maintenance, repair or replacement are a financial Water State Revolving Fund. (Photo courtesy of Michigan burden associated with it, increase community education I commitment everyone must make so that facilities can Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy) about water leaks, conduct household water audits, continue serving residents efficiently and safely. share tips for energy savings and provide assistance for on-premise plumbing water repairs. The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) 2018 To help deal with some of the drinking water quality and Report Card for Michigan’s Infrastructure and the wastewater protection challenges that municipalities face, The Water Leak Pilot program is part of the Office of the Clean 21st Century Infrastructure Commission Report each Governor Whitmer has launched the MI Clean Water Plan. Water Public Advocate’s Focus on Water Initiative, which highlighted underinvestment in infrastructure such The program leverages $500 million for water infrastructure brings together multi-sector partners to support community as roads, bridges, dams, schools, transit, water and funding to address urgent infrastructure issues including efforts and connect resources to address water concerns. sewer systems, railways and energy systems. The ASCE undersized sewers, failing septic systems, unaffordable Report Card cited estimates that drinking water system water rates and protection from lead, PFAS and other The Office of the Clean Water Public Advocate also has owners in Michigan are underfunding improvements for contaminants that can affect drinking water. recruited more than 130 residents in communities across Safe Drinking Water Act compliance by as much as $563 Michigan to serve as Clean Water Ambassadors. They will million every year. Water drawn from the Great Lakes for use by residents advise EGLE on drinking water issues in their communities and businesses must be effectively treated to make it and statewide. Ambassadors have diverse backgrounds The Great Lakes and its connecting waterways provide safe for use. An efficient and properly maintained water that include experience advocating for policies that drinking water to approximately 5.3 million Michiganders, system is critical to holding costs down for all customers. positively impact our Great Lakes. Ambassadors will help so issues that affect the health of the lakes also have Similarly, individual customers can be adversely affected Michigan continue to improve efforts for better water an impact on the availability of clean drinking water. by improper maintenance or leaking pipes in their quality in Michigan. Underfunded infrastructure can create issues not only for homes, driving up utility costs and potentially introducing end-users but the lakes as well, as wastewater or storm contaminants into the system. water systems, if not properly maintained, can discharge A technician tests a water sample for PFAS in the state lab contaminated water back into the Great Lakes, potentially The Office of the Clean Water Public Advocate, which is in Lansing. (Photo courtesy of EGLE) causing harm to public health and the environment. housed in the Michigan Department of Environment, Great

30 2020 State of the Great Lakes Report 2020 State of the Great Lakes Report 31 L’anse Indian Reservation the Natural Resources Department to administer environmental programs on the reservation.

Management activities had grown substantially since its fish hatchery began operating in 1988. Department programs include fisheries and fish stocking, surface and groundwater quality, air quality, restoration and brownfields Protecting programs, wildlife and wetland stewardship, native plant restoration and garden programs and participation in the binational protection of Lake Superior. Water With offices in Pequaming and L’Anse, more than 50 Before making that application, the Tribe collaborated staff members implement natural resources programs, with the USEPA on water programs since 1999. serve community needs and participate in research and Resources monitoring in partnerships with government, university Keweenaw Bay Indian Community takes historic “I am pleased to recognize the Tribe’s authority to and other entities. protect rivers and streams on the L’Anse reservation and step toward developing water quality standards that to safeguard the health and heritage of its community The KBIC’s assumption of authority over the reservation’s contribute to community wellbeing and natural resources,” Kurt Thiede, the USEPA Region water resources as well as its natural resource programs will 5 Regional Administrator at that time said following the provide the authorities and programs necessary to advance KBIC approval. efforts to ensure protection of water resources for future By Stephanie Cree, Keweenaw Bay Indian Community generations. Community members depend upon good quality Tribes must meet certain criteria to apply for Treatment water for a variety of purposes including fishing, trapping, as a Sovereign, including federal recognition status, a swimming, boating, gathering, drinking and residential use, he Keweenaw Bay Indian Community (KBIC) along Silver River Falls on the Keweenaw Bay Indian governing body that exercises legal authority and tribal and for spiritual and cultural purposes. The health of the the shores of Lake Superior took a historic step Community along the shores of Lake Superior. The capability to carry out Clean Water Act obligations. water is directly related to the health of the KBIC and the 2020T Statethis of yearthe Greattoward Lakes setting Report independent 32 surface KBIC has been granted the power to set its own surface wellbeing of its many plant, fish and wildlife relatives. water quality standards for the lakes, rivers and streams water quality standards. (Photo courtesy of KBIC “With honoring our first treaty with all orders of creation that are a key part of the KBIC identity. Natural Resources Department) which includes our obligations and connections to the The KBIC’s Natural Resources Department website natural environment, it is imperative that we take the next provides more information about the Tribe’s water quality The Upper Peninsula community that straddles steps in exercising our sovereignty,” Swartz said. standards program. Keweenaw Bay in Baraga County is the first tribe in a Sovereign, we will continue building relationships with Michigan to achieve Treatment as a Sovereign regulatory our local, state and federal partners in protecting our The process Tribal officials are following to establish water authority for water quality from the U.S. Environmental water resources here on the KBIC L’Anse Reservation.” quality standards is rigorous and must be approved in Protection Agency (USEPA). Setting clean water standards accordance with the Clean Water Act by the USEPA. ultimately affects the health of Keweenaw Bay and Lake KBIC officials say it is important for Tribes to assume authority Superior, into which many of the community’s streams over their reservation waters because current standards do KBIC first began the process by reviewing state, federal and rivers flow. not apply to many small communities where surface waters and tribal standards. It then contracted with instructors are located. The water quality standards KBIC is developing from Michigan Technological University in Houghton for Treatment as a Sovereign permits the KBIC to administer with the help of the USEPA and the state of Michigan will guidance on refining the standards. The process began a water quality standards program and certification better represent the community it is protecting. approximately five years ago with a fish consumption program for its L’Anse Indian Reservation under the survey. Tribal authorities used the information from the Clean Water Act. The designation is a legal status Having good water quality is a priority for KBIC political survey to help set a human health criteria that would be referring to the transfer of specific authorities from the integrity, economic security, food sovereignty and the specific to the area where the standards would apply. federal government to federally recognized Indian tribal wellbeing of community members. All of the reservation’s governments for environmental regulatory programs. water bodies and resources are invaluable and have The KBIC is also using about 15 years of surface water provided gifts of subsistence and cultural and spiritual quality data that has been collected to aid in developing “The KBIC is excited to begin working on the development benefits to many generations of the KBIC Ojibwa. other parts or the water quality standards. of water quality standards that will take into account Keweenaw Bay Indian Community members participated the well-being of our local community,” KBIC President The USEPA granted the authority to KBIC in April 2020, but In conjunction with the KBIC’s application in 2013 for the in an area cleanup effort on Lake Superior Day in 2019. Warren “Chris” Swartz said. “By obtaining Treatment as it’s a status the Tribe has been working toward since 2013. authority to set water quality standards, it also established (Photo courtesy of KBIC Natural Resources Department)

