Our Work
Here’s some of the work we’re doing to ensure a healthy environment, strong economy and high quality of life for current and future generations.
Save the date for Great Lakes Day
Save the date for Great Lakes Day 2026, to be held March 5 in Washington, D.C.! For more details please visit the event web page. We look forward to seeing you in D.C.!
2024 Great Lakes Commission Annual Report
The 2024 Great Lakes Commission Annual Report is now available online! The GLC’s Annual Report includes highlights and key accomplishments under Chair Mary Mertz of Ohio, and Executive Director Erika Jensen.
New Great Lakes water use report
The 2024 Annual Report of the Great Lakes Regional Water Use Database shows that water withdrawals in the basin remained stable, with the vast majority of withdrawn water returned to the Great Lakes St. Lawrence River Basin. Read more here.
Thank you!
Thank you for joining us for the 2025 Great Lakes Commission 70th Anniversary Annual Meeting, held October 28-30 in Duluth, Minnesota! Read more about the meeting here.
The Advisor
The October 2025 edition of the Commission’s e-newsletter, The Advisor, includes final registration information for the 2025 GLC Annual Meeting in Duluth and a recap of several recent program accomplishments.
Great Lakes Investment Tracker
The new Great Lakes Investment Tracker is an interactive mapping application developed by the Great Lakes Commission to showcase federally-funded projects in Great Lakes states.
Frozen waters cause serious supply chain issues across the Great Lakes
Winter may have come early for the Great Lakes this year, but neither the U.S. nor the Canadian coast guard can keep traffic moving through the ice. Frozen waters are currently impacting commercial traffic between ports across the Great Lakes in places like Toledo,...
Ice is forming on Great Lakes, Coast Guard begins ice-cutting operations
The U.S. Coast Guard has started its winter task of keeping newly formed ice from hindering commercial vessel traffic on the Great Lakes. Overall, the ice formation for winter 2025-26 is trending at about average for the region. Read the full story by CBS News.
Invasive sea lamprey declining as control efforts in the Great Lakes resume
The number of invasive sea lamprey in the Great Lakes has gone down after regular control and treatment efforts resumed. Lamprey surveys show their numbers have returned to pre-pandemic levels. Read the full story by Michigan Public.
Season’s Greetings from the Great Lakes Commission!
Season’s greetings from the staff of the Great Lakes Commission!
New Great Lakes water use report demonstrates shared stewardship of the world’s largest freshwater system
Ann Arbor, Michigan/Chicago, Illinois — A report released today on Great Lakes water use demonstrates the region’s ongoing commitment to coordinated, science-based management of the world’s largest freshwater system. The 2024 Annual Report of the Great Lakes Regional...
Grants awarded to improve regional management of invasive Phragmites across the Great Lakes basin
Ann Arbor, Michigan – Nearly $315,000 will be awarded to support local organizations in controlling nonnative Phragmites australis, one of the most aggressive plant species invading the Great Lakes basin and North America. Grantees will implement certain combinations...
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GREAT LAKES EVENTS
For more events, visit the
Great Lakes Calendar