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Week of June 2, 2014 |
| Regional |
| General |
| Michigan |
| New York |
| Ohio |
| Other Breaking News Items |
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Regional
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Weekly Great Lakes Water Levels for May 30 WEATHER CONDITIONS Moderate, dry conditions
characterized weather in the Great Lakes basin last weekend.
Temperatures rose sharply early in the workweek, but fell to near
average by Wednesday. Large
sections of the Great Lakes basin saw notable precipitation on Monday and
Tuesday, and each Great Lake has experienced above average precipitation
this month. The Great Lakes region will enjoy pleasant weather this weekend,
as temperatures will generally be modestly above average.
Rain showers are not expected to arrive until Sunday and Monday. LAKE LEVEL CONDITIONS Lakes Superior and
Michigan-Huron are both 13 inches above their levels of a year ago.
Lakes St. Clair, Erie and Ontario are 10 to 12 inches above what they
were at this time last year. Lakes Superior and Michigan-Huron are predicted
to climb 7 and 2 inches respectively over the next 30 days. Lake St. Clair
is expected to rise an inch, while Lake Erie is expected to remain near its
current level over the next month. Lake Ontario is predicted to fall an
inch. FORECASTED MONTHLY
OUTFLOWS/CHANNEL CONDITIONS Lake Superior�s outflow through the St. Mary�s River is forecasted to be above average for the month of May. Lake Michigan-Huron�s outflow into the St. Clair River is predicted to be below average, while Lake St. Clair�s outflow into the |
Detroit River is expected to be near average. In addition, the outflow of Lake Erie into
the Niagara River and Lake Ontario�s outflow into the St. Lawrence River are
projected to be near average in May. ALERTS Official records are based
on monthly average water levels and not daily water levels.
Users of the Great Lakes, connecting channels and St. Lawrence River
should keep informed of current conditions before undertaking any activities
that could be affected by changing water levels.
Mariners should utilize navigation charts and refer to current water
level readings. Ice information can be found at the National Ice Center�s
website.
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General
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Climate Change accelerates hybridization between
native and invasive species of trout BOZEMAN, Mont. � Scientists have discovered that the
rapid spread of hybridization between a native species and an invasive
species of trout in the wild is strongly linked to changes in climate. In the study, stream temperature warming over the
past several decades and decreases in spring flow over the same time period
contributed to the spread of hybridization between native westslope
cutthroat trout and introduced rainbow trout � the world�s most widely
introduced invasive fish species �across the Flathead River system in
Montana and British Columbia, Canada. Experts have long predicted
that climate change could decrease worldwide biodiversity through
cross-breeding between invasive and native species, but this study is the
first to directly and scientifically support this assumption. The study,
published today in Nature Climate Change, was based on 30 years of
research by scientists with the U.S. Geological Survey, University of
Montana, and Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks. Hybridization has contributed to the decline and
extinction of many native fishes worldwide, including all subspecies of
cutthroat trout in western North America, which have enormous ecological and
socioeconomic value. The researchers used long-term genetic monitoring
data coupled with high-resolution climate and stream temperature predictions
to assess whether climate warming enhances interactions between native and
nonnative species through hybridization. �Climatic changes are threatening highly prized
native trout as introduced rainbow trout continue to expand their range and
hybridize with native populations through climate-induced �windows of
opportunity,� putting many populations and species at greater risk than
previously thought,� said project leader and USGS scientist Clint Muhlfeld.
�The study illustrates that protecting genetic integrity and diversity of
native species will be incredibly challenging when species are threatened
with climate-induced invasive hybridization.� Westslope cutthroat trout and rainbow trout both spawn in the spring and can produce fertile offspring when they interbreed. Over time, a mating population of native and non-native fish will result in only hybrid individuals with |
substantially reduced fitness because their
genomes havebeen infiltrated by nonnative genes that are maladapted to the
local environment. Thus, protecting and maintaining the genetic integrity of
native species is important for a species� ability to be resilient and
better adapt to a rapidly changing climate.