32 2020 State of the Great Lakes Report 2020 State of the Great Lakes Report 33 Focus on Lake Erie FIGHTING FOR Other Great Lakes partners with LAKE ERIE Domestic Action Plans for Lake Erie: Adaptive Management Plan another tool to help Michigan reach goal of reducing harmful algal blooms • Ohio • Pennsylvania • Indiana • Ontario, Canada • U.S. Environmental Protection Agency By Michelle Selzer, Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy Read the plans here: binational. or a number of years, Lake Erie’s that will allow for a more structured way to net/2018/03/07/daplanphosredinlakeerie/ western basin has been plagued by learn about the impacts of actions to reach F algal blooms that are harmful to aquatic the state’s reduction goals and then use the Western Lake Erie life and can have detrimental effects on the results of those actions to adjust future paths has had recurring Adaptive Management Plan, we can evaluate a related problem in the central basin, where incidences of harmful our progress along the way and adjust as we a growing dead zone at the bottom of the lake area’s drinking water supply. The growth of forward. The adaptive management cycle A water sample is algal blooms, which in go to make sure the Lake Erie Domestic Action in the summer and fall, caused by decaying the blooms often is fed by phosphorus and consists of six iterative steps: setting goals; taken from Lake Erie, 2014 forced the city of Plan is completed properly and protects public algae, is depleting oxygen, which organisms nitrogen getting into the lake from a number planning and prioritizing; implementing; Toledo to warn residents which experienced health and the environment.” need to survive. of sources, such as wastewater treatment monitoring; evaluating; and adjusting. not to drink water a large algal bloom. plant discharges and farm fields. It is also due drawn from Lake Erie. (Photo courtesy of in part to the relative shallowness of the lake. EGLE, MDARD and DNR staff are working (Photo courtesy of Aerial Public engagement has been an important Michigan is making progress, but this is a Michigan Department together as the Adaptive Management Associates, Inc.) element to finalizing an effective Adaptive complex problem that requires gathering of Agriculture and Rural In February 2018, Michigan released a Team to plan and implement a cohesive and Management Plan. During an open public more information. This is why the state is Development) Domestic Action Plan (DAP) road map to deal with structured adaptive management process. comment period, stakeholders provided taking an adaptive management approach. the harmful algal blooms in Lake Erie. The plan The team is developing joint annual progress valuable insight into the plan and its goals. Finding solutions to the Lake Erie algal bloom was developed by a team from the Department reports and two-year work plans, along with Comments will be incorporated into the plan and dead zone problems is going to take of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy five-year DAP updates to keep stakeholders before it is formally implemented. time and require collective impact of regional (EGLE); Department of Agriculture and Rural engaged in the work ahead. and binational efforts to achieve progress in Development (MDARD); and the Department of The adaptive management approach is improving the ecological health of Lake Erie. Natural Resources (DNR). The goal of the DAP “While we have made some progress, such as expected to maximize environmental and is to reduce the amount of phosphorus entering reducing phosphorus loads from wastewater economic benefits, while addressing the To keep up to date on the DAP, the adaptive Lake Erie by 40 percent by 2025. treatment plants, there is a lot more work that nutrient issues in Michigan’s portion of management process, and other efforts needs to be done,” EGLE Director Liesl Eichler the Western Lake Erie basin. In addition toward a healthier Lake Erie or to learn more In conjunction with the DAP, Michigan has Clark said. “Reaching our goal of a healthy to the western basin, Michigan’s adaptive about the Adaptive Management Plan, go to developed an Adaptive Management Plan Lake Erie is going to take some time. Using the management approach is helping to address the Taking Action on Lake Erie website.

