Sustainability in the Great Lakes

Basin

By: Alanna Carruthers

Introduction

• The Great Lakes consist of Lake Superior, Lake Michigan, Lake Huron, Lake Ontario, and Lake Erie. They provide water for consumption, transportation, power, recreation, and many other uses.

• These lakes played a large part in the history of Canada and the USA. For the first settlers, they worked as pathways to explore and develop the continent.

Introduction

• Today, the Great Lakes region is a home to about one-tenth of the American population, and about one-quarter of the Canadian population.

• Nearly 25% of Canada’s agricultural production is located in the Great Lakes basin. As well, the basin is a dominant factor in the Canadian industrial economy.

Physical Characteristics

• Altogether, the Great Lakes have a total area of 244 000km squared.

• They contain 18% of the World’s fresh water supply.

•Lake Superior is the largest of the 5 lakes, with Lake Michigan as the second largest, Lake Huron is the third largest, Lake Ontario is the fourth largest, and Lake Erie is the smallest of them all.

Natural Processes

Climate

Natural Processes

• The climate in the Great Lakes is affected by air masses from other regions, the location of the basin, and the moderating influence of the lakes themselves.

• In the summer, the surface is warmed, making it lighter than the cold water below.

• In autumn, frequent clashes of warm and cold air masses create strong winds. The temperature drops, and there is less sunlight, more precipitation and storms, making it bad conditions for navigation.

Natural ProcessesClimate

• During spring, fast moving air masses move through, resulting in frequent thunderstorms and cloud cover. After the snow melts, the thermal layering of the lakes starts again.

• In the winter, the Arctic air mass is cold and dry, but it picks up moisture which condenses into snow that is released when in reaches land. Ice frequently covers Lake Erie but rarely covers the other Great Lakes.

Natural ProcessesLake Levels

• Westerly winds bring in moisture; however, the basin loses moisture at the same time to departing air masses through evaporation. However, levels may vary over short-term, seasonal, and long-term periods.

• Changes in water levels from day to day are caused by winds which push the water onto the shores.

•Changes in water levels over seasonal periods of time are based on changes in precipitation and runoff to the Great Lakes.

Natural ProcessesLake Levels

• Changes in water levels over long-term periods are due to long-term patterns in precipitation and temperature.

• Highest water levels occur when precipitation is abundant and when temperatures are lower to decrease evaporation.

• Water levels are lowest in the winter when dry winter air masses pass over and enhance evaporation. Water levels are highest in the summer after the spring thaw.

Natural ProcessesGeology

• The foundation of the Great Lakes basin was formed about 3 billion years ago, during the Precambrian Era. • Continental glaciers advanced over the Great Lakes area, during the Pleistocene Epoch, which enlarged valleys to form the basins of the Great Lakes.

• It is believed that lakes will continue to evolve because of uplifting and changing long-term weather patterns.

Natural ProcessesGroundwater

• Groundwater is important because it provides a reservoir for storing water and slowly restoring the Great Lakes.

• It can pick up materials that come from humans that have been buried in landfills and dumps.

• Groundwater must be protected and inspected because it is believed that it is a major pathway for pollution to the Great Lakes.

Natural ProcessesWetlands

• There are 4 basic types of wetlands: swamps, marshes, bogs and fens. Swamps and marshes are found in the southern and eastern areas of the basin, while bogs and fens are located in the northern and western areas.

• Wetlands provide habitats for many species of plants and animals. They also provide food or just a place to rest for migratory birds.

• They also prevent erosion and flooding as well as controlling pollution.

Natural ProcessesWetlands

• Wetlands help uphold a productive fishery. Several species of fish in the Great Lakes depend on the wetlands for successful reproduction.

• Despite all of the benefits of wetlands, their numbers are declining. Over two-thirds have been lost and many remain to be threatened.

Human ActivitiesEuropean Settlers & Settlement• The Europeans first visited Georgian Bay in 1615.

However, the French were the first to establish a chain of Great Lakes to protect the fur trade.

• There were only three permanent European settlements.• The British and the French fought for control over the Great Lakes, and the British dominated and won control.• Later, the Great Lakes became the boundary between the U.S. Republic and the British North America.

Human ActivitiesNative People

• The Native People arrived to the Great Lakes basin about 10 000 years ago. About 4 000 years later they had established hunting and fishing communities throughout the basin.

• They were widely scattered throughout, and they grew corn, squash, beans and tobacco.

Human ActivitiesIndu$try

• Iron ore, coal, and limestone are found in the Great Lakes, which are large contributors to Canada’s steel industry.• However, there are dangers of industrial pollution to the Great Lakes, but it is hard to detect.

• Therefore, while industrial bases for regions are struggling to remain competitive, regions must now cope with the cleanup of the pollution caused by the lakes.

Human ActivitiesIndu$try

• Although the Great Lakes’ resources have been a huge benefit for residents of the Great Lake cities, there are financial issues involved.

