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Stewarding the Great Lakes
Stewarding the Great Lakes
The Great Lakes are known for their beauty and the wealth of resources within and around them. The combined lakes contain the largest supply of fresh water on earth; 20% or one fifth of the earth's total fresh water, with more than 3,000 miles of shoreline, the Great Lakes not only form Michigan's geography, but also shape our economy, society, and environment.
The Great Lakes face threats including invasive species, urban and rural runoff, historical as well as new sources of contamination, and changes in climate. You can help protect our Great Lakes and all of Michigan’s rivers, lakes and streams and even groundwater! Ensuring the health of our water resources for generations to come depends on stewardship and education about water. Just like every drop of water matters, every effort does, too!
Become a water steward and Great Lakes champion!
Celebrating Great Lakes and Fresh Water Week
Each year, Michigan proclaims a week (most recently June 1-9, 2024) to raise awareness of the Great Lakes and Michigan’s inland waterways and groundwater. It’s a time to reflect on the importance of these water bodies and their immeasurable value to wellness for people and nature throughout the state. Michigan is known around the world for this unique resource, which people can help preserve in the face of climate change and other challenges.
By raising awareness, we will inspire people to protect and be champions of the Great Lakes and fresh water year round. Our call to action is for residents around the state to learn about, enjoy, appreciate, and safeguard this vital resource for current and future generations.
Will you paddle along a water trail or join an Adopt-a-Beach team for a local cleanup? Maybe you can collect plastics as you stroll along the shore, or clear litter from storm catch basins in your neighborhood. How will you make the water-wellness connection and protect Michigan’s Great Lakes and fresh water?
You can also learn about water-wellness connections through our webinars featuring a tribal perspective on the importance and history of Nibi (water) and Manoomin (wild rice) in the Great Lakes region, or the links between improved mental health and access to nature and water resources and the ways Michigan is working to expand access to these resources for people of all abilities.
Enjoying a water-wellness moment? Share your photos, actions, and stories on social media with #MiGreatLakesWeek.
Make an Impact
Tips to Recreate Responsibly with Water
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In the water
Having fun in the sun comes with its safety concerns. Before going to the beach to swim, make sure you are prepared and aware of water hazards.
Before you go
- Find a beach that is not closed or has advisories by using the Michigan Beach Guard System Map (by county).
- Check the weather forecast and water conditions.
- Pack the essentials: food, hydration, sun protection, first-aid supplies, life jackets or flotation devices, cell phone, and dry clothes.
- Never swim alone; bring someone with you in case of an emergency.
At the beach and in the water
- Designate a water watcher to stay on shore to watch for anyone that may need help.
- Locate buoys marking the swim area and only swim within that area.
- Locate lifeguards and lifesaving flotation devices in case of an emergency.
- Understand and abide by beach flags and sign warning systems.
- Be aware of dangerous currents such as rip, structure, longshore, outlet, and channel currents.
- Wear a life jacket if you are not a good swimmer.
- Swim sober.
- If in doubt, stay out of the water.
Before you leave
- Pick up everything you brought to the beach.
- Dispose of trash and recyclables properly.
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On the water
Whether you are boating on the Great Lakes, kayaking on a river, or stand-up paddle boarding on an inland lake, it is important to be prepared and safe. Doing so will allow you to enjoy your trip and recreate responsibly.
Before you go
- Register your boat, earn your boating safety certificate, and learn about Michigan boating laws.
- Understand Michigan boating laws and responsibilities.
- Plan your paddling trip by finding a place to paddle or rent kayaks, canoes, and stand-up paddleboards.
- Choose a boating location or reserve a slip:
- Check the weather forecast and water conditions.
- Create a float plan for a trusted individual that provides details on where you are going, how long you will be gone, who you are going with, when you plan to return, and what to do if you do not return.
- Create an emergency plan on how to respond to emergencies.
- Pack the essentials, including food, hydration, sun protection, first-aid supplies, repair kit and tools, cell phone, whistle, nautical charts, marine radio, dry clothes, and life jacket.
- Check the boat to make sure it is properly equipped, and that the equipment is in good working condition.
While on the water
- Always wear a life jacket.
- Boat and paddle sober.
- Stay seated on small boats, canoes, and kayaks.
- Be visible at night with running lights on boats.
- Stay alert for other vessels, swimmers, commercial fishing nets, buoys, and changing weather conditions.
- Be aware of unseen hazards such as narrow gaps in rocks, unstable riverbanks, slippery bottoms, cold water temperatures, and currents while paddling.
- Be ready for any emergency: drowning, electric shock drowning, falling overboard.
