Midwest Lakes Policy Center

November 5, 2008

Barack Obama and the Environment

Now that Barack Obama has been elected President, he will soon get to work on plans to improve and restore our natural environment. Read through a PDF list of environmental restoration plans for the Great Lakes, climate change, clean energy and sustainability issues-here.

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October 24, 2008

Vulcan Lakes

Vulcan Lakes development seems to be on track, even though the economy has soured. The former gravel pits near Crystal Lake, Il. are known for their clear waters. The plan is to have beach houses and other amenities available to the public.

Learn more, here.

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October 7, 2008

Switzerland To Begin Cleaning Lakes

Officials in Switzerland will begin to clean lakes in the country that were filled with thousands of tons of munitions from the World Wars. Everything from artillery to grenades were sunk into lakes across Switzerland....

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September 19, 2008

Great Lakes Legacy Act

The House passed the Great Lakes Legacy Act that will pledge $150 million annually to clean up polluted sections of the lakes. The goal is to have toxic sites cleaned up within ten years. The bill now awaits action by...

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August 7, 2008

Finger Lakes Pollution

A team of scientists from the Finger Lakes Institute is going to start researching the native and invasive weed problem in the Finger Lakes. The study will pinpoint the areas of greatest concern in Cayuga Lake, and try to remedy...

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August 5, 2008

Lake Monona's Gold

We all know that Lake Monona contains quite a bit of Madison, Wisconsin's history. But, did you know that according to historians there is a chest of gold at the bottom of Lake Monona? According to the legend, paymasters for...

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July 22, 2008

Lake Delton Repairs Begin

It looks like Lake Delton in Wisconsin is on track to be filled with water next summer, after being emptied and destroyed earlier this year by flooding. Work has begun on the damaged dam, and $1.5 million dollars is earmarked...

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July 15, 2008

Muskegon Lake Cleanup

Muskegon Lake in Michigan has long been eyed for an extensive cleanup plan. Now it looks like the plan is coming into focus. The lake is being targeted for a three-year, $3.4 million dollar restoration project. Areas being targeted were...

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July 1, 2008

Chain O' Lakes Cleanup

Water levels have crested on the Chain O’ Lakes and the Fox River in Illinois, but it will take weeks to round up bog grass and other parts of wetlands that are hampering navigation and water flow on the lakes....

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June 26, 2008

Iowa's Lakes

Meetings and restoration projects are underway in Iowa for 128 lakes. Money was set aside by the Iowa Legislature to begin work on the projects. It will cost upwards of 200 million dollars to restore 35 of the most highly...

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June 25, 2008

Canadian Lakes Being Destroyed

Lakes in Canada are being used as a dumping site for mining companies, these same companies are requesting the approval for dumping at 16 other lakes in the country. The lakes are being subjected to chemicals from tailings....

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June 9, 2008

Blue Waters Barge

Dane County, Wisconsin and the City of Madison are getting ready for a new plan to clean up Lake Mendota and Lake Monona. The new program will help eliminate aquatic vegetation and debris that cause major problems throughout the Madison...

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June 6, 2008

China Attempts to Drain Lake

Thousands of people have been moved to higher ground as water continues to rise in a lake formed by landslides from China's massive earthquake and strong aftershocks. Workers are in Mianyang downstream from Tangjiashan Lake to attempt to drain the...

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May 30, 2008

Lawns and Lakes

Did you know, that the average acre of lawn can receive 10 times the amount of fertilizer and pesticides that farmland does? 75 million tons of fertilizer and pesticides are applied to lawns each year; which ends up in our...

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Money For Iowa's Lakes

5.4 million dollars in grants have been awarded in Iowa to improve water quality in the following counties: Tama, Fayette, Poweshiek, Clinton, Shelby, Appanoose and Audubon. The money will be earmarked to improve the streams and lakes in the counties....

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May 21, 2008

Environmental Bond For Michigan

The Michigan DEQ may propose a $1.3 billion environmental bond that would help remediate and preserve land, and restore Great Lakes water quality. The proposal may go to vote in November, and the DEQ is making its case to interest...

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May 6, 2008

Muskegon Lake Improving

Phosphorus and chlorophyll concentrations in Muskegon Lake, Michigan have been cut in half since 1972. Phosphorus concentrations in the lake dropped by 65 percent between 1972 and 2006; chlorophyll concentrations were down 75 percent; and average water clarity rose from...

