LAKE SUPERIOR: WHERE DID THE WATER GO?
Introduction
Focus
In September 2007
the water level
in Lake Superior
reached its lowest
level in 100 years.
At the same time,
water levels in the
other Upper Great
Lakes—Lake Huron
and Lake Michigan
—also reached
levels much lower
than average.
Where is the water
going? This News
in Review story
looks for some
answers.
Further Research
An extremely
valuable resource
for learning about
the Great Lakes is
The Great Lakes:
An Environmental
Atlas and Resource
Book. It is jointly
produced by the
Government of
Canada and the
U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency.
It is available
online at www.
epa.gov/glnpo/
atlas/index.html.
Late summer 2007 was a shocking
time for residents in the Lake Superior
Basin. Lake water levels were lower
than they had been in 100 years—at least
54 centimetres below typical levels. Of
those 54 centimetres, 29 had been lost in
the past year. A tremendous amount of
water had literally vanished in very little
time.
Lake Superior’s water losses joined
those of the other Upper Great Lakes
(Huron and Michigan) as a matter of
grave concern for area residents and
governments. Equally alarmed were
environmentalists. Their climate models
had predicted major changes would take
place in the Great Lakes Basin over the
next century. Few, however, expected to
see such dramatic changes taking place
so soon.
Some scientists who have spent
decades studying the area’s climate were
quick to point out that there does seem
to be a regular cycle of increases and
decreases in the water levels of all of the
lakes. But they were also quick to admit
that the water losses in Lake Superior
were unusual and extreme.
Other Theories
Not everyone was willing to accept
cyclical events or climate change
as being responsible for the current
problem. One group—the Georgian
Bay Association (www.georgianbay.ca)
—commissioned a study that pointed to
erosion in the St. Clair River as the main
culprit in the current water loss in Lakes
Huron and Michigan.
Conspiracy theorists also had some
ideas. A popular one is that because of
drought and low water levels in aquifers
in the west, the United States was
secretly drawing off water from Lake
Superior and piping it to other parts of
the country.
The crisis atmosphere was relieved
somewhat in late September and October
2007, when heavy rains raised Lake
Superior water levels by about 20
centimetres. Concerns remain, however,
that the long-term trend is that more
water will be lost in the years to come.
A Valued Resource
Superior’s importance to Canada and
the U.S. cannot be overstated. Ten per
cent of the world’s surface freshwater is
found in Lake Superior, and it remains
one of the most pristine bodies of water
on Earth.
Recognizing its fundamental
importance, the Canadian government
recently created the Lake Superior
National Marine Conservation Area. This
marks the establishment of the largest
freshwater conservation area in the
world. Over 10 000 square kilometres
of lake bed and lake waters, as well
as islands, shoals, and some areas of
mainland are included.
And it is true that the threats to the
lake are not all natural or environmental.
There is some basis to the conspiracy
theorists’ fears that water could be
diverted from the lakes to other parts
of the continent (or even to other parts
of the world). To prevent this from
happening, Quebec and Ontario, along
with the eight U.S. states bordering the
Great Lakes, have negotiated the Great
Lakes-St. Lawrence River Basin Water
Resources Compact. However, the pact
is controversial in some states, and its
ratification is uncertain at this point.
Canada and the U.S. share ownership
of the lakes. Through the International
Joint Commission (IJC, www.ijc.org)
CBC News in Review • December 2007 • Page 46
Quote
“In many ways,
you in the Lake
Superior basin are
the canary in the
mine,” said David
Phillips, senior
climatologist at
Environment
Canada. “Lake
Superior is really
one of the early
victims of climate
change” (www.
startribune.
com/462/story/
1518683.html).
they have worked together to promote
the good health of the entire Great Lakes
Basin. The IJC is currently in the middle
of a study that hopes to determine why
the Upper Great Lakes are losing water.
It also hopes to find solutions that will
conserve this valuable resource for
generations to come.
For Reflection
The video points out that Canadians are heavy water users and use a staggering
amount of fresh water every day. What would cutting back on water use mean
to you? Are there ways in which you could easily cut down on the amount of
water you use? Make a list of five areas in which you could cut back. Compare
your list with those of other members of your class.
Further Research
Read more about
the Lake Superior
National Marine
Conservation Area
at the Web site of
the Lake Superior
Conservancy
and Watershed
Council: www.
lscwc.org/default.
spx?l=,1,585,2,
628,679. A map is
available at www.
pc.gc.ca/progs/
amnc-nmca/
proposals/ cartemap_pro_e.asp.
