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Ever wonder why you find so many dead crabs on the beach during the summer?  Most of these “dead crabs” are actually crab molts.  A molt is an exact copy of a crab, complete with gill coverings, without the actual animal in it!  In order to grow, crabs have to shed their hard outer shell, [...]

Have you ever wondered what causes the different-colored tints in the ocean or freshwater lakes? This colored water – whether red, brown, green or yellow – is commonly known as a “red tide” or a harmful algal bloom. Blooms are formed by single-celled photosynthetic organisms that can sometimes be harmful to humans, wildlife and the [...]

Are you tempted to clean up fallen trees and branches on your lakeshore property after a storm? Believe it or not, these fallen items are actually important components of lake habitats! Above the water, fallen trees and branches provide a place for ducks and turtles to soak up the sun; they may also be used [...]

Shoreline habitats around lakes – both on land and in shallow water – provide important habitat for fish and wildlife. Healthy plants along shorelines also protect water quality by absorbing and filtering pollutants carried from land by wind and rain.
Viewer Tip: When lake shorelines become too developed, they may no longer be able to support [...]

The nights of the South are often hot, humid and still. Winds typically die down at night and allow for the nocturnal flights of an amazing variety of insect life. Moths are some of our most fascinating nocturnal creatures. They range in size, coloration and behavior. Like butterflies, moths go through stages – from egg [...]

As part of the National Lakes Assessment, the U.S. EPA selected and sampled 84 lakes in the Xeric Region (covering portions of 11 western states and all of Nevada) to characterize the condition of more than 802 lakes throughout the area. What did researchers find?

37 percent of lakes in the Xeric Region are in good [...]

As part of the National Lakes Assessment, the U.S. EPA selected and sampled 155 lakes in the Western Mountains Region (covering the Cascade, Sierra Nevada and Pacific Coast ranges, the Gila Mountains, and the Bitterroot and Rocky Mountains) to characterize the condition of more than 4,100 lakes throughout the area. What did researchers find?

More than [...]

As part of the National Lakes Assessment, the U.S. EPA selected and sampled 65 lakes in the Northern Plains Region (covering western North and South Dakota, eastern Montana, northeast Wyoming and a small part of northern Nebraska) to characterize the condition of more than 2,600 lakes throughout the area. What did researchers find?

Just one percent [...]

As part of the National Lakes Assessment, the U.S. EPA selected and sampled 128 lakes in the Southern Plains Region (covering central and northern Texas, western Kansas and Oklahoma, and parts of Nebraska, Colorado and New Mexico) to characterize the condition of more than 3,100 lakes throughout the area. What did researchers find?

Only 34 percent [...]

As part of the National Lakes Assessment, the U.S. EPA selected and sampled 137 lakes in the Temperate Plains Region (covering eastern North and South Dakota, Iowa, western Minnesota, parts of Missouri, Kansas and Nebraska, western Ohio, central Indiana, Illinois and southeastern Wisconsin) to characterize the condition of more than 6,300 lakes throughout the area. [...]

As part of the National Lakes Assessment, the U.S. EPA selected and sampled 148 lakes in the Upper Midwest Region (covering northern and southeastern Minnesota, two-thirds of Wisconsin, northern Indiana and most of Michigan) to characterize the condition of more than 15,500 lakes throughout the area. What did researchers find?

More than 90 percent of lakes [...]

As part of the National Lakes Assessment, the U.S. EPA selected and sampled 116 lakes in the Coastal Plains Region (covering the Mississippi Delta, north along the Ohio River, Florida, eastern Texas and the Atlantic Seaboard to New Jersey) to characterize the condition of more than 7,000 lakes throughout the area. What did researchers find?

47 [...]

As part of the National Lakes Assessment, the U.S. EPA selected and sampled 116 lakes in the Southern Appalachians Region (covering ten states from northeastern Alabama to southern Pennsylvania and highland parts of Arkansas, Missouri and Oklahoma) to characterize the condition of more than 4,600 lakes throughout the area. What did researchers find?

42 percent of [...]

Litter that is dropped onto streets, sidewalks or driveways is often washed into our storm drains and eventually ends up on our beaches and in rivers and lakes.  Some of the most common litter items found include plastic bags, glass bottles, gum and cigarette butts. This debris can be harmful to humans, degrade water [...]

Invasive plants are not invasive everywhere. It is only when they are introduced into an environment which does not contain any natural enemies, like insects, that they begin to overwhelm the landscape and choke out native plant species. Some invasive plants in New England have hundreds of natural deterrents in their home countries. The problems [...]

Did you know that something as simple as a large rock, rotting log, yard junk or a sheet of plywood in your yard can host a huge network of interacting wildlife? Summers in the Southern U.S. can bake the ground to a crisp. Beneath a rock or log, however, temperatures remain cool and the soil [...]

Many of us can’t imagine a better summertime treat than a ripe red tomato or a bowl of juicy strawberries.  Growing fruits and vegetables is a great way to enjoy the summer weather and eat delicious food, but did you know that how you garden can have an impact on Puget Sound?  Striving for the [...]

Did you know that monofilament fishing line does not biodegrade? That means that a piece of fishing line can last about 600 years in an aquatic environment! Fish and other wildlife can become entangled in fishing line and some animals eat the line and cannot digest it. Entanglement and accidental ingestion of fishing line can [...]

Although it is the smallest of the Great Lakes, Lake Erie has lost more species of fish than the other four lakes. Lake Erie has lost ten fish species, Lake Michigan has lost eight, and Lakes Huron and Ontario have each lost seven. Lake Superior, the largest of the Great Lakes hasn’t lost any species, [...]

The time between day and dark is a prime viewing time for wildlife. Watch for bats flying at dusk in an open area of lawn or above a pond. These tiny creatures  “clear the air” of many mosquitoes during summer, making your environment safer and more enjoyable. Their darting about makes for a fascinating early [...]