34 2020 State of the Great Lakes Report 2020 State of the Great Lakes Report 35 How qPCR is Used in Beach Sampling Now, a newer technology called digital droplet PCR (ddPCR) • Saginaw Valley State University works with EGLE and TESTING FOR is also being used to test beach water samples to detect the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to develop genetic markers indicative of specific sources of fecal rapid DNA testing methods to determine the levels contamination. This molecular source tracking relies on of fecal contamination at swimming beaches of the genetic markers found in a bacterium called Bacteroides and can differentiate between various sources, whether Saginaw Bay Watershed. SVSU students are testing human or animal. As labs around the state become more samples taken in 2020, performing molecular source PATHOGENS familiar with using ddPCR to test water samples, it will tracking analysis. Technique honed for beach water sampling now also used to identify COVID-19 hotspots become an even more valuable tool for protecting public • Bacterial monitoring of beaches on the shores of health and allowing for safe recreation. Lake Superior provides valuable data concerning the effectiveness of surface water improvement By Dr. Shannon Briggs, Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy Both qPCR and ddPCR methods are being used in a new way to identify the presence of the COVID-19 coronavirus projects, especially in conjunction with beach sanitary in fecal matter in wastewater. This quick turnaround surveys. Analysis of samples at Sherman Park in onitoring of Great Lakes beaches for harmful allows local health officials to identify potential outbreaks Sault Ste. Marie led to a storm water drainage and pathogens is conducted across the state by local of the highly contagious pathogen. dune renovation project to reduce shoreline inputs of Mhealth officials working in collaboration with the contaminants, significantly reducing the number of Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Testing wastewater for viruses, such as the SARS-CoV-2 days the beach is closed to the public. Energy (EGLE). While the monitoring is voluntary and virus that causes COVID-19, can be an effective tool performed at the local level, EGLE awards grants to the for monitoring transmission of COVID-19 within a local • Oakland University has partnered with the Macomb local health departments, who are obligated to report their community or at individual facilities. The virus is shed County Health Department, St. Clair County Health results to the state. in human waste as one of the first symptoms of infected Department, the U.S. EPA and EGLE to develop people whether or not they experience or report other rapid recreational water quality tests. The university Now, that same technology is being used to help detect symptoms. These wastewater results can then inform tests 11 beaches to allow the public and local health the COVID-19 pathogen in wastewater, which will allow local public health actions to prevent further spread departments to better assess recreational water safety for quicker identification of coronavirus hotspots and within that community. and help identify sources of contamination. outreach to area residents. EGLE and the Michigan Department of Health and In 2018, Michigan became the first state to use Human Services (DHHS) in September 2020 provided a rapid testing method for water quality to quickly $10 million for a three-month pilot program to fund local address potential public health concerns. Quantitative public health department efforts to coordinate with sewershed (providing earlier detection and reducing Polymerase Chain Reaction (qPCR) analyzes samples for counties, universities and other institutions across the need for repeated testing of humans in the facility) and genetic targets such as Escherichia coli (E. coli). state on COVID-19 wastewater testing programs. These provide timely information to inform response plans local efforts have the potential to be an early warning at state and local levels to curtail transmission. Since The method provides results on the same day that system for the spread of COVID-19 within a community nearly 70 percent of Michigan residents rely on public a sample is collected, often in under three hours. or for coronavirus outbreaks. wastewater systems, surveillance of such systems has Previously, testing was done using the standard Colilert® the potential to provide data on a large proportion of culture method, which requires overnight incubation. EGLE will coordinate sample collection, lab analysis, the Michigan population. data reporting and communication with the local After verifying qPCR results with traditional culture monitoring teams. DHHS will provide project support to testing methods for E. coli, Tami L. Sivy, Ph.D., Professor participating local health departments, including how More Information of Chemistry at Saginaw Valley State University, said to integrate local wastewater data with other types of qPCR is proving to be better at protecting human health COVID-19 surveillance and public health responses. EGLE has launched a website that provides an overview in that it provides nearly real time determination of fecal of the wastewater surveillance pilot program. The site contamination at area beaches. The early detection of SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater, also includes sampling locations and testing data. as part of a comprehensive COVID-19 surveillance system, could help identify a new emergence of A Wayne State University employee confirms the direction infection in a community, monitor the level of virus of flow of wastewater in a sewer and the sewer pipe in different areas across the state, monitor virus in diameter. (Photo courtesy of Wayne State University) facilities with vulnerable populations within a specific