Historical genetic samples revealed that
hybridization between the two fish species was largely confined to one
downstream Flathead River population. However, the study noted, over the
past 30 years, hybridization rapidly spread upstream, irreversibly reducing
the genetic integrity of native westslope cutthroat trout populations.
Genetically pure populations of westslope cutthroat trout are known to
occupy less than 10 percent of their historical range. Overall, aquatic ecosystems
in western North America are predicted to experience increasingly earlier
snowmelt in the spring, reduced late spring and summer flows, warmer and
drier summers, and increased water temperatures � all of which spell
increased hybridization between these species.
More info, go to the USGS Northern Rocky
Mountain Science Center
website.
The rapid increase in hybridization was highly
associated with climatic changes in the region. From 1978 to 2008 the rate
of warming nearly tripled in the Flathead basin, resulting in earlier spring
runoff, lower spring flooding and flows, and warming summer stream
temperatures. Those locations with the greatest changes in stream flow and
temperature experienced the greatest increases in hybridization. Relative to cutthroat trout, rainbow trout prefer
these climate-induced changes, and tolerate greater environmental
disturbance. These conditions have likely enhanced rainbow trout spawning
and population numbers, leading to massive expansion of hybridization with
westslope cutthroat trout. �The evolutionary consequences of climate change are
one of our greatest areas of uncertainty because empirical data addressing
this issue are extraordinarily rare; this study is a tremendous step forward
in our understanding of how climate change can influence evolutionary
process and ultimately species biodiversity,� said Ryan Kovach, a University
of Montana study co-author. |
Michigan
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DNR
reports progress on removal, repair of dams
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owned site has legacy chemical contamination
issues, which will be remedied by building another structure in the
summer of 2015.
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New York
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Mohawk River Study Kicks Off This study will help implement the Action Agenda of Governor Cuomo�s Mighty Waters cabinet-level work group which seeks to promote environmental sustainability and reduce the hazards of flooding in the Mohawk River Basin.
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of the Mohawk River,
which extends from Lake Delta Dam
DEC and USGS will
sample fish species at multiple sites this summer utilizing a number of
collection methods such as electrofishing and beach net fishing. Most of
the fish collected will be returned to the river after data collection
is complete. All fish collected will have their species, size, abundance
and distribution documented. DEC will continue to monitor and collect
samples of blueback herring, a species of concern that is declining in
the Mohawk River.
In addition, the study will identify management practices that could
lessen anticipated effects of invasive species, climate change or other
factors that could impact fish in the main stem of the Mohawk River. |
Ohio
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Ohio continues Dam Safety improvements
Across Ohio The state of Ohio
through ODNR owns and maintains 179 dams statewide, which include 56 Class
I, high-hazard dams. ODNR also regulates more than 1,500 publicly and
privately-owned dams through its Ohio Dam Safety Program. The majority of these
dams are either privately-owned (68 %) or are owned by local governments
(23 %) and are typically used for water supply, flood control and
recreation. There are approximately 30 federally-owned dams in Ohio that
are owned, operated and regulated by the federal government through the
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE). The goal of the Ohio Dam Safety Program is to enhance public safety by ensuring that dams do not present |
unacceptable risks to
people, property and the environment. One step toward meeting this goal
isperforming periodic dam safety inspections across Ohio. These certified
inspections may result in program officials directing dam owners,
including the state of Ohio, to implement needed repairs or other
risk-reduction measures and prepare for dam emergencies.
Existing and newly
approved state capital appropriations earmarked specifically for dam risk-
reduction projects statewide include: ►Assessments of
existing conditions at state-owned dams ►Design and
construction to reduce risk and bring state-owned dams into compliance
with dam safety standards ►Improving dam
emergency response preparedness by ensuring Emergency Action Plans are
updated.
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(Click on title or URL to read full article)
Michigan
lawmakers ask Canada to scrap plans for nuclear waste dump on
Lake Huron |
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