BY EMMA EA AMBROSE
No symbol better represents the wide reach
of the Illinois–Indiana Sea Grant initiative than what the program has affectionately termed its “Two Yellow Buoys.” Positioned in Lake Michigan, four miles off the coast of Michigan City, Indiana, and Wilmette, Illinois, these two weather buoys monitor conditions on the lake in real time. The data is used by those who enjoy the lake for recreation and commerce, researchers tracking weather and climate patterns across the Great Lakes, and educators, who use the buoys’ award-winning Twitter account as an educational tool. Often considered the analog of the land-grant university, Sea Grant is a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration program focused on education, research and Extension related to marine and Great Lakes ecosystems. Every state and some U.S. territories bordering an ocean or a Great Lake have a Sea Grant program. The Illinois–Indiana Sea Grant (IISG) College Program is co-administered by the University of Illinois and Purdue
University and is one of only two bi-state programs in the country. The leadership for IISG changes institutions on a recurring basis, with Purdue serving as the current lead. Tomas Höök, Purdue professor of fisheries and aquatic sciences and director of the IISG, says this kind of program is important to Great Lakes states because the lakes are the largest surface fresh water supply in the world. Effectively managing these ocean-like systems is critical for the region. The Great Lakes face numerous threats, especially Lake Michigan, which is where most IISG research takes place. Key threats include invasive species, nutrient runoff, contamination and climate change. Although the list is not exhaustive, Höök warns, these four issues have the greatest potential to derail the many communities, businesses and industries that rely on the Great Lakes. IISG’s work involves efforts to better understand and stymie all these threats and find new ways to protect and preserve Lake Michigan. AG.PURDUE.EDU/ENVISION
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