Great Lakes

When Seth Swoboda’s trees started dying, he asked two scientists for help. Their theory: herbicides were drifting onto his private property from farm fields and killing his trees, and it was happening all over. They just had to prove it.

After a boat captain notices strange black goo on his ship’s rudder, he scoops some of it into a cup. A few months later, that cup ends up in a lab, where scientists make a surprising discovery.

Sara Maurer's story looks at what it means to live in the Upper Peninsula amid a changing climate. She shares an excerpt with us and talks about her Yooper identity.

In northwest Indiana, there’s a 20-mile stretch of Lake Michigan that’s dominated by industry. It’s some of the dirtiest water in the lake, but it's also home to some of the biggest waves anywhere on the Great Lakes. Despite the pollution, there’s a dedicated group of surfers who keep flocking to this area. And one day, after a really big chemical spill from one of the factories, the surfers decide to do something about it.

Kevin Shafer is obsessed with rain. As the head of the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District, it’s his job to be. But when a thousand-year storm comes out of nowhere and dumps over a foot of rain, Kevin is faced with a decision: send sewage into people’s basements or into Lake Michigan.

Each year, volunteers fan out in northern Michigan — and around the country — to try and take a data snapshot: How many people are living without shelter? The point-in-time, or PIT, count provides data that informs federal funding. But where the government sends that money might soon change.

Michigan researchers have gone back in time to get a picture of ice cover on the Great Lakes since the late 19th century.

Researchers want help from ice fishers and others who go onto frozen lakes to collect crucial data, which could improve ice forecasting on the Great Lakes.

When U.P. snowboarder Nick Baumgartner lost in a qualifying round at the 2022 Olympics, he broke down on national TV. It was his fourth Olympics, he’d never medaled, and he was 40 years old. He might not get another shot at a medal. But then he got some news.

A new study offers hope for PFAS-tainted Great Lakes fish: Contamination levels are declining. The trend stems from manufacturers phasing out some PFAS compounds.