Further Research
The Web site
of Peter Annin,
author of The
Great Lakes
Water Wars
(www.greatlakes
waterwars.com/
index.htm), is the
source of up-todate materials on
Great Lakes water
issues. Click on the
selection “Great
Lakes & Other
Water News.”
CBC News in Review • December 2007 • Page 47
LAKE SUPERIOR: WHERE DID THE WATER GO?
Video Review
Did you know . . .
The water level
drop on Lake
Huron has been so
dramatic that some
cottagers have
100-metre docks
that lead only to
land. In fact some
boathouses have
been abandoned
300 metres from
the former shore.
Answer the following questions in the spaces provided.
1. What is the length of Lake Superior’s shoreline? _________________________
2. How much water does each Canadian use every day? ____________________
3. How many people live in the area around the Great Lakes? ______________
4. What are two factors that cause increased winter evaporation on Lake
Superior?
5. Compared with 25 years ago, what percentage of ice now forms on Lake
Did you know . . .
The Gordon
Water Group
of Concerned
Scientists and
Citizens is a newly
formed group that
hopes to pressure
the federal
government into
taking a leading
role on Canadian
water issues.
It’s Web site is
www.gordon
watergroup.ca.
Their manifesto
presents “. . . 25
recommended
actions built
around seven
priority areas
[that] are essential
steps that
would reignite
the federal
government’s role
in sustaining this
most precious
resource and help
guide our nation
to a sustainable
freshwater
future.”
Superior? _________
6. What river is suspected of draining water out of Lake Huron much faster
than in previous years? ________________________________________________
7. When were water levels on the Great Lakes at their most recent historical
highs? ___________
8. What are the two first steps the International Joint Commission will take in
their investigation of Lake Superior water levels?
9. When do experts think Lake Superior will stop freezing in winter? ________
10. Compared with current losses, how much water is Lake Superior expected
to lose when freezing stops? ___________________________________________
11. Does the issue of water loss in the Great Lakes concern you? Explain.
12. In your opinion, is Great Lakes water Canada’s, North America’s or a global
resource? Explain fully.
CBC News in Review • December 2007 • Page 48
LAKE SUPERIOR: WHERE DID THE WATER GO?
Profile of the Great Lakes
The Great Lakes are the
world’s largest freshwater
source. They contain 20
per cent of the world’s
surface freshwater supply
(as opposed to freshwater
obtained from underground
sources). This represents
84 per cent of the North
American supply and an
amazing 95 per cent of the
U.S. supply.
The Great Lakes cover
an area of 244 000 square
kilometres (23 per cent of
the size of the province of Ontario).
Their watershed—the area where rivers
and streams drain into the lakes—is
767 000 square kilometres.
About 31 per cent of the Canadian
population—8.5 million people—lives
in the Great Lakes Basin. Ten per cent
of the U.S. population—25 million
people—also live there. Nearly 40
million people get their drinking water
from the Great Lakes.
The shoreline of the Great Lakes is
17 549 km long. This is about 44 per
cent of the circumference of the Earth.
More than 1 600 kilometres of border
between Canada and the United States
run through the Great Lakes.
Eight U.S. States—Illinois, Indiana,
Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Ohio,
Pennsylvania, Wisconsin—and the
province of Ontario border the Great
Lakes.
Remembering the names of the Great
Lakes is easy. Just think HOMES:
Huron, Ontario, Michigan, Erie,
Superior.
Economic Importance
The primary economic activities in the
region today are agriculture, industrial
manufacturing, steel production,
shipping, commercial and sport fishing,
and recreation and tourism.
Agriculture: One-third of land in the
basin is used for agriculture—25 per
cent of total Canadian production, and 7
per cent of U.S. Dairy, grain, corn, and
livestock are main farming activities.
Forestry: Canada and the U.S. are the
world’s leading producers of pulp and
paper products. Much of this production
still occurs in the Great Lakes area.
Reforestation has not always been
adequate to protect the resource.
Manufacturing and Steel Production:
Half of Canadian manufacturing and
one-fifth of U.S. manufacturing are
based on the Great Lakes shoreline.
About 60 per cent of steel production in
North America takes place there. Over
35 per cent of automobiles in the U.S.
and Canada are assembled in the Great
Lakes Basin. Pulp and paper plants,
high tech and chemical industries, and
other light manufacturing contribute to
the region’s economy. The lakes also
CBC News in Review • December 2007 • Page 49
Further Research
An excellent source
of information
on the Great
Lakes is the Great
Lakes Information
Network (www.
great-lakes.net).
