Natural populations of oil-degrading bacteria could help to clean up freshwater rivers and lakes after spills from pipelines and trains, researchers have found after experiments that simulated spills in a Canadian lake. Vince Palace, who led the work at the International Institute for Sustainable Development’s Experimental Lakes Area in western Ontario, said that the methods currently in use for cleaning up spills in rivers and lakes – mostly digging up and dumping contaminated soil – are not particularly effective. Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

It’s been almost three weeks since historic flooding hit the Detroit area, and people are still looking for answers as to why the region’s sewage system couldn’t handle the water. Investigations are underway, and federal help is coming. Read Now at One Detroit.

The Great Lakes are great for many reasons – their economic power, the lifestyle they provide millions of residents, as a getaway for tens of millions visitors and the livelihood it offers hundreds of thousands in lakes-related industries. And then there’s the water. Summer sees the lakes filled with people soaking, swimming, skiing – and boating. Read Now at Great Lakes Now.