Before you leave
- Clean, drain, and dry your vessel to stop the spread of aquatic invasive species.
- Leave no trace by disposing of boat sewage, trash, and recyclables properly and by taking the trash and recyclables with you.
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While fishing
Before casting your line, make sure you are prepared for your fishing trip and have a firm understanding of safety tips.
Before you go
- Buy your Michigan fishing license and learn about Michigan fishing rules and regulations.
- Find a place to fish:
- Check the weather forecast and water conditions.
- Create a fishing plan for a trusted individual that provides details on where you are going, how long you will be gone, who you are going with, when you plan to return, and what to do if you do not return.
- Pack the essentials, including fishing gear, food, hydration, sun protection, first-aid supplies, cell phone.
While fishing
- Carry your fishing license and ID with you.
- Wear a life jacket if fishing on a boat or if you are on a dock and pier and not a good swimmer.
- Be aware of the people around you when casting your line.
- Pull "hung-up" lines to the side.
- Use a hook remover or cut the fishing line as far back as you can.
- Handle fish carefully to prevent cuts.
- Properly release fish immediately without harm.
- Practice safe catch and release to stay within the catch limits.
Before you leave
- Clean and dry your fishing gear and dispose of unwanted bait in the trash to stop the spread of aquatic invasive species.
- Only eat fish you caught that are safe to eat by following the three Cs: Choose, Clean, and Cook.
Learn about our Great Lakes
The Great Lakes basin is a 295,200 square mile area within which all surface area drains into the Great Lakes. It includes parts of Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Ontario, and Quebec. All together, the Great Lakes contain the 9,402 miles of shoreline and 94,710 total square miles of surface area (about the size of Texas).
✨ Kids Corner ✨
- Learn about all the ways water is part of our lives by visiting the Michigan Water Stewardship website.
- Explore how watersheds function with this short EGLE Classroom video
- Wetlands, nature's underrated heroes, are explained in this short EGLE video
- Visit Great Lakes Now's educational resources and videos.
- Fresh, clean, available water is precious – Find out the relative amount of water on Earth that is clean, available, and safe to drink with NOAA’s “A Drop in Your Hand” activity.
- Follow two raindrops, Professor Dew and Droplette, through their adventures in the water cycle at The Water Story – MI Water Stewardship.
- Learn about the Great Lakes with Michigan Sea Grant’s H.O.M.E.S. at Home webinar series.
- Build your own watershed model to learn how water flows across the landscape and how runoff can affect water quality.
- Be a Great Lakes Champion by nabbing the aquatic invaders in this interactive game.
- Learn more about your watershed—what it is, why it’s important, and what you can do to help protect it – as you complete the Watershed Sleuth Challenge. See if you can earn your Watershed Hero badge!
- Try your hand at EPA’s Nonpoint Source Pollution Watershed Word Search.
- Join Darby the Duck in fighting water pollution
- Celebrate catching your first fish (or a really big fish) on Free Fishing Weekend with a special First Fish or Big Fish Certificate from Michigan DNR.
- Learn to identify 10 different families of fish using fins, tails, and scales.
- Explore teacher resources on how EGLE protects Michigan’s resources, including water, at EGLE classroom.
From Students to Stewards Initiative
The From Students to Stewards initiative teaches elementary through high school students about the Great Lakes, Michigan watersheds, and the impact people have on water resources across the state. Michigan school districts can participate in pilot grant opportunities to integrate water literacy principles and place-based education into school curricula and their continuous improvement plans. The program includes a tool kit and roadmap that other schools can use to develop their own Great Lakes-based curricula to cultivate the next generation of water stewards, leaders, and decision-makers. This initiative is a multi-agency collaboration among EGLE’s Office of the Great Lakes, the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity's MiSTEM Network, and the Michigan Department of Education.
Other resources
Educational videos
Playlist: Building Coastal Resilience
Our lakes define us. Michigan is the steward of over two thirds of the Great Lakes coastline – we are truly the Great Lakes State! Take the next step to coastal resilience and learn how to develop resilient master plans and policies that best fit your coastal community.
Playlist: Learn more with EGLE Classroom
Watch a playlist of short educational videos about various topics.
Playlist: Great Lakes and Fresh Water Week
Learn about what EGLE's doing for Great Lakes and Fresh Water Week through this video playlist.
Playlist: Protecting Michigan Inland Lakes Tutorials
Learn how to protect Michigan inland lakes.
Playlist: MI Shoreland Stewards
The Shoreland Stewards Program was created to recognize inland lake property owners who are maintaining their property in a way that reduces negative impacts that development can have on inland lakes to ensure healthy lakes for future generations for both people and fish and wildlife.