See also The
Great Lakes: An
Environmental
Atlas and Resource
Book at www.epa.
gov/glnpo/atlas/
index.html.
provide water for power generation and
cooling at nuclear plants.
Shipping: Since the opening of the St.
Lawrence Seaway in 1959, more than
two-billion tonnes of cargo have moved
to and from Great Lakes ports along the
world’s longest inland waterway. Iron
ore, coal, grain, and steel make up about
80 per cent of the cargo.
Fishing: There are over 250 species
of fish in the Great Lakes, made up
of native and introduced species. The
most important are lake trout, salmon,
walleye, and whitefish. The Lake Erie
fishery is especially important, providing
nearly two-thirds of Canada’s Great
Lakes harvest. The annual value of the
combined commercial and sport fishery
is estimated at $4-billion. Overfishing,
pollution, and invasive species are
continuing problems.
Recreation and Tourism: In addition
to sport fishing, the Great Lakes Basin
provides a venue for all kinds of
activities: skiing and snowmobiling
in the winter and golf, boating and
swimming in the summer.
Shoreline Use
Residential – U.S. 26.5 per cent, Canada
18.6 per cent
Commercial/Industrial – U.S. 6.7 per
cent, Canada 2.6 per cent
Agricultural – U.S. 1.5 per cent, Canada
8.2 per cent
Other – U.S. 65.3 per cent, Canada 70.6
per cent (Canada includes transportation/
communications, recreation, extraction,
water, wetlands, forestry, grassland,
barren lands; U.S. includes public,
beaches, forests, barren lands)
Source: National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration: www.glerl.
noaa.gov/pr/ourlakes/facts.html
Analysis
1. Considering the information presented above, why is the issue of water
levels in the Great Lakes so important?
2. Rank order from 1 to 3 what you feel are the most important economic
activities in the Great Lakes Basin and briefly explain your choices.
CBC News in Review • December 2007 • Page 50
LAKE SUPERIOR: WHERE DID THE WATER GO?
The Importance of Lake Superior
The Shining BigSea-Water
Lake Superior is
the Gitche Gumee
referred to in
Henry Wadsworth
Longfellow’s
poem The Song of
Hiawatha, based
on the legends of
the Ojibwa Indian
tribe: “By the
shores of Gitche
Gumee, By the
shining Big-SeaWater.” Gitche
Gumee is believed
to be an older
spelling of a Native
American phrase
meaning “big sea”
or “huge water”
(www.usatoday.
com/news/nation/
environment/200706-13-lakesuperior_N.htm).
Because of its size alone, Lake Superior
would have to be considered important.
It is the largest freshwater lake in the
world by surface area and third largest
by water volume. It covers an area of
82 100 square kilometres—an area the
size of Prince Edward Island and New
Brunswick combined. Its shoreline is
2 938 kilometres long.
Superior is also the deepest of the
Great Lakes. Its average depth is 147
metres. Its deepest point is 406 metres.
(Compare this with Lake Erie, whose
average depth is 19 metres and whose
maximum depth is 64 metres.) Because
it is so deep, Lake Superior is also the
coldest of the Great Lakes. Its average
annual water temperature is 4.5 degrees
Celsius.
Superior is so large and deep that it
contains more than half the water in the
Great Lakes—and 10 per cent of the
world’s surface freshwater. In litres,
this amounts to 11.4 quadrillion litres
(written out, that looks like this:
11 400 000 000 000 000). It is the largest
source of water to replenish the four
other Great Lakes.
Lake Superior is fed by 330 rivers and
streams that flow into it. Only one flows
out—the St. Mary’s River that flows
into Lake Huron. Its watershed—the
area whose rivers and streams feed the
lake—is 127 700 square kilometres—a
very small area for a lake this size. That
watershed is 90 per cent forested.
Lake Superior’s Basin is relatively
scarcely populated—only 239 000
Canadians and 424 000 U.S. citizens
live there. The land immediately around
Lake Superior is 68 per cent forest.
Only two per cent of the land is used for
agriculture, another 3 per cent is used
for residential and commercial purposes.
There are two major urban centres on
the lake: Thunder Bay, Ontario, and the
joint port of Duluth, Michigan/Superior,
Wisconsin.
Economic Importance
Economically, Lake Superior is a tourist
magnet. Millions visit the area every
year in all seasons for outdoor activities.
As many as 35 000 Canadians are
involved in the tourism industry on the
North Shore of Lake Superior. The city
of Thunder Bay has about 1.4 million
visitors every year.
