The Freshwater Lab is an initiative that raises awareness about water issues in the Great Lakes and empowers people to claim and protect the most vital public asset.

We work with students, policy makers, community members, researchers, artists and government officials to address pressing challenges and create a stable, prosperous future for the region. Investing in this future includes training a new generation of Great Lakes leaders.

Featured Projects

The Great Lakes are vast bodies of freshwater spanning multiple states and provinces. They form a watershed, an area where rain and runoff eventually flow into the lakes. Protecting and restoring the quality of water in this watershed is crucial for everyone who relies on it for drinking, fishing and swimming. Understanding the source of water, its vulnerabilities and who benefits from its distribution is key to fostering individual and community stewardship.

At The Freshwater Lab, we believe that the best solutions for a changing climate emerge from the lived experiences of community members. We study water and infrastructure together with local leaders and impacted residents. A humanistic orientation enables The Freshwater Lab to convene people from across the Great Lakes so that climate solutions can be shared and improved through wide application.

We encourage engagement at local, state and watershed levels. We also explore innovative models of governance based on the principle that water is the common holding of everyone who inhabits the watershed.

Rather than predicting conflicts over water, we emphasize collaboration and shared management to ensure stability.

We believe in reconciliation and working together to protect the Great Lakes, which are a shared commons and a vital source of freshwater. Local knowledge and community engagement are essential for maintaining safe water supplies and preventing contamination.

The Freshwater Lab promotes water diplomacy by connecting Great Lakes leaders from across the watershed with international representatives from transboundary watersheds.

The Freshwater Lab teaches and trains the next generation of water professionals. Students engage in hands-on projects to tackle current water challenges, collaborate with experts and propose pathways to a sustainable water future. We believe in the power of public education and elevate young leaders to shape a thriving, equitable blue economy.

Collaboration, remediation and openness to new arrivals can transform America’s Rust Belt into the Water Belt.

Contact

thefreshwaterlab@gmail.com
(312) 996-6352

 

The Freshwater Lab
Great Cities Institute (MC 107)
College of Urban Planning and Public Affairs
University of Illinois Chicago
412 South Peoria Street, Suite 400
Chicago, Illinois 60607-7067