36 2020 State of the Great Lakes Report 2020 State of the Great Lakes Report 37 reproducing fish and wildlife populations is a result of 35 years of work and commitments by stakeholders. Some of the accomplishments include improvements to wastewater Legacy of treatment systems and sewer management by the cities of Menominee and Marinette, four contaminated sediment Lake Michigan Green Bay remediation projects and four habitat restoration and enhancement projects. Menominee, MI Achievement When the Lower Menominee River was designated Lower Menominee River Area of Concern delisting was 35 years in the making as an AOC, six beneficial use impairments (BUI) were identified: beach closings (restrictions on recreational contact), restrictions on dredging activities, degradation Menominee River By Stephanie Swart, Michigan Department of of benthos, restrictions on fish and wildlife consumption, Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy loss of fish and wildlife habitat, and degradation of fish Marinette, WI and wildlife populations. he Lower Menominee River Area of Concern (AOC) became the third The beach closings BUI was removed in 2011, the T remediation site to be delisted from degradation of benthos and restrictions on dredging Michigan’s 14 original AOCs designated under in 2016, fish and wildlife consumption in 2018, and the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement. degradation of fish and wildlife populations and loss of fish and wildlife habitat in 2019. The area was designated as a focus for long- term cleanup in 1987 by the United States and The final delisting report was filed in July 2020, followed Canada – along with 13 other contaminated by the approvals from the U.S. Environmental Protection Map shows outline of the Lower Menominee River Area of sites around Michigan. Delisting doesn’t Agency and the U.S. State Department and support Concern. (Map image courtesy of USEPA) mean this area has been returned to pristine from the Government of Canada. Local tribes were also historical condition. It means the legacy consulted as part of the delisting process. Committee members worked with the Michigan environmental problems identified in a 1990 Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy remedial action plan meet established criteria AFTER Public participation is a key component of the AOC (EGLE) and the Wisconsin Department of Natural today, but work continues. BEFORE program. The Lower Menominee River AOC’s Citizens Resources (WDNR) to identify local issues, develop local Advisory Committee has a long history of involvement. targets and goals, provide historical context, help with Remediation and restoration efforts will still Members have included concerned citizens, local project implementation and manage support grants. take place in the Lower Menominee River AOC and BUI Defined business owners, retirees, riparian property owners, through a collaboration of local, state and recreational users, environmental advocates, industry After almost 30 years of focusing on BUI removals and federal oversight. Some of those efforts Areas of Concern are defined byThe U.S.- representatives and the Menominee Indian Tribe of contamination, the committee looks to transition into a include continued monitoring of natural Canada Great Lakes Water Quality Wisconsin. Several individuals have spent nearly 30 watershed organization, whose most important function system recovery, maintenance of invasive Agreement as locations where significant years advocating for improved environmental quality in will be to serve as a unifying voice and a steward for the species, facilitating fish passage, testing for impairment of beneficial uses has occurred their communities. Lower Menominee River. fish viability, engagement with local partners, educational outreach, dam maintenance as a result of human activities at the local level, namely pollution from legacy A Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) was also and collection of shoreline paint wastes. instrumental in the delisting. The TAC was formed in contamination and development. Before and after Three AOCs Delisted photos of Menekaunee 1988 to provide state government and local technical The river’s sediment was fouled by arsenic and Beneficial Use Impairments are a Harbor in Marinette, Besides the Lower Menominee River AOC being experts an opportunity to assist with the development and other related legacy contaminants, including change in the chemical, physical, or Wisconsin, delisted in 2020, two other locations have been implementation of the AOC’s Remedial Action Plan. TAC paint sludge, coal tar, heavy metals, petroleum demonstrating delisted. Deer Lake, near Ishpeming in the Upper members provided technical analyses to inform BUI status, and PCBs from industry near the river. biological integrity of the Great Lakes ecological restoration Peninsula, and White Lake, in Muskegon County recommended goals for management and restoration of system sufficient to cause significant work in the Lower were both delisted in 2014. EGLE’s Areas of Concern the AOC and reviewed and provided input on project plans, The long-term change from a highly- environmental degradation. Menominee River Area monitoring data, Remedial Action Plan updates and BUI webpage offers in-depth information about each of contaminated three-mile section of the of Concern in the Upper removal documents. TAC members also provided support Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Menominee River into one that has grown as Peninsula. (Photos the 14 sites. for monitoring programs to assess impaired uses leading to courtesy of EGLE) a sportfishing destination with successfully BUI removal and ultimately delisting of the AOC.

