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Michigan Water Strategy

Crystal clear water of Lake Michigan washing up on a pebbled shoreline at Wilderness State Park on a beautiful summer day
Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy

Michigan Water Strategy

The Water Strategy is a 30-year plan for Michiganders to protect, manage, and enhance Michigan’s water resources for current and future generations. The Strategy identifies key actions for actors at many levels to promote healthy water resources. It is organized around nine goals and outcomes designed to ensure the viability and sustainability of Michigan’s water resources over time, placing Michigan on a path to achieving its water vision in a way that builds economic capacity while sustaining ecological integrity of this globally significant resource.

The Office of the Great Lakes led the creation of a comprehensive, ecosystem-based water resource strategy with partners based on a statewide listening tour. The Water Strategy was built on a collaborative process that recognizes the value of continued learning, open dialogue, and adaptive management. Development of the Water Strategy involved a robust advisory process including an interdepartmental team. In addition, the plan was greatly enhanced by advice from an ad-hoc external council known as the Water Cabinet, convened to provide experience and knowledge in a variety of subject areas.

From Students to Stewards Initiative

The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE) will award $100,000 to expand freshwater literacy place-based STEM education, and Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity's (LEO) MiSTEM Network will award $100,000 to support innovative STEM 3-P (problem, place and project-based) learning.

New Grants to Boost Freshwater Literacy, Innovative STEM Education for K-12 Students
Cover of Lake Erie Final Adaptive Management Plan

Stopping Invasive Species Introductions

An invasive species is one that is not native and whose introduction causes harm, or is likely to cause harm to Michigan's economy, environment, or human health.

Many non-native species in Michigan, including fruits, vegetables, field crops, livestock and domestic animals, are important to our economy and lifestyle.

Learn more about aquatic invasive species
An oil sheen in a pile of mud, from a contamination site
A close-up of a wild rice plant

Michigan Water School

Michigan Water School is a program to help elected and appointed officials increase their knowledge about water management and gain access to tools and resources to help impact their local economy.

Learn more about the Water School

Michigan Technological University led Smart Ship Coalition and Lake Superior Marine Autonomy Research Site

The Smart Ships Coalition is a broad stakeholder community of academic, state and federal agencies, private and non-profit industry, and international organizations who share a common interest in the advancement and application of autonomous technologies operated in marine environments.

Smart Ships Coalition