Great Lakes Daily News

Ontario is investing more than $2.8 million to expand and modernize port facilities on Lake Superior, including the Port of Thunder Bay and the Peninsula Harbour Port in Marathon, to strengthen domestic supply chains and boost east-west trade across Canada.  Read the full story by Wire Service Canada.

Four eggs from a federally endangered Great Lakes piping plover nest in Waukegan, Illinois, were washed away during a severe Lake Michigan storm but were recovered after more than 12 hours exposed to the elements. The eggs were stabilized by wildlife experts, transferred to the Detroit Zoo, successfully hatched, and the chicks are now being raised through a conservation program at the University of Michigan Biological Station—an encouraging milestone for the species’ ongoing recovery. Read the full story by the Daily Herald.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is urging beachgoers to pay attention to two key safety systems at state parks: buoyed swimming areas and the Great Lakes flag warning system. Read the full story by WSJM – Benton Harbor, MI.

Ongoing efforts to clean up pollution around all five Great Lakes have focused on volunteer-led shoreline cleanups and community engagement campaigns aimed at removing litter and raising awareness about plastic pollution. Organizers say it’s about more than collecting trash—it’s intended to build long-term stewardship of the Great Lakes. Read the full story by WZMQ-TV – Marquette, MI.

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources certified nine new state-record fish this spring, including records for species such as lake trout, lake sturgeon, bluegill, black crappie, and bigmouth buffalo. Seven of the records were set in the catch-and-release category, while two were certified by weight, highlighting both strong angling opportunities and the growing popularity of Minnesota’s expanded record fish program. Read the full story by KNSI – St. Cloud, Minnesota.

A fertilizer spill from an agricultural operation caused a significant fish kill in a tributary that flows into Lake Michigan, prompting an investigation by state environmental officials. According to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, fertilizer leaked into a waterway through a drainage system, depleting oxygen levels and killing fish downstream. Read the full story by MLive.

Several Michigan beaches have been placed under swimming advisories or closures due to elevated levels of E. coli bacteria, which can increase the risk of illness for swimmers. The advisories encourage residents to check the state’s BeachGuard monitoring system before heading out. Read the full story by the Detroit Free Press.

American Cruise Lines has added Clayton and Ogdensburg, New York, as stops on a new nine-day Great Lakes and Thousand Islands cruise launching in 2026. The itinerary will showcase the St. Lawrence River region, Thousand Islands attractions, Lake Ontario, and Niagara Falls, bringing new tourism opportunities to North Country communities. Read the full story by WWTI-TV – Watertown, NY.

Enbridge has about 500 workers on site constructing its controversial Line 5 reroute in northern Wisconsin, with crews clearing land and preparing for drilling on a new 41-mile pipeline segment designed to bypass the reservation of the Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa. Read the full story by Wisconsin Public Radio.

In Ontario, Hamilton Beach Strip residents pumping floodwater from their basements should see conditions ease this summer — the Hamilton Conservation Authority says Lake Ontario levels have peaked and are beginning to fall. Read the full story by The Public Record.