Water Resources Issues of the Laurentian Great Lakes
153
In 1978, a second Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement was signed. This
agreement was meant to continue j oint efforts in restoring and maintaining the
water quality of the Great Lakes, but with an increased emphasis on toxic
substances and use of ecosystem-wide approaches to address contamination
problems. Additional management plans were developed in a set of revisions to
the agreement in 1987. Specifically, 14 beneficial uses of the ecosystem, including
"unimpaired use by all living organisms" were to be restored. Preparation of a set
of remedial action plans (RAPs) for different geographical areas of concern
(AOCs) identified by the BC was called for, as well as lakewide management
plans (LaMPs), designed to address critical pollutants affecting each lake and
identify measures that must be taken in order to restore and protect the lakes.
There are currently 43 AOCs identified around the Great Lakes basin. Most are
tributaries to the lakes, and all suffer from the problem of contaminated sediments.
As reviewed further below, this is one of the more difficult problems to deal with,
and significant effort has been spent to identify appropriate management
responses.
Currently an Annex ("Annex 2001") to the Water Quality Agreement is being
considered, that deals specifically with the issue of water diversions. This Annex
is meant to put control of any diversion of Great Lakes water outside the
boundaries of the basin directly in the hands of the governors and premiers of US
states and Canadian provinces. Water diversion is a hotly debated topic, even for
destinations within the continental US.
Further information about Great Lakes management, as well as other issues
(geographic, political, etc.) are provided in an excellent review by Botts and
Krushelnicki (1995).
3 Water Resources Issues
Past management practices have been relatively successful in dealing with the
traditional problems of eutrophication, and the water quality of the lakes is
generally considered to be much better now than it was several decades ago. In
addition, the sea lamprey has been brought under control. However, there is a
whole new set of problems facing the lakes today. These include heavy metals and
persistent organic chemicals (i.e., toxics - "persistent" refers to chemical species
that do not easily degrade in the environment), as well as continuing problems of
infestation by nonindigenous species. Major current research priorities, as
indicated recent calls for proposals by the US Environmental Protection Agency
Great Lakes National Program Office, include contaminated sediments, habitat
protection and restoration, invasive species, indicator development and pollution
prevention. Other issues such as lake water levels, possible diversion of waters to
other areas, and effects of global climate change also are of significant concern.
Several of the major current areas of interest are summarized below.
153
In 1978, a second Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement was signed. This
agreement was meant to continue j oint efforts in restoring and maintaining the
water quality of the Great Lakes, but with an increased emphasis on toxic
substances and use of ecosystem-wide approaches to address contamination
problems. Additional management plans were developed in a set of revisions to
the agreement in 1987. Specifically, 14 beneficial uses of the ecosystem, including
"unimpaired use by all living organisms" were to be restored. Preparation of a set
of remedial action plans (RAPs) for different geographical areas of concern
(AOCs) identified by the BC was called for, as well as lakewide management
plans (LaMPs), designed to address critical pollutants affecting each lake and
identify measures that must be taken in order to restore and protect the lakes.
There are currently 43 AOCs identified around the Great Lakes basin. Most are
tributaries to the lakes, and all suffer from the problem of contaminated sediments.
As reviewed further below, this is one of the more difficult problems to deal with,
and significant effort has been spent to identify appropriate management
responses.
Currently an Annex ("Annex 2001") to the Water Quality Agreement is being
considered, that deals specifically with the issue of water diversions. This Annex
is meant to put control of any diversion of Great Lakes water outside the
boundaries of the basin directly in the hands of the governors and premiers of US
states and Canadian provinces. Water diversion is a hotly debated topic, even for
destinations within the continental US.
Further information about Great Lakes management, as well as other issues
(geographic, political, etc.) are provided in an excellent review by Botts and
Krushelnicki (1995).
3 Water Resources Issues
Past management practices have been relatively successful in dealing with the
traditional problems of eutrophication, and the water quality of the lakes is
generally considered to be much better now than it was several decades ago. In
addition, the sea lamprey has been brought under control. However, there is a
whole new set of problems facing the lakes today. These include heavy metals and
persistent organic chemicals (i.e., toxics - "persistent" refers to chemical species
that do not easily degrade in the environment), as well as continuing problems of
infestation by nonindigenous species. Major current research priorities, as
indicated recent calls for proposals by the US Environmental Protection Agency
Great Lakes National Program Office, include contaminated sediments, habitat
protection and restoration, invasive species, indicator development and pollution
prevention. Other issues such as lake water levels, possible diversion of waters to
other areas, and effects of global climate change also are of significant concern.
Several of the major current areas of interest are summarized below.