News and information on the environment affect you

The Invasive Dilemma in the Great Lakes

If you live anywhere near any of the Great lakes chances are you have at least heard of the problem of invasive species, such as zebra muscles or more recently the Ongoing Asian Carp Drama.  The main concern regarding the movement of the carp, more than the zebra muscle, centers on their tendency to dominate and push out indigenous species in the lakes and rivers. Effectively this decimates the ecological and economic basis of these waterways, potentially permanently altering the [...]

By |2018-12-17T18:23:19+00:00April 22nd, 2013|Environment, Laws, Safety and Regulations, News|Comments Off on The Invasive Dilemma in the Great Lakes

The Ongoing Asian Carp Drama

Over the last few years in every community around the Great Lakes there has been talk of an invader.  At first this talk was only a rumor, a subtle whispering of a possibility.  This invader, from the east, arrived from the south in the 1970’s and has steadily moved north, edging ever closer to the Great Lakes Basin.  This invader is tenacious in its movement, veracious in its appetite, and, once established in an area, “virtually impossible to eradicate”.  The name [...]

By |2018-12-17T18:23:26+00:00April 3rd, 2013|Environment, Laws, Safety and Regulations, News|Comments Off on The Ongoing Asian Carp Drama

Above the Water: More Lake Dock Options

In part one, we discussed the basic details that you will encounter when designing and installing a new dock on your lake or river.   Here, we will discuss, in detail, the variations or options that are available to you when designing and planning the installation of your lake dock system. We will cover the configuration (span and layout), the types of systems available, connection type, and the available decking options.  Some of these decisions will be based on your technical needs, [...]

By |2018-11-26T20:53:16+00:00March 22nd, 2013|Docks, Drive On Dock, Environment, Installs & Removals|Comments Off on Above the Water: More Lake Dock Options

Above the Water: Lake Dock Options

If you are in the market for a dock system for your waterfront you will quickly discover that there are quite a few designs out there. Wading through the different dock systems and variations can be daunting and you will need to determine your specific needs before deciding. We will cover these options in two articles that will outline the available choices and the basic considerations you will need to address when making your decision. In this article we will outline [...]

By |2018-11-28T14:23:51+00:00March 19th, 2013|Docks, Environment, Installs & Removals|Comments Off on Above the Water: Lake Dock Options

Hot Times on the Great Lakes

After last summer’s blistering temperatures and the relative lack of winter snows the last few years, it’s very hard not to notice that some changes are underway. If you spend any time on or around the Lakes of Michigan or the Great Lakes in general you have no doubt noticed that things are not as they used to be. The water levels are down all over and property owners as well as whole communities are being affected. The cause of the [...]

By |2018-11-28T14:26:35+00:00March 19th, 2013|Boat Lifts, Docks, Environment, Installs & Removals, Maintenance, News|Comments Off on Hot Times on the Great Lakes

Great Lakes Basin News

Great Lakes Basin Management With record low water levels on the Great lakes, as well as many of the inland regional lakes and record high temperatures in 2012 and again projected for 2013, the environmental impact on the ecology and economies of the Basin loom large in the view of those who call it home.  In light of these broad sweeping changes, federal as well as state, and local governments in the region are deploying plans to address these changes. In [...]

By |2018-11-28T14:28:54+00:00March 11th, 2013|Environment, News|Comments Off on Great Lakes Basin News

Docks High and Dry on Michigan Lakes

Great Lakes Basin If you spend any time at all on the Great Lakes you may have noticed one of the most obvious indicators of change. Many of the waterfront docks that populate the Great Lakes basin are high and dry or at least showing more “leg” these days. The main causes of these changes are clear and widely acknowledged as record temperatures and lack of seasonal precipitation have led to record low water levels all over the Great Lakes Basin. [...]

By |2018-11-28T14:30:52+00:00March 8th, 2013|Boat Lifts, Docks, Environment, Installs & Removals, Maintenance, New Products, News|Comments Off on Docks High and Dry on Michigan Lakes

Boating Season Hits a New Low

Running aground is no fun, just ask the captain of the Exxon Valdez.  Over the last few years there have been some significant changes to the environment of Michigan’s lakes that directly impact those of us who own one of the 800,000+ boats registered in the state of Michigan.  Michigan ranks third in the nation for boating population and recent developments in weather, both natural and political, have placed this crucial economic past time directly at the center of action. With [...]

By |2018-12-17T18:23:55+00:00March 7th, 2013|Boat Lifts, Docks, Environment, Installs & Removals, Laws, Safety and Regulations, Maintenance, News|Comments Off on Boating Season Hits a New Low

More Tough Weather Ahead for 2013

It was hot last summer.  The weather was so extreme that it set records all across the country, leaving the powers that be looking for a widespread solution to the problem.  There has been a significant emphasis by those who are monitoring the situation, on the historically low precipitation (rain, snow) and excessively high temperatures in spring and summer over the past few years.  These two factors have created a situation in which high evaporation during the summer is not being [...]

By |2018-11-28T14:49:09+00:00March 5th, 2013|Environment, News|Comments Off on More Tough Weather Ahead for 2013

Boat Lift Installation and Removal Helpers

There are now a good number of options on the market to assist with the installation and removal of a freestanding boat lift. By far, the most familiar and popular are wheel kits, so we have provided some information below about kits that we have used.  All of these kits have proven effective in getting boat lifts into and out of the water regardless of the state of the lake bottom. Smarte Jack™ Retractable Wheel Kit The Smarte Jack™ boat lift [...]

By |2018-11-28T14:58:24+00:00February 4th, 2013|Boat Lifts, Environment, Installs & Removals, Maintenance, New Products, News|Comments Off on Boat Lift Installation and Removal Helpers
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