Blog Posts

Blog posts by FLOW team and guest writers

Flow’s comments on the Michigan Coastal Management Program’s draft 2026-2030 Enhancement Assessment and Strategies

November 5, 2025

Established in 1978, the Michigan Coastal Management Program (MCMP) provides technical assistance and strategic grant funding to assist in coastal communities’ ability to understand risks, and options to mitigate coastal hazards; create healthy habitats that provide for human use and enjoyment; support coastal eco-tourism opportunities while ensuring for safe public access; and support resilient and… Read more »

Flow Water Advocates opposes Gratiot County CAFO permit

October 31, 2025

Flow Water Advocates and commenters oppose Gratiot County CAFO expansion; request public hearing. DOWNLOAD: Comments and Request for Public Hearing on Draft Permit MI0060380, KB Farm LLC-CAFO (PDF)  Traverse City, Mich. — Flow Water Advocates (“Flow”), on behalf of its thousands of members, is joined by concerned Michigan residents and organizations in filing public comments… Read more »

Flow appeals EGLE rejection of FOIA request; seeks public disclosure of factory farm sewage land application.

October 29, 2025

Traverse City, Mich. — Flow Water Advocates (“Flow”) has filed an administrative appeal of a Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) decision to reject Flow’s FOIA requests for logs Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs) are required by permit to maintain and disclose to EGLE and the public. These logs from fourteen CAFOs… Read more »

The haunting history of Michigan’s 240 lighthouses.

October 29, 2025

The Great Lakes are home to more than 240 lighthouses — more than any other region in the world. Built to protect sailors from treacherous reefs, storms, and shifting shoals, these monuments have also become haunting echoes of the past. Michigan’s 4 most haunted lighthouses 1. Seul Choix Point Lighthouse One of the most famous… Read more »

Get to know the Michigan Water Trust Fund Act.

October 29, 2025

Michigan’s water infrastructure and affordability needs are critical and underfunded. Too many Michiganders struggle to pay their water bills, while rural and urban communities alike struggle with aging systems and contamination. That’s why a coalition of water advocates has developed the Michigan Water Trust Fund Act to protect water quality, advance water equity, and ensure… Read more »

Nov. 8: ‘Shop Your Community Day’ shows love to the Great Lakes!

October 22, 2025

On Saturday, November 8, 2025, Downtown Traverse City will host its annual Shop Your Community Day, a cherished event where 15% of every purchase at participating local businesses is donated to your choice of 30 nonprofit organizations. This initiative offers shoppers the unique opportunity to support both local businesses and meaningful causes, fostering a stronger,… Read more »

Michigan’s new FY 2025-26 budget, and what it means for water.

October 21, 2025

Flow’s mission is to ensure Michigan’s waters are healthy, public, and protected for everyone. Our priorities include water infrastructure funding, tackling nitrate contamination in drinking water, factory farm pollution, and the need for a statewide septic code. We track state budgets closely because they signal real-world priorities. The newly approved FY 2025-26 budgets for Michigan’s… Read more »

Reflections from the 2025 Great Lakes Conference

October 21, 2025

Carolan Sonderegger, Policy Director I attended the 2025 Great Lakes Conference expecting good content, but what stood out most wasn’t any single presentation or data point—it was the high level of collaboration happening across the region. Whether it was researchers, tribal leaders, farmers, nonprofit practitioners, or municipal officials, everyone was focused on the same core… Read more »

Governor Whitmer proclaims October 22, 2025 as Great Lakes Public Trust Day

October 20, 2025

Lansing, Mich. – Governor Gretchen Whitmer has proclaimed October 22, 2025, as Great Lakes Public Trust Day, affirming the public trust principle, which holds that Michigan’s surface waters and submerged lands are held in trust by the state for the benefit and enjoyment of all Michiganders. Flow Water Advocates worked with the Governor’s office to… Read more »

How to write a great Line 5 letter to the editor

October 15, 2025

Download this guide (PDF) Writing a Letter to the Editor of your local newspaper is a great way to keep the Line 5 pipeline issue front and center, and educate our communities and elected officials about the threat Line 5 poses, and why we need to shut down Line 5. First, know your newspaper’s guidelines:… Read more »