First there’s the beauty, then there’s the environmental impact of millions of people using and abusing 21% of the world’s fresh water found in our five Great Lakes. The documentation of fresh water issues is a cathartic exercise for me. I’ve traveled thousands of miles along the Great Lakes shorelines. I’ve explored many more miles on motorized boats and self-propelled kayaks and hiked hundreds of miles along their sandy beach trails.
Farm fertilizer runoff, chemical spills, warming waters, invasive species, micro plastics and forever chemicals are some of the issues affecting these great bodies of water.
Industrial Canal flowing into Lake Michigan near East Chicago, Indiana. The site where the Canal meets Lake Michigan is called an 'Area of Concern'. Toxins were found there in unusually high numbers.
Fitered by tree roots, rocks and other natural materials, in the northern Michigan forests, Ground Water flows directly into Lake Superior. Pictured Rocks area of Upper Peninsula, Michigan.
Microplastics- University of Michigan fresh water lab, Ann Arbor, Mi. Sample from Lake Michigan water tested in lab found particles of plastics dissolved in lake water.
Farm near New Haven Indiana close to Maumee River. Farm Fertilizer run-off will enter the Maumee River then flow into Lake Erie- Duck Weed
Algal bloom sample found along the shoreline of Lake Erie. Caused bu high levels of farm fertilizer run-off. Near Toledo Ohio
Ohio, Maumee River warning sign about contaminated water flowing into Lake Erie- near Defiance Ohio
Invasive species near the Great Lakes- Asian Carp- Aquarium, Chicago IL.
Daniel Guzman, member of the Oneida Tribe stands in front of wetland restoration project the the Oneida Tribe fostered. Impurities in water are filtered out by plants in wetlands. Some of the water in this wetland will reach Duck Creek then flow into the Fox River and then into Lake Michigan. Oneida Reservation is west of the city of Green Bay ,Wisconsin.
Ultra Violet light treatment of wastewater in Munising Michigan, Upper Peninsula. Waste water at this treatment center is treated first by bacterial agents then Ultra Violet light. Water from this facility then enters Lake Superior.
Extremley high Lake Michigan water levels ate away at cliff this house was built on. The owner had to get heavy duty construction equipment to keep the house from tumbling into the lake. Climate Change? Stevensville, Michigan
Lake Shore Drive at Fullerton, Chicago, extremly high Lake Michigan water levels and wind caused shoreline erosion and destruction
Lake Michigan shoreline south side of Chicago after a storm
Dawn Lake Ontario near Oswego New York
Montrose Harbor, Chicago, start of minus 11 degree morning, warmer lake water 33 degrees evaporates into sub zero air forming clouds.
