New Rules for Ballast Water in Great Lakes?

On January 26th, a public hearing in Superior will determine if Wisconsin regulations regarding ballast water discharged by ships in the Great Lakes will be changed to match those required by the International Maritime Organization. This would apply to large commercial shipping vessels that travel between the Great Lakes and the ocean. As cargo loads change, the ships take on or expel water in order to stay balanced. This water can also include plants, animals and pathogens. WDNR states "Ballast water is the primary way aquatic invasive species such as the zebra mussel, round goby and spiny water flea have been introduced into the Great Lakes over the last century." This proposed changed is aimed to combat the threat of invasive species.

For news and information about the Ballast Water Discharge General Permit, view the WDNR's page. For more information about the proposed changed to ballast regulations, read the WDNR news release. For general reading on Great Lakes ships and shipping visit the Water Library's recommended reading list.

Photo credit: Frank Koshere, WDNR website

Changes proposed to ballast water rules

From the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR):

Published: December 21, 2010 by the WDNR Central Office

MADISON – Wisconsin is proposing to change its requirements for oceangoing ships arriving in its Great Lakes waters. The change would set ballast water discharge standards to those required by the International Maritime Organization. The proposed change reflects the latest science about reducing the risk from invasive species carried in the ships’ ballast water, state officials say.

The proposed modifications to a general permit issued by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources to large oceangoing commercial ships will be the subject of a public hearing January 26 in Superior.

Read the rest of the article.

photo courtesy of the Smithsonian Institute.

Reflect on Wisconsin's Maritime Past

With commercially navigable waterways on three sides, Wisconsin has a deep maritime past. From the small Mississippi River ports of La Crosse and Prairie du Chien, to the much larger Great Lakes facilities at Milwaukee, Green Bay, and Duluth-Superior, Wisconsin residents have been sailing, steaming, and hauling goods over our water for generations.

As this year's shipping season closes and lake boats prepare for the winter layup, now is good time to reflect on Wisconsin's maritime history with resources available at Wisconsin's Water Libary and the University of Wisconsin's Digital Collection Center (UWDCC).

The Water Library maintains a number of recommended reading lists. Check out this one on Great Lakes Ships and Shipping.

UWDCC includes a collection and digital portal dedicated to Wisconsin's "proud and colorful" maritime history. Learn more on their Great Lakes Martime History Project here.

Wisconsin's Great Lakes Shipwrecks

Explore 17 of Wisconsin's Great Lakes shipwrecks through underwater video, historical photographs, and archaeological discoveries. To go beneath the surface of Lakes Michigan and Superior, go to wisconsinshipwrecks.org. Read from the journals of underwater archaeologists and learn the guidelines for protecting maritime heritage.

Site created by Wisconsin Sea Grant Institute and Wisconsin Historical Society.

Remembering a fierce Great Lakes storm

In the fall of 1905, a powerful storm struck the Great Lakes, causing one of the most dramatic shipping disasters in the nation's history. Minnesota reporter Curt Brown tells the story in his new book, So Terrible a Storm: A Tale of Fury on Lake Superior. Click here to listen to Brown talk to Morning Edition host Cathy Wurzer on Minnesota Public Radio.