The 2017 State of Lake Michigan Conference, to be held November 7-10 at the Hyatt Regency in Green Bay, will also feature the annual meeting of the Great Lakes Beach Association and other associated workshops and field trips.
The State of Lake Michigan (SOLM) Conference—a popular, biennial event dating back to 1999—is hosted this year by the International Association for Great Lakes Research (IAGLR) with support from state and local sponsors. SOLM17 will be the first in an annual series of State of Lake conferences aimed at promoting linkages between the science and policy communities.
Keynote Speakers
Bill Hafs, director of environmental programs at NEW Water, will speak about the science of water quality and public health in the Great Lakes on Wednesday, November 8, at 11 a.m. in the Hyatt Regency Grand E Ballroom.
Elizabeth Hinchey-Malloy, Lake Michigan and Lake Erie manager at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Great Lakes National Program Office, will address the current challenges and opportunities facing Lake Michigan, following Haf’s presentation on Wednesday, November 8, at 11 a.m. in the Hyatt Regency Grand E Ballroom.
Dan Egan, Great Lakes author and reporter at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, will be interviewed by Robert Hornacek, reporter for WLUK-Fox 11 News in Green Bay, on Thursday, November 9, at 11 a.m. Egan recently published a book, The Death and Life of the Great Lakes, which highlights the challenges of invasive species, algae blooms, declines in native fish species, and threats to drinking water.
Sessions of Interest
Harmful Algal Blooms: Public Health, Beach Management, and Emerging Issues
As the frequency, magnitude, and duration of harmful algal blooms increase throughout the Great Lakes basin, so does the impact on public health, beach management, and research. A wide range of presentations will discuss these impacts with a focus on recreational water.
Dangerous Currents in the Great Lakes: Observations, Forecasting, and Risk Communications
Dangerous currents are a prevalent threat to all beachgoers in the Great Lakes. Swimming directly against currents or along piers or breakwalls can be deadly. This session features observations, modeling, and forecasting/warning systems for dangerous currents in the Great Lakes and developing a community of practice to maximize our collective knowledge, resources, and actions to end drowning in the Great Lakes.
Restoring the Health and Resiliency of the Green Bay Ecosystem
Despite historic losses and present day stresses, Green Bay remains the largest and most productive bay of Lake Michigan and supports tremendous fish and wildlife diversity. The Green Bay Conservation Partners group provides conservation practitioners with opportunities for information sharing, collaboration, and networking. This session will share how many pieces come together to collectively contribute to restoring the health and vitality of a freshwater resource that is integral to our economy, culture, and way of life.
Results from the 2015 Cooperative Science and Monitoring Initiative intensive field year on Lake Michigan
The Cooperative Science and Monitoring Initiative (CSMI) is a binational program that coordinates monitoring and research efforts on each of the Great Lakes over a five-year cycle. In 2015, CSMI field sampling was focused on Lake Michigan with a particular emphasis on lower food web dynamics, the distribution of benthic organisms across the lake, and contaminant transfer within the food web.
View the conference program at iaglr.org/sol/solm17/program/