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March 27, 2008

Manure and Lakes

The DNR in Iowa is investigating a manure runoff from a feedlot in the Great Lakes region of Iowa. The runoff reached the West Branch of the Little Sioux River when snowmelt overflowed the basin; and liquid manure made it...

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February 26, 2008

Beeds Lake

Beeds Lake is back in the spotlight in Iowa. The 100-acre body of water within Beeds Lake State Park has been plagued with quality issues for years. In the 1990s the lake was placed on the state's impaired list for...

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February 18, 2008

Phosphorus in the News

Phosphorus a nutrient found in fertilizers, detergents, manure and faulty septic systems often finds its way into lakes and watersheds around the country. Now municipalities are fighting back. See how some Michigan municipalities have taken action to combat phosphorus problems...

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December 10, 2007

Department of Environmental Quality

Michigan's Department of Environmental Quality says money earmarked to cleanup sites around the state is nearly gone and there are still thousands of sites where toxic chemicals threaten drinking water, streams and lakes. The state needs nearly $100 million a...

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November 20, 2007

Human Waste and Lakes

Human waste becomes a problem anywhere people gather in remote areas. Here in the Midwest the Boundary Waters or Sylvania Wilderness come to mind as where this situation can occur. Human waste is heavily contaminated with bacteria and poses numerous...

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November 14, 2007

Lake of the Ozarks Spill

The Missouri DNR issued a notice of violation for a sewage spill into the Lake of the Ozarks that occurred in September at a lift station. The notice was issued following a problem with a lift station that may have...

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November 13, 2007

Explosion Closes Lake Springfield

Lake Springfield in Illinois is closed to boaters while an assessment of damage is done following an explosion at Springfield’s power plant. The closure is meant to keep boats from disturbing oil flushed into the lake during the firefighting effort,...

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November 12, 2007

Lake Winnipeg and Lake Simcoe

Canada wants additional money to clean up pollution in one of the largest lakes in the country. Wastewater and chemicals have been flowing into Lake Winnipeg for years causing algal blooms. The government wants to invest $18 million over five...

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November 8, 2007

Senate Set to Override Bush

The Senate will override a veto by President Bush for the first time with the authorization of $23 billion dollars in new water projects. The projects are part of the Water Resources Development Act. The act will help rebuild the...

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October 24, 2007

Poyang Lake Research Center

A center for academic research on Poyang Lake, China's largest freshwater lake is coming soon. The center will be completed in three years. The research center will house observation outposts, a laboratory, a museum, an emergency response workshop, and host...

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September 24, 2007

Shawnee Mission Lake

For the first time in the Shawnee Mission Lake’s 50-year history, people were given a rare opportunity to clean the accumulated trash while the 120-lake has been drawn down eight feet so improvements can be made along the shoreline. Johnson...

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September 7, 2007

New Water Quality Standards

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency's proposed rules relating to chapter 7050 contain water quality standards. The existing rule is being divided into two chapters (7050 and 7053) to improve clarity. Two other chapters (Minnesota Rules, Chapters 7056 and 7065) will...

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August 13, 2007

Algae in the Spotlight

At a time when blue-green algae is choking lakes throughout North America, 1,500 experts from 61 countries are meeting in Montreal to discuss the problems confronting the world's fresh water. The blue-green algae found in lakes and rivers are microscopic...

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August 6, 2007

BP and the Great Lakes

Congress has passed a resolution reprehending an Indiana permit allowing oil giant BP to dump more pollutants into Lake Michigan. The permit decision touched off nearly 45,000 signatures opposing BP's increased pollution to Lake Michigan resulting from its planned refinery...

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June 26, 2007

Lake Tahoe Fire

A wildfire near Lake Tahoe forced hundreds of residents to flee flames that destroyed more than 200 buildings, and fouled the lake's clear waters with falling ash. Many hotels offered free rooms to families, as no injuries were reported. The...

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June 18, 2007

Algae in Nebraska

Nebraska has issued a new health alert for one lake and continued alerts for two other lakes because of toxic blue-green algae blooms. The new alert is for Harlan County Lake in south-central Nebraska. Health alerts remain in effect for...

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June 15, 2007

Devils Lake and Lake Winnipeg

Manitoba held an emergency debate over a move by North Dakota to drain into Canada what authorities say is polluted water that could harm fisheries. Canadians charge that North Dakota violated a 2005 binational accord when it began pumping water...

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June 5, 2007

Fecal Bacteria in Iowa Lakes

The DNR has found high levels of fecal bacteria in Clear Lake, Iowa. The water has a history of bacterial problems. A project is in place with area farmers to reduce run-off from their fields, as well as a large...