• The cleanup of the Great Lakes will require a lot of work, time, dedication, cooperation, and money. Much is being done to help clean the Great Lakes, but because it is so polluted, work will need to continue to be done.

Human ActivitiesLogging

• Original logging processes in the Great Lakes basin included clearing land to build houses and barns for settlers.

• The Great Lakes played a big part in this because felled trees were floated down to the lakes, where they were assembled to make rafts which were pulled by steam tugs.

Human ActivitiesForestry

• The first loggers mainly harvested white pine trees. They were light and strong, and were demanded for construction practices.

• The resource eventually ran out, so loggers had to rely on maple, walnut and oak trees.

• Paper products were also developed. The first paper mill was built on the Welland Canal, and then more developed elsewhere in the basin. Today, much of this paper production still happens in the Great Lakes area.

Human ActivitiesSport

Fishing• The sport fishery developed quickly because Pacific Salmon grew very fast to big sizes, when they came to Lake Michigan.

• The jurisdictions of the lakes decided to stock exotic fish to support the fishery. However, the fishery had to be maintained by re-stocking every year because these fish could not reproduce well.

Human ActivitiesCommercial

Fishing

• Commercial fishing was very productive when the Natives first started, but species declined and the “golden” fishing days ended in the late 1950’s.

• It declined mostly because of over-fishing, pollution, and habitat destruction.

• Commercial fishing for lake trout only occurs in Lake Superior because it is the only lake where significant natural reproduction still occurs.

Human ActivitiesCommercial

Fishing

• The commercial fishery in Lake Erie is still prosperous. It represents two-thirds of the total Great Lakes harvest.

• Toxic contaminants are pressuring the commercial fishery because they could cause fisheries to close.

Human ActivitiesAgriculture

• By the 19th Century, the greatest attraction for immigrants to the Great Lakes region was the promise of agricultural land.

• The first agricultural goods of the basin were corn and wheat. However, as the population grew, dairying and meat production dominated. As well, specialty crops such as fruits and tobacco became important.

Human ActivitiesAgriculture

• When it came time to clear land for agricultural use, soils were stripped of vegetation and river flows were altered. It also added to the pollution in the Great Lakes.

• Chemicals used to control pests such as weeds ended up in the lakes and affected plant and animal life, and even threatened human lives as well.

Water QualityPathogens

• Humans can receive parasitic diseases by coming in contact with infected waters or by simply drinking it.• To prevent it, affected beaches are closed off, and chlorine is added to drinking water, which kills the pathogens.

• However, this can be very expensive if the municipality decides to replace combined sewers in urban areas with separate storm sewers.

Water QualityToxic

Contaminants

• Toxic contaminants are a result of the production and use of synthetic organic chemicals and metals.• They may increase the risk of cancer, birth defects, and genetic mutation.

• Fish are affected by these contaminants and people are instructed not to eat certain species of fish.• Pregnant women, children, the elderly, and people who have already suppressed immune systems may be more sensitive to contaminant exposure.

Water QualityBioaccumulatio

n• This is when chemicals biologically accumulate in phytoplankton organisms and become concentrated at very high levels inside of it.

• Phytoplankton must look for nutrients in large volumes of water, but while collecting protein, they also gather human-made chemicals and pesticides.

Water QualityBiomagnificati

on• This is the process of increasing concentrations of toxic chemicals through the food chain. This eventually may cause the death of the top predators at the end of a long food chain.

• Usually, the first sign of a toxic chemical appears in dead chicks because their mothers were at the top of a food chain.

• Humans are also at risk of disease, although they may not die because they have a varied diet, unlike birds, who only eat fish.

Water QualityFish

Advisories• Advisories in 1971 recommended that the amount of fish consumed should be reduced or avoided because of toxic contaminants in the fish.

• Advisories are issued on a regular basis now, and vary in the advice they give. However all, if followed, reduce the risk of exposure to contaminants.

• Advisories also tell people how to prepare their fish to reduce large quantities of contaminants.

Water QualityExotic

Species• Exotic species have had great impacts and have caused great disturbances in plant and animal habitats. This has caused changes in their population.

• These disturbances and invasions by exotic species have resulted in the loss of biodiversity.

Water QualityAreas of Concern

• Areas of concern are areas where beneficial use of water is affected, or where environmental criteria are exceeded so that impairment exists.

• The purpose of these are to encourage jurisdictions to restore these badly damaged and polluted areas.

Water QualityRAPs

• Remedial Action Plans (RAPs), are developed in an effort to clean up the most polluted areas in the Great Lakes basin.

• They provide a clear basis for action and accountability on the part of those responsible for taking action.

• RAPs are developed for every Area of Concern (AOC), to address their specific impairments.

Water QualityRAPs

• Some RAPs are decided upon by organizations within the AOC, and some are decided by the government.• The RAP development process has 3 stages. Stage 1 identifies and assesses the impairments, stage 2 discusses remedial actions and their implementation, and stage 3 includes documenting evidence that uses have been restored.