Also important to the Lake Superior
economy is shipping. Duluth/Superior is
the busiest inland port in the U.S., with
iron ore and coal being its two largest
commodities. The recent drop in water
levels has forced many companies to
reduce the tonnage that their ships can
carry on any one trip. This, in turn,
reduces the amount of profit that they
can make from each voyage and may
have a significant impact on future
transportation plans.
Vulnerabilities
Lake Superior also has a commercial and
sport fishery, but the lake itself supports
a smaller and less diverse fish population
than the other Great Lakes (only 78
species). This is because Lake Superior
is ultra-oligotrophic. This means it
produces very few aquatic plants and
little algae compared with other lakes
of the world. Among the causes are its
small watershed relative to its size and
depth, its “youth” (it is only roughly
10 000 years old, since the last ice age),
and its lack of well-developed soils. This
makes the lake very sensitive to changes
caused by increased nutrients, invasive
species, contaminants, and intensive land
CBC News in Review • December 2007 • Page 51
use. It receives far less material from its
watershed than many other lakes, and
airborne pollutants potentially have a
much greater impact than they might
elsewhere.
Superior is vulnerable to long-term
pollution for another reason: its flushing
time, which is the time it takes for all
the water now in the lake to be replaced
by new water. In Superior’s case, this is
191 years. This means that should the
lake become polluted tomorrow and all
further pollution were stopped, it would
still take two centuries to restore the lake
to its current conditions!
Low-Water Problems
The recent drop in average water level
has already created problems in Lake
Superior. These include:
• Reduced power capacity at electrical
plants. Water flow reductions have
forced Edison Sault Electric to operate
at less than 50 per cent capacity this
year. The eastern portion of Michigan’s
Upper Peninsula has been especially
hard-hit.
• Cargo ships—especially the larger
ones—have had to carry reduced loads
by about 5 per cent in order to reach
docking facilities at Lake Superior
ports.
• Wild rice beds that grow in Lake
Superior wetlands—often a source of
income for Aboriginal peoples—have
gone dry.
• Recreational boaters find it increasingly
difficult to find berths. Owners of larger
boats often are unable to find suitable
docking facilities.
Inquiry
1. Why is Lake Superior considered to be such an important body of water?
2. Why is Lake Superior so ecologically vulnerable?
CBC News in Review • December 2007 • Page 52
LAKE SUPERIOR: WHERE DID THE WATER GO?
Why?
Further Research
A chart detailing
actual versus
average levels in
Lake Superior for
2007 is available
online at www.
lre.usace.army.
mil/_kd/Items/
actions.cfm?action
=Show&item_
id =3886&
destination=
ShowItem.
Additional
information is
available from the
National Oceanic
and Atmospheric
Administration at
www.glerl.
noaa.gov/
pubs/brochures/
lakelevels/
lakelevels.pdf.
Quote
“It’s been a long
time since we’ve
been this low, but
it has happened,”
says Tim Calappi, a
hydraulic engineer
for the Army Corps
of Engineers,
which tracks
water levels. “We
still think this is
within the range
of what’s normal,
but we have to
wait and see”
(www.usatoday.
com/news/nation/
environment/200706-13-lakesuperior_N.htm).
There is no doubt that something odd
has been happening to Lake Superior.
Water levels on the lake have been below
average levels for the past 10 years, the
longest period on record. And this year
the decline was especially dramatic.
In June 2007 the lake had dropped 34
centimetres below its June 2006 level.
In September the lake actually reached
its lowest level for that month for the
past 100 years. The flow of water out
of the lake through the St. Mary’s River
dropped to a level so low that it would
have to rise by 50 per cent to reach the
average level of the last century. The
long-term average outflow for September
is 2 350 cubic metres per second. In
September 2007 the rate was only 1 560
cubic metres per second.
Heavy rains in late September
and October raised the lake level
considerably, but few observers expect
the relief to be long-lived.
A Possible Cause
Most experts are blaming a multi-year
drought for many of Superior’s current
woes and point out that beginning in
2006 the drought has been especially
severe. Precipitation in summer 2006
was the lowest since the mid-1920s—80
per cent less than normal.
But there is increasing evidence that
global warming is playing a part:
• Winter ice cover on the lake has
decreased. Less ice cover means less
reflection and more absorption of
sunlight by the lake. This means more
evaporation (most evaporation actually
happens in the winter, when cold, dry
air blows over the warmer lake waters).
• Lake Superior historically freezes over
completely about once every 20 years.
