Great Lakes - Waterkeeper

Great Lakes

Who Is Waterkeeper: Angie Rosser, West Virginia Headwaters Waterkeeper

  • By: Thomas Hynes
  • News

Angie Rosser is the West Virginia Headwaters Waterkeeper and also the Executive Director of the West Virginia Rivers Coalition. She grew up in Ohio and...

Who Is Waterkeeper: Cheryl Nenn, Milwaukee Riverkeeper

  • By: Thomas Hynes
  • News

The city of Milwaukee is home to the confluence of three rivers: the Menomonee River, the Kinnickinnic River, and the aptly named Milwaukee River. The...

Waterkeepers Meet in Detroit for Regional Summit

  • By: María Victoria Díaz-González
  • News

In early June, Great Lakes Waterkeepers gathered in Detroit, Michigan.  The Great Lakes Regional Summit drew 20 participants, representing four states...

Who Is Waterkeeper: Heather Smith, Grand Traverse Baykeeper

  • By: Thomas Hynes
  • News

Grand Traverse Bay sits at the northern end of Michigan’s lower peninsula. The embayment is known for its pristine blue waters that look almost turquoise...

Waterkeeper Alliance Renews Call to Modernize Federal Rail Brake Systems Following Ohio Train Derailment


As a public health and environmental disaster unfolds following the derailment and explosion of a toxic-chemical cargo train in East Palestine, Ohio, advocacy...

Marc Yaggi quote reading "Waterkeepers have scientific and technical expertise, as well as unique perspectives and knowledge about regional water issues and associated impacts to their communities and ecosystems, that make them an invaluable resource for EPA."

Waterkeeper Alliance Works to Align Local Waterkeepers with Regional EPA Administrators


As the U.S. celebrates the 49th anniversary of the landmark Clean Water Act (CWA) legislation, Waterkeeper Alliance—a global movement that connects and...

Sandy Bihn walks on a rocky beach near the water.

Who is Waterkeeper: Sandy Bihn, Lake Erie Waterkeeper

  • By: Thomas Hynes
  • News

Sandy Bihn has been Lake Erie Waterkeeper since 2004, though she says she has had an inherent love of water her entire life, something that has always...

Waterkeepers across Michigan fight to keep their waters pristine


The state of Michigan is primarily divided into two landmasses: the Lower and Upper Peninsulas. Michigan borders four of the five Great Lakes, and, not...

Milwaukee Riverkeeper is turning the tide on years of industrial pollution


The Milwaukee River Basin covers nearly 900 square miles across seven Wisconsin counties. Its three main rivers — the Milwaukee, the Menomonee, and the...

Aerial view of Lake Erie.

Lake Erie ignited America’s environmental movement, but still suffers from a new wave of pollution

  • By: Thomas Hynes
  • News

Lake Erie is the shallowest and fishiest of the Great Lakes. Nearly a third of the Great Lakes population resides in the Lake Erie watershed — the lake...

Three people roll large tires away from a riverbank.

Buffalo Niagara Waterkeeper Leads Multi-State Great Lake CleanUP Effort with Great Lakes Waterkeepers and Partners


Collaborative, week-long trash removal event to support and protect habitats throughout the Great Lakes Basin    Buffalo Niagara Waterkeeper is honored...

The Great Lakes Need You!


The North American Great Lakes are the most extensive freshwater system on the planet. Their surrounding watersheds and tributary rivers are essential...

Detroit Riverkeeper is Helping Reverse Decades of Unregulated Pollution 


The Detroit River is a crucial strait in the Great Lakes system, connecting Lake Erie with Lake Huron by way of the St. Clair River and Lake St. Clair....

A small river, the headwaters or source waters to many downstream waterways, with many rocks peeking out of the water. The river bank is full of roots from large trees that have green leaves showered with sunlight.

Protecting the Great Lakes at the Source


By Jill Jedlicka, Buffalo Niagara Waterkeeper The source, or headwaters, of a river or stream is the critical building block of waterways that influence...

Creatively Adapting: Waterkeepers Encourage Solo Cleanups


As we settle into this new COVID-19 reality, Waterkeepers across the movement are finding creative ways to engage their communities and create opportunities...

Now’s Our Chance: A Future Free of Fossil Fuels


UPDATE 5/13/2020: This post has been updated to reflect that the “Resources for Workforce Investments, not Drilling (REWIND) Act,” a comprehensive...

For Time Indoors | More Waterkeeper Content!

  • By: Julia Widmann
  • News

Wondering how you can stay in the fight for clean water from indoors?  If you can, consider donating to your local Waterkeeper. Nonprofits depend on events...

Our Work Continues

  • By: Ellen Simon
  • News

In the face of the global coronavirus pandemic, Waterkeeper Alliance is making plans to continue our important mission-driven work, strengthening and supporting...

Lawsuit Launched Over Trump’s Massive Rollback of Clean Water Act Protections


Conservation groups filed a formal notice of intent to sue the Trump administration today for eliminating longstanding Clean Water Act protections for...

Waterkeeper Groups Across United States Oppose Rollback of States’ Rights


Proposed revisions to Clean Water Act would hamstring states’ ability to protect their waters Waterkeeper Alliance and 148 Waterkeeper groups today submitted...

Cleanups: Opportunities for Policy Solutions

  • By: Ellen Simon
  • News

Waterkeepers have made cleanups into an opportunity for face-to-face advocacy on issues such as plastic bag bans and alternative bag fees.  The message:...

|||Uncommon find: headless duck doll

Cleanup Month: Uncommon Finds

  • By: Ellen Simon
  • News

Clean up a river and you may well find messages in bottles, a mannequin head or “almost enough parts to make a whole Honda Civic.” Sometimes, the finds...

plastic pollution on beach

Legal Petition Seeks Ban on Plastic Pollution From Petrochemical Plants


Decades-old EPA Limits Require Update As Plastic Production Booms More than 270 community and conservation organizations filed a legal petition today that...

waterkeeper alliance 20th anniversary

How the Clean Water War is Won: Waterkeeper Alliance and Culture Trip Introduce “Waterkeeper Warriors”

  • By: Waterkeeper Alliance
  • News

The Waterkeeper Warriors campaign features photography of waterways around the world and the Waterkeepers who defend them, with stories voiced by Alec...

13 Restoration Successes

  • By: ajcarapella
  • News

By Georgia Lambrakis, Waterkeeper Alliance intern As Waterkeeper Alliance celebrates 20 years of fighting for drinkable, fishable, swimmable water, we’re...

waterkeeper alliance 20th anniversary

20 Years of Clean Water Wins

  • By: Marc Yaggi
  • News

Today, on World Water Day, I can’t help but reflect on the billions of people around the world without access to clean and safe water. But there’s...

Trump’s Misrepresentation of WOTUS – And Why It Matters


On February 28, 2017, President Trump signed an executive order to begin a series of actions, long sought by industry, that will allow uncontrolled discharges...