• Successful RAPs depend on the affected community. If they are driven, they will generate a vision, and become involved with the task.

Great Lakes Basin

Management Issues

Co-management

• Canada and the USA established the Great Lakes Water Quality agreement in 1972. In this agreement, both governments had common water quality objectives to be achieved.

• These objectives included controlling pollution, reducing phosphorus levels, and to eliminate oil, solid wastes and other nuisance substances. It also included establishing new Great Lakes research programs, and monitoring the lakes to measure the progress in solving problems.

Great Lakes Basin

Management Issues

Co-management

• The two governments made a new Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement in 1978, which called for setting target loadings for phosphorus for each lake and to eliminate the discharge of toxic chemicals.

• This agreement says that the basin ecosystem needs to be restored and the “chemical, physical, and biological integrity of the water needs to be maintained.”

Great Lakes Basin

Management Issues

Co-management• In 1987, there was yet another Water Quality

Agreement. It was revised to strengthen management provisions, develop ecosystem objectives, and to address sources of pollution.

• It was believed that by focussing management issues on endpoints in the living system, restoration would come to the basin’s ecosystem.

Great Lakes Basin

Management Issues

Co-management

• In Canada, the British North America Act was established, which assigned the authority over navigable waters to the federal government. Pollution control and management issues are provincial responsibilities.

• Canada also developed the Canada Water Act, and the Canadian Environmental Protection Act which is provides a framework for controlling toxic substances.

Great Lakes Basin

Management Issues

Co-management

• In the USA, the Clean Water Act, the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, the Toxic Substances Control Act, the Comprehensive Environmental Response and Recovery Act, and the National Environmental Policy Act were established.

• There are many organizations, schools, and research programs which help carry out the Act’s and get them done.

Great Lakes Basin

Management IssuesThe IJC

• The International Joint Commission (IJC), was established in 1909. It was established by a treaty that created a process for cooperation in the use of all waterways (including the Great Lakes) that cross the border between Canada and the USA.

• The IJC have 3 responsibilities. The first is to approve applications for the use, destruction or diversion of boundary on either side of the border that would affect the flow on either side.

Great Lakes Basin

Management IssuesThe IJC

• The second responsibility of the IJC is to conduct studies of specific problems under requests from the governments.

• The third responsibility is to settle disputes between the two governments concerning the boundary waters.

• The IJC also provide a procedure for monitoring and evaluating the progress under the Water Quality Agreement.

Great Lakes Basin

Management Issues

Ecosystems Approach to Management

• An ecosystem approach to management takes a broad view of the interaction between the chemical, physical, and biological components in the Great Lakes basin.

• Biological indicators monitor water quality and changes in the aquatic ecosystem. They also reflect the biodiversity and the physical/chemical characteristics of the water.

Great Lakes Basin

Management Issues

Ecosystems Approach to Management• Secondly, the ecosystem approach is geographically

comprehensive. It covers not only the water, but the air and land as well. This is because there are air pollutants and land uses which have a great impact on the water.

• Finally, an ecosystem approach includes humans as a large factor in the system’s well-being. We impact the ecosystem with our culture, lifestyles and our attitudes.

The Future of The BasinMy Predictions

• I predict that even though the Great Lakes show signs of recovery, and there are many plans that are being put into and action, and are continuing to be developed, the Great Lakes will still continue to be polluted, and the fight to restore them will continue on for a long time.

The Future of The BasinMy Predictions

• I also predict that habitats in the Great Lakes basin will continue to be destroyed, whether on land or in the water. However, I do believe that there is hope for the Great Lakes basin if both Canada and the United States cooperate and work hard on any upcoming projects intended for the Great Lakes.

The Future of The BasinMy

Recommendations• I have several recommendations on how to better restore the Great Lakes in the future. They include not only looking at industrial practices, but also looking at the possibility of agricultural practices harming the Great Lakes. Agricultural practices could harm the lakes because pesticides and other harmful agricultural products could drift over to the waters and create pollution in them.

The Future of The BasinMy

Recommendations• I also recommend that animal habitats in the Great Lakes basin ecosystem should be protected. There needs to be more animal habitats in the ecosystem, to add more biodiversity. In order to do this, certain areas might need to be expanded.

Conclusion

• The Great Lakes are an important factor in the lives of many people, and our country, Canada, as well as the United States. The basin provides habitats for multiple species of animals, plants, birds, and underwater creatures. They are not only depended on by many species of fish, but they are also depended on by humans who work in Canada’s steel industry, logging industry, agricultural industry, forestry, sport fishing, and commercial fishing, to name a few.

Conclusion

• The Great Lakes, even though they provide habitats for animals and provide a living for a lot of people, are also polluted. Although there are many procedures and measures being taken to clean up this mess, the Great Lakes still have a long way to go before they are fully restored to their original condition. In conclusion, the Great Lakes have greatly benefited the Canadian citizens, economy, and wildlife, and will, hopefully, continue to do so in the future.