CHICAGO -
The Great Lakes contain one-fifth of the world's fresh water, and 80% of the fresh water in North America. Yet, they're under attack. The President is so concerned, he's made restoring the Great Lakes a top priority. WGN Chief Meteorologist Tom Skilling had a rare opportunity this week to board the Lake Guardian, a high tech research vessel, to see Lake Michigan through the eyes of experts.
Tom: "Oh my word... what a view huh? There are not many people on the planet looking out at a scene like this today you know?
It's mid-morning on Lake Michigan... fog so thick it almost erases our skyline.
"Hi how are you... Tom Skilling..."
We've just boarded the "Lake Guardian" at Chicago's Navy Pier, since 1991 the Environmental Protection Agency's floating laboratory on lakes Superior, Huron, Erie, Ontario, and Michigan.
"The Great Lakes are very important in our lives..."
Cameron Davis is Senior Advisor to E.P.A. Administrator Lisa Jackson. "If you stop and think about what role it plays in our lives, it's truly amazing. It has weather ramifications for us, we get our drinking water from it, we go fishing, swimming in it."
"Just to look at Lake Michigan and the Great Lakes... it looks beautiful! But the fact is, there are big changes underway and scientists are concerned."
Among the concerns, lost habitat for fish and wildlife, sewage overflows and other pollutants, invasive species, and climate change. Bob Moseley, Illinois Conservation Director for the Nature Conservancy, and the E.P.A's Davis... explain what could happen.
"High temperatures are going to lead to lower lake levels, water evaporates off the surface. That's going to impact obviously the lakeside economies that have built up around that but also have a really potential big impact on the aquatic wildlife."
"We also may see more extreme storms which might overwhelm sewage systems in the area and result in more untreated waste water going into the lake and that's obviously problematic. 6:40 But one of the things that I think about alot, I dream about it and think about it alot those invasive species."
Dr. Glenn Warren, an aquatic biologist for the E.P.A. has been working on the Great Lakes since 1975. He's seen an improvement in lake contaminants. But, he's worried about white fish populations.
"I'm certainly troubled by the changes in the biology with the invasive species. It may be difficult to turn things around."
To help scientists better understand the wide range of problems they're dealing with, the Lake Guardian is equipped with the very latest high tech gear. This is called a Triaxus. It's a box-kite like device that is lowered into the lake, then towed behind the ship. Built-in sensors feed data to the ship's computers, allowing them to study the biology and chemistry of the water.
This metal claw is used to scoop a random sample of the lake bottom. (Skilling holds an invasive specie that came up with the mud and clay.) Zebra mussels are one of the reasons Lake Michigan is now so clear. While that sounds like a good thing, it means invasive species are eating the food intended for fish.
But where we can... we do go ahead and do the analyses here," says the E.P.A.'s Paul Horvatin, who shows us around the "Lake Guardian" where a crew of 14 and as many as 25 scientists at any given time... eat, sleep, and breathe the best course of action for restoring the Great Lakes.
"The science staff that's out here is not only E.P.A but many times will include researchers from NOAA, Fish and Wildlife service, the US Geological service, visiting universities as well as our neighbors to the north... many Canadian institutions."
You'll likely see this ship frequently next summer when it returns to lake michigan for a full season of intensive research. and the lake guardian will continue to help researchers and teachers better chart a course for all of the Great Lakes.
The Lake guardian is here this week as part of the Chicago Summit on Sport and Sustainability, a discussion of environmentally friendly practices the city plans to use should it be awarded the 2016 Olympic games. The Great Lakes Initiative is awaiting Senate approval. You can learn much more about it by clicking here.
www.epa.gov/grtlakes www.nature.org
Tom: "Oh my word... what a view huh? There are not many people on the planet looking out at a scene like this today you know?
It's mid-morning on Lake Michigan... fog so thick it almost erases our skyline.
"Hi how are you... Tom Skilling..."
We've just boarded the "Lake Guardian" at Chicago's Navy Pier, since 1991 the Environmental Protection Agency's floating laboratory on lakes Superior, Huron, Erie, Ontario, and Michigan.
"The Great Lakes are very important in our lives..."
Cameron Davis is Senior Advisor to E.P.A. Administrator Lisa Jackson. "If you stop and think about what role it plays in our lives, it's truly amazing. It has weather ramifications for us, we get our drinking water from it, we go fishing, swimming in it."
"Just to look at Lake Michigan and the Great Lakes... it looks beautiful! But the fact is, there are big changes underway and scientists are concerned."
Among the concerns, lost habitat for fish and wildlife, sewage overflows and other pollutants, invasive species, and climate change. Bob Moseley, Illinois Conservation Director for the Nature Conservancy, and the E.P.A's Davis... explain what could happen.
"High temperatures are going to lead to lower lake levels, water evaporates off the surface. That's going to impact obviously the lakeside economies that have built up around that but also have a really potential big impact on the aquatic wildlife."
"We also may see more extreme storms which might overwhelm sewage systems in the area and result in more untreated waste water going into the lake and that's obviously problematic. 6:40 But one of the things that I think about alot, I dream about it and think about it alot those invasive species."
Dr. Glenn Warren, an aquatic biologist for the E.P.A. has been working on the Great Lakes since 1975. He's seen an improvement in lake contaminants. But, he's worried about white fish populations.
"I'm certainly troubled by the changes in the biology with the invasive species. It may be difficult to turn things around."
To help scientists better understand the wide range of problems they're dealing with, the Lake Guardian is equipped with the very latest high tech gear. This is called a Triaxus. It's a box-kite like device that is lowered into the lake, then towed behind the ship. Built-in sensors feed data to the ship's computers, allowing them to study the biology and chemistry of the water.
This metal claw is used to scoop a random sample of the lake bottom. (Skilling holds an invasive specie that came up with the mud and clay.) Zebra mussels are one of the reasons Lake Michigan is now so clear. While that sounds like a good thing, it means invasive species are eating the food intended for fish.
But where we can... we do go ahead and do the analyses here," says the E.P.A.'s Paul Horvatin, who shows us around the "Lake Guardian" where a crew of 14 and as many as 25 scientists at any given time... eat, sleep, and breathe the best course of action for restoring the Great Lakes.
"The science staff that's out here is not only E.P.A but many times will include researchers from NOAA, Fish and Wildlife service, the US Geological service, visiting universities as well as our neighbors to the north... many Canadian institutions."
You'll likely see this ship frequently next summer when it returns to lake michigan for a full season of intensive research. and the lake guardian will continue to help researchers and teachers better chart a course for all of the Great Lakes.
The Lake guardian is here this week as part of the Chicago Summit on Sport and Sustainability, a discussion of environmentally friendly practices the city plans to use should it be awarded the 2016 Olympic games. The Great Lakes Initiative is awaiting Senate approval. You can learn much more about it by clicking here.
www.epa.gov/grtlakes www.nature.org
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