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The Latest Breaking News from Great Lakes

In 1817, New York began digging a 363-mile canal its critics called “Clinton’s Folly”; eight years later, it helped make New York City America’s commercial capital

Construction of the Erie Canal began in 1817, facing significant skepticism from opponents. This ambitious waterway linked the Great Lakes to the Atlantic Ocean, revolutionizing trade. The canal dramatically reduced transportation costs and travel times for goods and people. New York City became the nation's financial capital, and inland cities…

The Times of India

In 1921, a vampire-like sea lamprey appeared above Niagara Falls; by the late 1930s, it had spread through the Great Lakes and devastated native lake trout

A parasitic sea lamprey entered Lake Erie in 1921, spreading rapidly through the Great Lakes. This invasive species devastated native fish populations, causing a severe fishery collapse. Lake trout catches plummeted dramatically, impacting local economies and jobs. The United States and Canada formed a commission to control the lamprey population.…

The Times of India

In 1933, the US completed a 336-mile waterway across Illinois to carry cargo between the Great Lakes and the Mississippi; decades later, it became a pathway for invasive carp

The ambitious inland waterway project linked the Great Lakes with the Mississippi River, streamlining trade and cargo transportation nationwide. Unexpectedly, this engineering marvel also facilitated the northward invasion of harmful carp species. Today, it stands as an essential barrier against these aquatic threats, transforming commerce while playing a pivotal role…

The Times of India

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In America’s Great Lakes, invasive mussels made the water look cleaner but broke the food chain; native whitefish could now vanish from some areas within five years

Invasive zebra and quagga mussels have transformed the Great Lakes ecosystem by reducing the tiny organisms that young lake whitefish depend on for food. While the mussels made the water cleaner, they disrupted the food chain, causing whitefish numbers to fall sharply. Scientists warn the species could vanish from some…

The Times of India

The Great Lakes’ most emblematic fish could be consigned to history books

A delicacy for centuries and a key part of Native tradition, the lake whitefish has seen its population crash. Researchers know why … but stopping it is another matter

The Guardian - US

In 1900, Chicago made its river flow backward to keep sewage out of Lake Michigan, redirecting the water toward the Mississippi Basin instead

Chicago reversed its river flow in the late 1800s to protect its drinking water. This engineering feat sent waste away from Lake Michigan and into the Mississippi River. However, this connection later allowed invasive species to move between river systems. Asian carp now threaten the Great Lakes, posing a modern…

The Economic Times

Most Americans support conservation – here’s how the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative got politicians from both parties on board too

In a time of political polarization, it’s easy to forget that the vast majority of Americans of all backgrounds and beliefs – 80% or more, depending on the poll – value environmental conservation. However, this support is not easily or often translated into successful, popular initiatives.

The Conversation

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Ontario Fires Back at Trump: Drop Lumber Tariffs as Wildfire Smoke Hits 100M Americans

Canada wildfire smoke is choking more than 100 million Americans — and sparking a diplomatic standoff. Ontario Premier Ford countered Trump's tariff threat by demanding the U.S. drop softwood lumber duties, while the White House admits no legal mechanism exists to tariff smoke. Detroit hit a record AQI of 650;…

International Business Times

In 1921, an eel-like parasite reached Lake Erie through a shipping canal, then latched onto native fish, fed on their blood, and helped collapse Great Lakes fisheries

Invasive sea lampreys, introduced via a shipping canal, caused severe damage to Great Lakes fish populations. These jawless, eel-like parasites attached to native fish, feeding on blood and bodily fluids for weeks. Many host fish died from blood loss or infections, impacting dominant predators like lake trout. Commercial fisheries faced…

The Times of India

Wildfire smoke from Canada and Minnesota pushes further into US, engulfing DC in eerie haze

Millions of people in the Great Lakes, Northeast and Mid-Atlantic states are muddling through another day of hazy, unhealthy air as smoke from wildfires in Minnesota and Canada push south and east

The Independent UK

World’s 10 largest freshwater lakes are so vast they look like inland seas, and one of them holds about 20% of Earth’s unfrozen freshwater