38 2020 State of the Great Lakes Report 2020 State of the Great Lakes Report 39 1

3 STATUS OF MICHIGAN AOCs 13 Significant progress is being made around the state as cleanup work continues

2 There are 11 remaining Great Lakes Areas of Concern (AOC) in Michigan in various states of remediation. Mitigation work on Beneficial Use Impairments (BUI) and monitoring continue on these long-term projects to restore natural habitat fouled by legacy contamination. Three former AOCs have been delisted and are considered successfully remediated.

12

1 TORCH LAKE 5 SAGINAW RIVER/BAY 8 KALAMAZOO RIVER Two BUIs remain, degradation of benthos and The federal Superfund program is working to remediate The federal Superfund program is working toward removing PCB restrictions on fish and wildlife consumption. Work contaminants in the riverbed, banks and floodplains of the contaminants from the riverbed, banks and floodplains, as well as continues to clean up contaminated sediment and Tittabawassee River. Monitoring of related issues around the removal of the Trowbridge and Otsego City dams. Plans are being waste drums in two areas of the lake. Experiments to Saginaw Bay (including bacterial contamination along beaches, implemented to remove two other dams — Plainwell No. 2 and Allegan City determine the effectiveness of benthic restoration colonial nesting bird/bald eagle productivity, and fish tissue — and provide extensive habitat restoration over the next several years. The 5 were started in the summer of 2020 and will contamination) by federal, state and educational institutions is Kalamazoo River Natural Resource Damage Trustee Council plans to fund continue into 2021. ongoing. Three of 12 BUIs have been removed: restrictions on approximately $25 million in restoration projects in the watershed during the 14 drinking water consumption or taste and odor problems, tainting coming decade, as a result of a legal settlement. Beach closings is the only of fish and wildlife flavor and loss of fish and wildlife habitat. one of eight BUIs that has been removed. 4 6 2 MANISTIQUE RIVER 7 Remedial work is complete and two BUIs (restrictions 6 ST. CLAIR RIVER 9 DETROIT RIVER 9 on fish consumption and restrictions on dredging 8 activities) remain. Ongoing monitoring will help to Of the 10 original BUIs, only two remain (restrictions on fish Of 11 BUIs, two have been removed: tainting of fish and wildlife flavor 10 determine when the final two BUIs can be removed. and wildlife consumption and restrictions on drinking water and restrictions on drinking water consumption or taste and 11 consumption or taste and odor problems). Significant work on odor problems. Extensive habitat restoration has been shoreline rehabilitation, reefs, wetlands and tributaries has accomplished recently including the installation restored fish and wildlife habitat, resulting in the loss ofthe of fish spawning reefs, shoal restorations around 3 ST. MARYS RIVER fish and wildlife habitat BUI being removed in 2017. Habitat islands in the river to protect and create wetlands Remedial work is complete on the Michigan side restoration included the construction of fish spawning reefs and slow water areas and several projects have 11 RIVER RAISIN of the AOC, while additional contaminant removal which can benefit lake sturgeon, various shoreline stabilization been completed on Belle Isle restoring habitat for a All planned projects were complete in 2016 when the remaining continues on the Canadian side. The last three BUIs and habitat projects, wetland creation and a project to enhance variety of fish and wildlife species. Current priorities PCB contaminated sediment was removed and a cap installed. (restrictions on fish consumption, fish tumors or fish passage in a tributary. All these efforts benefit a variety of include characterizing the chemical contaminants in Research and monitoring are continuing on the bald eagles, other deformities and degradation of benthos) will fish and wildlife — from game and nongame fish, to amphibians the river sediment and working toward remediation herring gulls and fish of the area to assess the remaining four be removed in coordination with Canadian efforts. and reptiles, to pollinators and birds. All projects to restore the of these areas. BUIs, which are restrictions on fish and wildlife consumption, bird AOC on the U.S. side have been completed and monitoring is or animal deformities or reproductive problems, degradation of continuing to assess when the final BUIs can be removed. benthos, and restrictions on dredging activities. 4 MUSKEGON LAKE 10 ROUGE RIVER Four of the listed nine BUIs have been removed from 7 There are 11 habitat restoration projects either in the the AOC. In 2020, work took place to remove unnatural CLINTON RIVER design or implementation phase. In addition, there REMOVED FROM THE LIST lake fill and invasive species and create shoreline The removal of the degradation of aesthetics BUI is the first is an effort to design a habitat enhancement project wetland habitat and hydrologically reconnect restored of eight to be removed for this site. All habitat restoration for the Rouge Flood Control Channel to improve fish 12 Lower Menominee River, 2020 wetlands to Muskegon Lake and Muskegon River at projects have been completed and are in the post-monitoring migration from the Detroit River into the Rouge River four project sites. Additionally, a project at the mouth phase to assess improvements to fish and wildlife habitats and watershed. Contaminated sediment assessment work Deer Lake, 2014 of Ryerson Creek began in the summer of 2020 and populations. Separate monitoring efforts are also ongoing to also continues to address the remaining BUIs, primarily 13 will remove mercury-contaminated sediments and assess bacterial contamination at Lake St. Clair Metropark and within the lower main stem of the Rouge River. None of enhance wetland habitat. contaminated sediments within the lower Clinton River. the nine BUIs for this site have been removed. 14 White Lake, 2014