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June 4, 2007

Lake Champlain and Algae

Vermont Natural Resources Secretary George Crombie appointed the state's first "lake czar," who will oversee the cleanup of Lake Champlain. Julia Moore, who had been working as a regulatory analyst at ANR, will lead the cleanup. Crombie and Gov. Jim...

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May 16, 2007

Lake Monona

A University of Wisconsin power plant is allowing coal dust into the environment, polluting Lake Monona in Madison. The DNR has warned the plant is violating the Clean Water Act by allowing dust from its coal pile to spill into...

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May 15, 2007

Blue-Green Algae

Nebraska has issued health alerts for two lakes because of toxic blue-green algae blooms. Fremont Lake No. 20 and Carter Lake near Omaha were the only lakes among 37 that were sampled to test out above the state threshold. People...

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April 25, 2007

Glen Lake/Crystal River Watershed

An ordinance that would help control the spread of invasive species near Glen Arbor, Michigan is being proposed. The Glen Arbor Township Board has supported the proposal that would make it illegal to transport any non-native invasive species of aquatic...

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April 24, 2007

Sewer Overflows

It would cost taxpayers in the Milwaukee, Wisconsin area another $6 billion to triple the size of the deep tunnel system and stop all sewer overflows to metro-area rivers and the Lake Michigan harbor, but there is debate how much...

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April 17, 2007

Fremont Lakes State Recreation Area

The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission will try to reclaim popular Lake 20 at the Fremont Lakes State Recreation Area as the first step to improving water quality in the 51-acre lake. Lake 20 has experienced blue-green algal blooms, which...

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April 2, 2007

Clear Lake

Iowa State University will conduct a four-year study of common carp and zebra mussels in Clear Lake, Iowa. The Iowa Department of Natural Resources Natural Resource Commission approved the contract with ISU earlier this month. The study will cost $369,771,...

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March 30, 2007

Lake of the Woods

Excess phosphorous, diminished water clarity and numerous algae blooms, has the Lake of the Woods on a draft list of impaired waters prepared by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency. The MPCA assesses the quality of all surface water in Minnesota,...

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March 20, 2007

Great Lakes, Canada

The Canadian government says they hope to clean up four of the 15 most polluted sites on the Canadian side of the Great Lakes by 2010. Under a proposed agreement, Ontario and Ottawa say they intend to remediate Jackfish Bay...

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March 16, 2007

Switzerland's Lakes

Several thousand tons of ammunition and explosives that were dumped at the bottom of Switzerland's lakes during the last century will remain in place. Nearly 10,000 tons of surplus or disused artillery shells, grenades and bullets were stocked underwater in...

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February 6, 2007

Wisconsin Lake Survey

29 Wisconsin lakes will be included in a nationwide survey this summer to study the ecological health, water quality and recreational value of the nation's lakes. Two of the lakes, Blueberry Lake in Sawyer County and Haskell Lake in Vilas...

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January 26, 2007

Siemens Water Technologies

Siemens Water Technologies has acquired four US companies in a move to strengthen its disinfection and ultra-pure water solutions product portfolio. The companies include Envirotrol Inc. of Darlington, PA; Clean Environmental Concepts of Vancouver, WA; Pure Water Solutions of Hubbard,...

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January 23, 2007

Midwest and Mercury

Wisconsin has fallen behind other states in the effort to clean the air of mercury, and it's putting the health of the state's tourism industry and residents at risk. More than two dozen organizations presented a petition to the state...

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January 12, 2007

Adirondack Lakes

212 Adirondack lakes show clear water with little algae, but higher nitrogen levels in the west, some from air pollution. The preliminary analysis suggests a new threat to the once pristine waterways of northern New York from nitrogen overwhelming the...

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December 29, 2006

Kentucky Lakes and Rivers

Many of Kentucky's streams, lakes and rivers remain so polluted or changed that they fail to meet their designated uses, according to a new state study. Problems can be found in the urban waters of the Louisville area and in...

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December 5, 2006

Lake of the Ozarks

A snow and ice storm has caused millions of dollars in damage to docks, marinas, and boats at the Lake of the Ozarks and at several other lakes in Missouri. The state water patrol has issued an advisory urging boaters...

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December 1, 2006

Lake Margaret

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) put Lake Margaret on the impaired lake list and said it would put the lake on its 2014 lake schedule list. The top three concerns identified for the lake are water quality, aquatic vegetation,...