North America and Africa host the planet's largest freshwater lakes. Lake Superior leads the list, holding a tenth of global surface freshwater. Lake Victoria is Africa's largest and the world's biggest tropical lake. Lake Tanganyika is the longest and second-deepest freshwater lake globally. Lake Baikal contains the most freshwater and…

The Times of India

Forecasters cite 'dangerous' conditions as heat scorches Midwest while on its way to the East

It's a hot one for millions of people in the Midwest and Great Lakes states

The Independent UK

The retired college professor fighting a $313 trespassing ticket in Wisconsin thinks he's part of a national struggle

Paul Florsheim just wanted to walk the beach. The retired professor thinks his $313 trespassing ticket is like the fight against Elon Musk.

Fortune

Blood minerals and memory: the Great Lakes in focus

This week, Spotlight on Africa turns to the Great Lakes region. First, a new Global Witness report reveals how coltan is being smuggled out of the Democratic Republic of Congo, amid the ongoing conflict in the east, through Rwanda and on to companies worldwide. Then, artist Grada Kilomba discusses her…

Radio France Internationale

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Radio France Internationale

‘We’re sitting on a volcano’ warns EU Commissioner after visit to Ebola-hit DRC

As a deadly outbreak of Ebola continues to spread across the Democratic Republic of Congo and the wider Great Lakes region, the European Union has pledged €170m towards the health and humanitarian response. Hadja Lahbib, the European Commissioner for International Partnerships, Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Response, spoke to RFI on…

The Independent UK

Monster storms hammer Chicago as airports shut down and power fails

The National Weather Service issued tornado warnings across Illinois, Kansas, northern Missouri and southern Iowa, while severe thunderstorm watches were in place for parts of the Great Lakes

The Guardian - US

Surveillance drones deployment on US’s Great Lakes raises data collection fears

Rights groups and some locals are concerned that Coast Guard program could become a data collection project

The Conversation

Who is allowed to walk on the beach? It depends on where you live

Summer is here – the perfect time to take a walk on a beach. But doing so is not always as simple as it might sound.

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The Independent UK

Michigan loves a ‘river story.’ But happy ending isn’t guaranteed

Michigan might be known as the Great Lakes state, but rivers have played a crucial role in its development and culture

The Times of India

6 lakes larger than Rhode Island in the US: Lake Huron and Lake Michigan are nearly 15 times larger

Rhode Island may be the smallest state in the United States by area, but comparing it with some of North America’s largest lakes makes it seem even tinier. The state covers just 1,214 square miles, which is surprisingly small once you realise that six freshwater lakes in or partly connected…

The Times of India

10 deepest lakes in the United States: From Crater Lake to Seneca Lake

The deepest lakes in the United States are scattered across very different landscapes. Some sit inside volcanic craters, some stretch through glacial valleys, and others form part of the vast inland freshwater system bordering Canada. Depth alone does not always make these lakes visually dramatic. A few appear almost still…

The Conversation

Millions of farmers in Africa’s Great Lakes region face rising temperatures. Study predicts how crop disease and pests could spread

Farming in the Great Lakes region of Africa (which includes Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Tanzania and Kenya) is challenging because of changing environments and ongoing social and political tensions. These tensions include conflict over resources. As a result, agricultural productivity is low and there’s a high…

The Times of India

Top 10 cleanest lakes in the US: ‘Lake Superior’ tops the list

Many travellers and nature lovers see clear water as a sign of a thriving ecosystem. Specific bodies of water across the United States stand out for their pristine conditions. This isn't just about looks; these rankings use scientific measures such as turbidity, dissolved oxygen, and nutrient levels to identify the…

The Independent UK

Supreme Court rules for Michigan in its fight to shut down an aging energy pipeline

The Supreme Court has sided with Michigan in ruling that the state’s lawsuit seeking to shut down a section of an aging pipeline beneath a Great Lakes channel will stay in state court

The Guardian - US

Why did Michelin snub St Paul in its guide to the best restaurants in the Great Lakes region?

Critics warn smaller and immigrant-run restaurants risk being overlooked as city-funded deal shapes dining map

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