40 2020 State of the Great Lakes Report 2020 State of the Great Lakes Report 41 jobs and wages, but that is not the only way to assess value. The value Tourism Impact of the services that a healthy, functioning ecosystem provides to the MAKING ECONOMIC WAVES state’s economy can also be measured. In 2018, the Michigan Areas 115 million: Number of people who Reports by Great Lakes Restoration Initiative and Michigan Sea Grant demonstrate broad jobs impact from lakes of Concern program selected Earth Economics and ECT Consulting visited Michigan in 2014 to create a tool to model the incremental impacts of environmental restoration projects and feed the results into another model that $22 billion: Amount spent in local would calculate the economic value of those incremental impacts. economies by tourists By Christina Pastoria and Judy Palnau, Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy $13 billion: Amount spent in Michigan’s This means that the model, which was completed in December coastal counties 2020, can provide an estimation of how restoration projects affect he Great Lakes are the environment, the economy and people at a local scale. It can Source: Michigan Sea Grant intertwined with Michigan’s tell us how a habitat project in the Saginaw Bay will change the economy in deep and far- fish population or flood risk, and, in turn, what that will do for local Treaching ways. When you think anglers and homeowners. It can tell us how improving storm water of “the Great Lakes economy” management in the Detroit River will affect water quality, and in any number of things might turn, what that will do for beach towns and local beachgoers. come to mind. You might think of shipping and transportation. All this restoration promises to create benefits for Michigan’s You might think of fishing and economy for years to come, centered around a clear driving force other recreational activities. You — outdoor recreation and tourism. Even with sites of significant might even be thinking about contamination, outdoor recreation and tourism are already major major water-using industries such forces in Michigan’s economy. As restoration turns more and more as manufacturing, mining and of Michigan’s toxic hot spots of contamination into viable recreation energy production. areas, their impact will only get stronger. In fact, the 2018 GLRI economic impact report found that half of the total anticipated This network of water-based increase in economic activity generated by GLRI activities will come prosperity is laid out in Michigan from tourism industries. Sea Grant’s 2020 Great Lakes economy report, which details One example of increased economic activity is recreational fishing. the jobs and wages supported Instead of toxic hot spots of contamination, some waterways in by the Great Lakes. The report Michigan have now become hot spots for sport fishing. In addition to documents 1.3 million Great improving performance of businesses directly involved in recreational Lakes jobs that generated fishing (such as charter boating companies, bait and tackle shops Manufacturing is one of the pillars of $82 million in wages annually. and gear suppliers), the increased economic activity also triggers a While it is no surprise that most Michigan’s economy that relies heavily on cascade of positive impacts for associated industries such as hotels access to the state’s water resources. (Photo jobs are in the manufacturing and local restaurants and shops. courtesy of Michigan Sea Grant) sector, the biggest increases came in the transportation and warehousing (23 percent), agriculture economic benefits for the Great Lakes region. (11 percent) and tourism and recreation (10 The study projects that for every dollar of Commercial fishing federal spending on environmental restoration percent) sectors. is one of the many History of Transformation and revitalization, the GLRI will produce more industries whose The report makes it clear: when the Great than $3.35 of additional economic impact viability directly ties The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) documented Great Lakes projects over the GLRI’s first Lakes are healthy, Michigan’s economy in the Great Lakes region through 2036. For to the health of the 10 years in a story map — Restoring a National Treasure — that highlights the Great Lakes as an important natural prospers. The body of evidence supporting more heavily impacted cities such as Detroit, Great Lakes. (Photo resource that supports recreational and commercial fisheries, industry, transportation, recreation and tourism. this claim is continuously expanding. the benefit is even greater — more than $4 in courtesy of Michigan economic impact for every dollar spent over Sea Grant) The story map represents the transformational work the GLRI has done to help strengthen valuable Great Lakes For example, a comprehensive study of that same time period. fisheries, restore coastal wetlands that improve the quality of our water and provide recreational opportunities for the overall economic impact of the Great the public’s use and enjoyment. Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) that was The GLRI economic impact study calculated conducted in 2018 demonstrated substantial the economic impact of restoration based on

42 2020 State of the Great Lakes Report 2020 State of the Great Lakes Report 43 Percent Sector 2009 2018 change Gain/loss