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November 16, 2006

Crystal Lake

Winter weather has suspended the Crystal Lake dredging project in Iowa until spring, according to the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. L.W. Matteson Inc., removed 70,000 cubic yards before stopping work. A total of 1.2 million cubic yards will...

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November 2, 2006

China's Lakes

75 percent of China's 20,000 natural lakes are suffering pollution from algae, while the nation has lost nearly 1,000 lakes in the last 50 years due to human activity. Losses are due to industrial farming, overuse of water and pollution,...

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November 1, 2006

Deer Lake

Michigan and Cleveland-Cliffs agreed on water quality improvements for Deer Lake and increased public access to other Marquette County waterways for recreation. In exchange, the state promised to take no further legal or administrative actions against the company for the...

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October 25, 2006

Great Lakes Pact

A U.S.-Canadian pact to clean up the Great Lakes is over 30 years old and should be changed in favor of a more modern strategy, which officials from both nations agreed on. The Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement of 1972...

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October 11, 2006

Great Lakes Chemical Spills

The International Joint Commission released findings from a two-year study of accidental or intentional discharges into the lakes and the waterways connecting them. The study focused on the channel linking Lake Huron with Lake Erie, which includes the St. Clair...

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October 10, 2006

Lake Michigan Shoreline

A plan to return Indiana's Lake Michigan shoreline back to its natural state from scoria piles is progressing slowly-it could take decades to complete. A few congressmen are spearheading a plan to recapture as much as 75 percent of the...

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October 3, 2006

Lake Champlain

A new study shows new pollutants ranging from caffeine to insect repellent mixing in Lake Champlain or its tributaries. The pollutants are well below toxic levels, though. Researchers meeting at the Lake Champlain Research Consortium also reported that less oxygen...

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September 25, 2006

Lake Champlain

Lake Champlain in Vermont remains at risk despite the state's pledge to speed cleanup on land to meet pollution reduction goals for the lake by 2009. There is a growing belief among experts that Vermont's $103 million cleanup plan won't...

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September 15, 2006

Great Lakes Cleanup

Officials from across the country sought support for an extensive Great Lakes cleanup plan pending in Congress, warning that the ecosystem could be facing a dangerous “tipping point” that could hinder future restoration. A House panel heard from government and...

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September 5, 2006

Clean Water Act

The Environmental Protection Agency is on the verge of allowing states to dump water filled with bacteria, toxic chemicals and invasive species into clean water without having to show the federal government that it won't hurt the environment or people....

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August 25, 2006

Water Filtration

A water filtration technique that normally cleans up agricultural chemicals is also effective at removing a toxin secreted by algae found in lakes and rivers, an Ohio State University study has found. Engineers determined that the technique greatly outperformed...

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August 24, 2006

Adirondack Lakes

Scientists are testing water from hundreds of Adirondack lakes to see whether they're threatened by nitrogen pollution. The Institute of Ecosystem Studies believes the concern is that nitrogen from smokestacks and tailpipes may be changing the lake chemistry, much as...

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July 27, 2006

Pollution, Great Lakes

Throughout the Great Lakes, 43 tributaries and bays have been identified as having serious pollution problems. Cleanup efforts have been ongoing for decades, yet just three sites — two Canadian sites on Lake Huron and the Oswego River in New...

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July 6, 2006

Population Growth

As developers and growth turn open fields into sprawling shopping centers and new neighborhoods, more lake communities downstream are finding their water clogged with silt and debris. It’s a problem for lake residents, developers, and governments wherever big projects are...

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June 26, 2006

Devils Lake

The Manitoba government is geared up for another battle with North Dakota this week over a lake drainage project that the province says could pollute Canadian waters. The provincial government plans to speak at a public hearing which is to...

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June 10, 2006

How to build a Rain Garden.

Rainwater from a downspout or driveway or runoff source is directed to the garden. There, the water soaks into the ground, instead of running into the street and straight into the nearest lake or river. A rain garden isn’t a...

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June 6, 2006

Brooktrout Lake

A crystalline Adirondack lake once held up as an example of a lake devastated by acid rain has now become a symbol of nature’s ability to heal itself once pollutants are curbed. Brooktrout Lake teemed with trout before air pollution...

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June 1, 2006

Impaired Waters

Wisconsin is adding 45 lakes, streams and beaches to its impaired waters list for the federal government, while taking seven off the list. Added to the list are Maslowski Beach in Ashland, Barker’s Island Inner Beach in Superior and Brule...

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May 26, 2006

Ohio River

The Ohio River Valley Water Sanitation Commission has proposed reducing some of its pollution standards for the 981-mile river. The current bacteria standards are based on dry conditions, when sewer systems are not pressed beyond their capacities, and that it...

