Four dams are being restored after catastrophic failures led to four man-made lakes disappearing in May 2020.

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) recommends that Michiganders and visitors avoid foam on Michigan waterbodies such as lakes, rivers, and streams.

A number of beaches in Michigan have been closed by the state due to high bacteria levels.

A number of beaches in Michigan have been closed by the state due to high bacteria levels.

A number of beaches in Michigan have been closed by the state due to high bacteria levels.

If you discover dead fish or other aquatic animals as the ice and snow thaws out this spring, just know -- it’s totally normal, according to the Michigan DNR. “Winterkill is the most common type of fish kill,” said Gary Whelan, DNR Fisheries Division research manager. That’s because the dead fish and other aquatic life are temporarily preserved by the cold water. “Dead fish and other aquatic life may appear fuzzy because of secondary infection by fungus, but the fungus was not the cause of death. The fish actually suffocated from a lack of dissolved oxygen from decaying plants and other dead aquatic animals under the ice.”Dissolved oxygen is required by fish and all other forms of aquatic life.

Enbridge Inc. is suing the state of Michigan for taking steps to shut down the company’s oil pipeline that runs under the Straits of Mackinac. Gretchen Whitmer notified Enbridge that the state was revoking an easement granted in 1953 that allowed an extension of the Line 5 oil pipeline to run through the Straits of Mackinac. We remain highly committed to protecting the Great Lakes, the environment, and all the people who use these waters while delivering energy that people rely on daily. “They have repeatedly violated the terms of the 1953 easement by ignoring structural problems that put our Great Lakes and our families at risk. Today’s lawsuit filed by Enbridge brazenly defies the people of Michigan and their right to protect the Great Lakes from a catastrophic oil spill.

A 2018 case challenging Nestle’s permit to extract Michigan water and sell it for a profit has been dismissed by the state’s environmental department on Friday. Residents have also shown outrage over the company taking Michigan water almost for free and turning it into a huge profit. In 2018, residents told Local 4 that the creek was thriving a few years ago, but things have changed because of the water Nestle is pumping out. In an effort to ramp up the legal fight against Nestle’s use of Michigan water, environmental groups requested that Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel step in back in July of this year. Our water use in Michigan ranks us far down on the list of the state’s top water users.

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Drownings in Lake Michigan have reached record levels with at least 53 people dead so far this year, according to a water safety advocacy group. The Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project, a nonprofit that tracks Great Lakes drownings, said that compares with 48 drownings in 2019 and 42 in 2018. Since 2010, there has been a total of 434 drownings in Lake Michigan, according to the project. Benjamin said the group collects information about fatal incidents from news articles, social media reports, and tips from family members and witnesses. He added that social media has helped the tracker to be more accurate.

CENTRAL LAKE, Mich. A northern Michigan lake thats famous for its turquoise waters is facing an outbreak of brown algae thats left its sandy bottom covered with mushy, squishy mats. Rick Welsh, a part-time lakeshore resident, said the brown algae was first noticed about a decade ago, but now the golden-brown algae grows in thick mats and sticks to the otherwise sugar-sand bottom of the lake in Antrim Countys Torch Lake, according to the Traverse City Record-Eagle. Its oozy, yucky and mucky, Welsh said. It easily comes up when disturbed.Welsh, a member for the Torch Lake Protection Alliance, said that there are investigations into the algae with results due in the fall. Officials with the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy, have said it appears to be a non-harmful form of algae.

TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. Lake Michigan is having a warm summer. MORE: Soak it up: Great Lakes surface temps are really, really warmThe summer high is 75.6 degrees recorded in August 2016, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration or NOAA. Im loving this, Whitney Miller, a swim instructor, told the Traverse City Record-Eagle. I was a popsicle.The air temperature in the Traverse City topped 87 degrees for 11 consecutive days, according to the Midwest Regional Climate Center. Its a rare occurrence up here to get that long of a stretch of that weather and not cool down at least for a day or two, said meteorologist Matt Gillen of the National Weather Service.

LANSING, Mich. The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) is warning Michigan residents to avoid foam on Michigan lakes and rivers that have per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in the water. An example of PFAS foam buildup along the edge of a body of water in Michigan. (EGLE)Officials say that PFAS could pose a health risk, especially if the foam is swallowed. PFAS do not move easily through the skin, but MDHHS officials say repeated, prolonged whole-body contact with PFAS foam could create a health risk. Click here for tips from the state to help you identify if the foam is naturally-occurring or PFAS foam.