Manufacturing 757,970 823,735 +8% +65,765

Tourism and Recreation 217,635 240,864 +10% +23,229

Transportation and 118,550 153,060 +23% +34,510 Green Warehousing Agriculture, Fishing and 118,430 133,352 +11% +14,992 Food Production Michigan’s new new Office Outdoor of Outdoor Recreation Recreation Industry Industry Office Jobs plants seedsseeds for for continued continued economic economic growth growth By Brad Garmon, Office of Outdoor Recreation Industry, Michigan Department of Natural Resources Science and Engineering 25,489 26,326 +3% +837

ichigan’s Outdoor Office Recreationof Outdoor Industry Recreation Office Industrywas direct private sector compensation to the state overall, and createdwas created by Governor by Governor Whitmer Whitmer and and stems stems from from a a major portion of those are in the retail sector — supporting Utilities 10,980 10,803 -2% -177 M growinga growing awareness awareness of of outdoor outdoor recreation’srecreation’s full the purchase of shoes, boats and gear. But nearly 6,000 contribution to Michigan’s economy, pegged by the federal of those Michigan outdoor recreation jobs are in outdoor government’s Bureau of Economic Analysis at $10.1 recreation-related manufacturing — making those boats billion per year and growing. From 2012-17, Michigan’s and gear. Those jobs provide 10 percent of the industry’s Mining 5,012 5,416 +7% +404 outdoor recreation-basedrecreation-based GDPgross grew domestic 18 percent product —twice (GDP) as total compensation in the state. Michigan’s capabilities in fastgrew as 18 the percent overall —twice state GDP.as fast as the overall state GDP. product design, advanced and lightweight materials, and advanced manufacturing will be critical pieces in growing The Office was created with the specific mission of this industry, along with targeting some support to the Total 1,254,066 1,393,556 +10% +139,914 developing, promoting and enhancing Michigan’s outdoor innovators and the makers who are going to be designing recreation lifestyle industry. It is housed within the Michigan and tinkering with the gear and vehicles that will shape the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and collaborates way we play and get outdoors in the years ahead. closely with the staff of the Michigan Economic Development In the economic contribution from boating and fishing, This Michigan Sea Grant chart shows tourism Corporation (MEDC) to grow, retain and attract outdoor for example, Michigan is ranked fifth in the country; in and recreation saw a 10 percent increase in recreation companies, jobs and investment. recreational vehicles it’s ranked seventh, suggesting jobs in Michigan from 2009 to 2018. Economic Driver opportunities to build on Michigan’s strengths while The first goal of the Office is to expand the conception Michigan’s outdoor recreation industry has a large celebrating our outdoor assets. of the outdoor economy from only tourism or hospitality impact on the state’s economy. jobs to embrace and build on opportunities in the design From inventing the modern snowboard, outboard motor and production of outdoor recreation vehicles, gear 120,000: number of jobs and synthetic fly fishing line, to designing the new Ford and equipment — areas where Michigan has a strong $4.3 billion+: direct private sector compensation Bronco and the world’s first all-electric adventure vehicle, competitive advantage. Michigan has always been the place to design, develop and deliver the tools and gear of the great outdoors. The The outdoor recreation industry supports more than Source: Office of Outdoor Recreation Industry goal is to make sure the future of outdoor recreation is 120,000 jobs and contributes more than $4.3 billion in designed and produced here in the Great Lakes State.

44 2020 State of the Great Lakes Report 2020 State of the Great Lakes Report 45 tudents from Cedarville High School in the eastern Upper Peninsula are learning how to be citizen scientists S and stewards of the Great Lakes. TRAINING They’ve installed water quality sensors in local streams and will monitor data that is fed in real time to a database which is part of the MiWaterNet program run by the Center for Freshwater Research and Education at Lake Superior State University (LSSU) in Sault Ste. Marie. Cedarville (Les Cheneaux) schools FUTURE have been monitoring streams since 1993. Two Cedarville students check a solar-powered monitoring station as The Cedarville students are continuing a part of a stewardship program funded by EGLE’s From Students to tradition of learning water stewardship at Stewards program. (Photo courtesy of Mi-STEM Network) a young age. Engaging students leads to a lifelong dedication to caring for the Great LEADERS Lakes and support for programs and policies Les Cheneaux Community Schools, which that benefit one of the largest freshwater includes Cedarville High, in Mackinac County From Students to Stewards systems in the world. is one of six school districts across Michigan that received funding. Les Cheneaux’s Initiative aims to build lifelong Cedarville expanded the student monitoring collaboration with LSSU through the connections with lakes and inspire program after receiving a grant in 2020 MiWaterNet study system will teach students through the From Students to Stewards in grades nine through 12 about high-tech, tomorrow’s decision-makers Initiative sponsored by the Michigan real-time water monitoring and data collection. Department of Environment, Great Lakes, It also will expand freshwater-focused, place- and Energy’s (EGLE) Office of the Great based education opportunities. Lakes in collaboration with Grand Valley State University. Other partners in the The other districts are Allegan Area By Nick Assendelft, project are the Michigan Department of Educational District, Comstock Public Michigan Department of Education (DOE) and the MiSTEM Network Schools, Copper Country Intermediate Environment, Great Lakes, through the Michigan Department of Labor School District, Niles Community Schools and Energy and Economic Opportunity (LEO). and Northport Public Schools. The From Students to Stewards program emphasizes that everyone at all ages has Cedarville High School students install a a role in stewardship of the Great Lakes. monitor in a local waterway. The monitor is Fueling a youth’s curiosity will translate part of the MiWaterNet program run by the into a lifelong dedication to caring for the Center for Freshwater Research and Education Great Lakes. Linking water literacy to STEM at Lake Superior State University in Sault Ste. concepts is critical to fostering future water Marie. (Photo courtesy of Mi-STEM Network) stewards, leaders and decision-makers.