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May 17, 2006

Kalamazoo Lake

The city of Grand Rapids in Michigan wants to dredge Kalamazoo Lake near the Union Street boat launch. The City Council voted to apply to the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality for a permit to dredge. Some boaters using the...

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May 10, 2006

Lake Mashu

Japan's government plans to ban cars from getting as close as 12 miles to one of the world's clearest lakes to protect its transparency. As an alternative, the local government along with the Land, Transport and Infrastructure Ministry plan to...

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May 9, 2006

Round Goby

A new study shows one of the most sought after fish in Lake Erie is being threatened by a invasive species that hitchhiked on ships from the Black Sea. The round goby has gotten a reputation for wiping out populations...

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May 8, 2006

Algae

Algae, a photosynthetic organism, forms along the shore of Yellowstone Lake State Park....

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May 5, 2006

Herrington Lake

Environmental crews descended on a Kentucky Lake, trying to find out just how much damage a gasoline spill caused. With cleanup work on Herrington Lake complete, crews worked to get a handle on as much as one thousand gallons of...

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May 2, 2006

Alcohol and Lakes

The Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks is prohibiting alcohol at an increasing number of the state’s fishing lakes in an attempt to control partying and litter. In Kansas and Missouri, it is illegal for anyone to operate watercraft under...

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April 17, 2006

Iowa DNR

In an effort to inspire Iowa residents to clean up their waterways, the Iowa Department of Natural Resources will unveil an eight-foot high statue made of trash pulled from the state's rivers. The artwork is shaped like a giant water...

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April 3, 2006

New Zealand's Lakes

The top scenic lakes in New Zealand's central North Island will take decades to recover from environmental damage. The Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment has warned that the worst effects of pollution have yet to be seen. The Institute of...

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March 22, 2006

Midwest Politics

Congressional support for the effort to clean up the Great Lakes appears to be ending, only four months after federal, state and local leaders announced a new $20 billion strategy for restoration of the world's largest fresh surface water ecosystem....

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March 6, 2006

Iowa's Water

Iowa's poor water quality hampers the state's once thriving fishing industry. Silt, farm chemicals, manure and treated sewage in Iowa's rivers and streams hold back fish populations by making it difficult for some game fish to reproduce. The state spends...

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March 3, 2006

Lead Fishing Tackle

Anglers are leaving tons of lead on the bottoms of the state's lakes, a few jig heads and sinkers at a time, according to a new study from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. This could be the start to...

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February 6, 2006

Great Lakes Growth

The Great Lakes, America's freshwater coast, continue to struggle with the legacy of pollution, invasive species and other ills inflicted by more than a century of population growth, industrialization, shipping, waste and storm water runoff. Population growth The Great Lakes...

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January 25, 2006

Solarbee

Many communities that sit on or are surrounded by lakes are turning to Solarbees to help clean up algae, weeds and aerate the still water. The debate is if they work well enough to help large lakes or bodies of...

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December 21, 2005

Lakes of Minnesota

Federal law requires states to update it's list of impaired waterways every two years. This year the impaired waters list grew to more than 2,200 in the state of Minnesota. Only 14 percent of lakes and 8 percent of rivers...

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November 28, 2005

Lake Superior Conservation

A major step forward in efforts to establish a National Marine Conservation Area on Lake Superior looks headed in a positive direction. It comes with the signing of an agreement in principal for the future transfer of the lake bed...

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October 22, 2005

Zebra Mussels

Zebra mussels, which already had infested the Mississippi River up to Minneapolis, have now moved upriver as far north as Brainerd, Minn. The small invasive creatures were found this week in Rice Lake, a backwater area of the Mississippi on...

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October 15, 2005

Dolphins

Dolphins have returned to Lake Pontchartrain. That suggests the lake is in far better shape than expected after an infusion of polluted flood water from New Orleans, Carlton Dufrechou, director of the Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation, said....

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October 13, 2005

Clean Water Act

The U.S. Supreme Court agreed Tuesday to decide whether to curb federal regulators' power to protect wetlands whose waters flow into distant rivers or lakes, an issue that has served as a flash point in battles over the environment and...

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October 9, 2005

Cleanup Great Lakes

A $20 billion proposal for a wide-scale Great Lakes cleanup appears to be drowning in the floodwaters of Hurricane Katrina. Great Lakes advocates said Friday that the Bush administration is backing away from the cleanup plan only three months after...

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