Join us on April 22 from 5:30 to 7:30 pm at the Barrel Room at Left Foot Charley for a relaxed Earth Day gathering with Flow Water Advocates, featuring food, wine, and great conversation. Executive Director Liz Kirkwood will share brief reflections and a look ahead at our priorities for protecting the Great Lakes. Space… Read more »
2026 events ‘We Are Made From Rivers’ on February 5, 2026, from 6 to 9pm, for “Sound & Shore,” an unforgettable evening of storytelling and water at Kirkbride Hall. Listen to the recording! 2025 events Flow Water Advocates ‘Sound & Shore’ on August 7, 2025, from 6 to 9pm, for “Sound & Shore,” an unforgettable… Read more »
With the Michigan Legislature’s summer break almost over, and less than 100 days until the election, the focus of legislators on both sides of the aisle will shift to their hometown districts. The outcome of the November polls – where Democrats will strive to maintain their majority in the House and Senate, and Republicans will… Read more »
What is a septic system? A septic system is an underground wastewater treatment system for homes that are not connected to a city sewer system. When regularly pumped and maintained, a septic system efficiently manages the wastewater produced in a house. When you flush a toilet, take a shower, or do dishes, all that dirty… Read more »
By Jim Olson “With my Grandma I like to walk along the beach and find Petoskey stones. With my Grandpa I like to go in Lake Michigan and body surf the waves,” my 11-year-old granddaughter Ava Bachmann reflected in late August when she stood with me along the shores of West Grand Traverse Bay. We… Read more »
We asked Skip Pruss, FLOW’s former board chair and former director of the Michigan Department of Energy, Labor and Economic Growth under former Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm how incoming President Joe Biden and his cabinet of environmental all stars will combat the climate crisis and what the federal government’s effort could mean for Michigan and… Read more »
While the word “water” was not on the November 8 statewide general election ballot in Michigan, it was present on the ballot in various local communities and in different, more subtle ways across the Great Lakes State. In some of Michigan’s 276 cities and 1,240 townships, voters considered new regulations to safeguard water resources and… Read more »
Photo: A lack of septic regulations can lead to waste in our treasured waters. You wouldn’t “do it in the river,” would you? Michigan prides itself on being an environmental leader, particularly in curbing water pollution. But in one area of water policy, Michigan is dead last among the 50 states. It is the only… Read more »
For over three years, FLOW has analyzed and reported on one of the biggest gaps in Michigan’s environmental protection safety net—groundwater protection. Now, during National Groundwater Awareness Week 2021, we are reaffirming and expanding upon our call for stronger state groundwater protection policies and actions. We’re also releasing our new report, “Deep Threats to Our Sixth Great Lake.”
What’s the natural resource that is critical to the survival of billions of human beings but invisible to the vast majority of them? The answer is groundwater, both in Michigan and globally. Out of sight but not detached from our economy and health, groundwater plays a critical role in Michigan communities, supplying 45 percent of Michigan’s population with drinking water. Yet groundwater is a neglected and much-abused part of our state’s natural endowment. This year, groundwater will be in the spotlight on the annual World Water Day, March 22.