46 2020 State of the Great Lakes Report 2020 State of the Great Lakes Report 47 Whether advocating for policies with local students about the Great Lakes, Michigan or state governments, investing time in watersheds, and the impact people have on volunteer activities or participating in water resources. initiatives that work toward the betterment of the lakes and their connected resources, Allegan Area Educational District in Allegan Thank you. stewardship is a vital commitment that County will engage the Outdoor Discovery Michigan’s residents can make to assure Center Education Network to provide Many thanks to the experts, contributors, partners, writers and editors who contributed their the long-term viability of the lakes. teachers place-based education training time and efforts to this 2020 State of the Great Lakes Report. The stories reflect the dedication and resources. Helping youths grow into stewardship role this past year of our region’s natural resource stewards and community voices within our state models is a long-term goal of the From Comstock Public Schools in Kalamazoo who all share a passion for Michigan’s Great Lakes water resources. The views and opinions Students to Stewards Initiative and this County will develop a long-term monitoring expressed within this publication are those of the individual authors and do not necessarily year, despite the challenges posed by the project on the Kalamazoo River and Morrow COVID-19 pandemic, the six school districts Lake for kindergarten through eighth grade reflect the official policy or position of the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, launched efforts to engage students in students. Instructors will also integrate and Energy, the Office of the Great Lakes, or their partners. stewardship at an early age. freshwater-focused projects and allow students to connect with the lake and river “Fostering stewardship across all age groups over a number of years. Gretchen Whitmer, Governor in Michigan is central to EGLE’s core mission. Students who understand how their actions Copper Country Intermediate School District Liesl Eichler Clark, Director, EGLE impact the environment will grow into leaders in Houghton County will establish and lead and decision-makers who have the knowledge a Water Literacy Consortium for the western and the will to build a more sustainable future,” Upper Peninsula and organize a regional said Emily Finnell, Great Lakes Senior Advisor summit to identify best practices and share and Strategist at the Office of the Great Lakes. success stories for water-focused, place- This report is available digitally at the Michigan Office of the Great Lakes webpage,Michigan.gov/OGL “The From Students to Stewards Initiative is a based education. It also will expand teacher critical step toward ensuring that every student professional development opportunities and in the State of Michigan has access to place- build on the existing structure of the Meaningful Learn More based, water-focused education and quality Water Literacy Learning Experiences. The partners in the experiential opportunities. We are proud to join our partners at the MiSTEM Network and the Niles Community Schools in Berrien County is From Students to Department of Education in supporting these developing a year-long Earth Science course Stewards program projects.” with water as its central theme, guided by hosted a webinar the Great Lakes Literacy Principles and in February 2020 to From Students to Stewards prepares Michigan’s Science and English standards. explain details of the students for high-quality water-focused STEM The coursework will include field work, water program. A recording careers and connects them with community quality testing and classroom-based labs, as has been posted to organizations and local businesses that are well as multi-media learning opportunities. Grand Valley’s FSTS dedicated to freshwater stewardship. The program page. districts that were chosen will include their Northport Public Schools in Leelanau County experiences in a toolkit and roadmap that is integrating freshwater literacy principles into other schools can use to develop their own the development of community action projects Great Lakes-based curriculum to cultivate the related to regional watershed conservation next generation of water stewards, leaders efforts. The projects will be integrated into The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy does not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, religion, and decision-makers. grades five to 11 and the district will partner age, national origin, color, marital status, disability, political beliefs, height, weight, genetic information, or sexual orientation with the Inland Seas Education Association in the administration of any of its programs or activities, and prohibits intimidation and retaliation, as required by applicable The six school districts shared approximately and Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and laws and regulations. Questions or concerns should be directed to the Nondiscrimination Compliance Coordinator at $56,000 under the initiative that will Chippewa Indians to expose students to water- [email protected] or 517-249-0906. teach elementary through high school focused career opportunities.

48 2020 State of the Great Lakes Report Layout by Lisa Twenter of the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy. May 2021