Lake Michigan Faces Invisible Environmental Threats

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Lake Michigan, a vital freshwater resource for millions, is facing a range of environmental threats that are less visible than past crises, such as the massive fish die-offs in the 1960s. Invasive quagga mussels have disrupted the lake's food chain, while algae blooms, microplastics, and 'forever chemicals' like PFAS pose growing risks to water quality and public health. As caretakers of this precious resource, the region's residents must again mobilize to address these insidious threats to Lake Michigan.

Why it matters

Lake Michigan is a critical freshwater source for major cities like Chicago and Milwaukee, and its health is vital to the region's ecology and economy. However, the current environmental threats to the lake are less obvious than past crises, making it harder to galvanize public awareness and action. Addressing these invisible dangers is crucial to protecting this invaluable natural resource for future generations.

The details

The invasive quagga mussel has taken over the bottom of Lake Michigan, filtering out much of the phytoplankton and zooplankton that form the base of the lake's food chain. This has led to a decline in whitefish, once the most abundant fish in the lake. Meanwhile, phosphate runoff from farms is fueling localized blooms of toxic algae. Microplastics and 'forever chemicals' like PFAS are also accumulating in the lake and posing risks to public health.

• In the summer of 1967, millions of dead alewife fish fouled Chicago's lakefront, sparking public awareness and action.
• More than 50 years later, the environmental threats to Lake Michigan are less obvious but no less serious.

What they’re saying

What’s next

As residents of the Great Lakes region, we must once again mobilize to address the invisible threats to Lake Michigan, just as we did in the past to clean up the lakes.