If it continues to warm it could be
routinely ice-free by 2040.
• Summer warming of the waters now
begins one half-day earlier each year.
The “summer season” now begins a full
two weeks earlier than it did in 1980.
• Lake Superior itself is now warming
at a rate even faster than the climate
around it. Summer surface temperatures
have risen 2.5 degrees Celsius since
1979. Air temperatures are up about 1.5
degrees.
Since 1978, the decline in lake levels
has been about 10 millimetres (mm) per
year. During that period, evaporation has
risen by 4-6 mm/year, and precipitation
has decreased by 4.1 mm/year.
Not all scientists agree that global
warming is to blame. Many point out
that that there is a historical ebb-andflow pattern to water levels in the Great
Lakes. All the lakes have experienced
cycles of high and low readings ranging
over periods as long as 30 years. For
unknown reasons, water levels have
varied by a metre or even more over
those periods. This particular down
cycle, however, seems more extreme
than previous ones on record.
A Big Leak?
More than one observer jokingly has
suggested that perhaps Superior—and
some of the other Great Lakes—have
sprung a leak. This theory has recently
received some serious consideration
thanks to the work of the Georgian Bay
Association. Alarmed by the declining
water levels in Lake Huron’s Georgian
Bay, this group of concerned Canadian
citizens hired an engineering firm to
study water flow through the St. Clair
River from Lake Huron to Lake Erie.
The association members suspect that
erosion in the St. Clair River at Sarnia
has led to massive water losses in the
CBC News in Review • December 2007 • Page 53
Further Research
The Georgian Bay
Association Web
site is at www.
georgianbay.ca/
index.html.
Upper Great Lakes. They believe that
dredging by the U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers that took place in the early
1960s led to the erosion. At the time this
dredging was being done, there were
plans to reinforce the river bottom to
reduce erosion risks. The dredging was
completed but the reinforcement was
never carried out. Ironically, the reason
the engineers felt the reinforcement was
unnecessary was that, when the dredging
was completed, the water levels were
very high in Lake Huron and Lake
Michigan.
The study commissioned by the
Georgian Bay Association said that a
combination of dredging, gravel mining,
and shoreline protection programs
had eroded the river bottom at Sarnia
to a depth of 18 metres. This was like
opening a drain hole in a bathtub,
causing huge amounts of water to pour
through the channel into Lake Erie—up
to 3.2 billion litres extra per day. An
update completed in August 2007
suggests that the extra outflow is actually
closer to 10 billion litres per day and that
it has lowered the lake levels in Huron
and Michigan by 60 centimetres.
Analysis
1. Briefly identify the major theories that explain why the water level of Lake
Superior appears to be declining so quickly.
2. Which theory are you most inclined to support? Why?
CBC News in Review • December 2007 • Page 54
LAKE SUPERIOR: WHERE DID THE WATER GO?
Can Anything Be Done?
Quote
“There has been
a 24-centimetre
increase in
water levels in
Superior the last
two months, but
overall levels
reached record
lows this year,
and the concern
remains that such
a large body of
water could lose
that much water
over a short
period of time.
Public interest
on Superior and
Huron levels is as
high as the water
is low” — Sault
Ste. Marie MP
Tony Martin
www.sootoday.
com/content/news/
full_story.asp?
StoryNumber=
28627.
Further Research
A brochure
describing the
International
Upper Great Lakes
Study is available
at www.iugls.
org/en/IUGLS%20
Brochure.pdf.
IJC videos are
available online
at www.iugls.org/
en/news/StClair/
IJCPresentation.
htm.
While all three of the Upper Great
Lakes—Superior, Michigan, and
Huron—have been experiencing
lower water levels over the past few
years, there likely is no one solution
to the problem. Superior is part of the
Great Lakes system and does feed the
other lakes, but it is also somewhat
independent of any pressures that might
be caused by erosion in the St. Clair
River.
Water does flow out of Lake Superior,
through the St. Mary’s River into Lake
Huron. And Superior is the largest source
of water to replenish the other Great
Lakes. However, as the water level
in Lake Superior has dropped, it has
actually lost less water through the river
than in normal years. The flow would
need to increase by about 50 per cent to
match that of an average year.
Thus, if the St. Clair River is draining
Huron and Michigan at an excessive rate,
it is not pulling more water than usual
from Superior. Something else is causing
its problems.
The IJC Study
The International Joint Commission
(IJC), which oversees the Great Lakes,
has put together a team of experts from
Canada and the U.S. to explore all of
the factors contributing to water loss on
the Upper Great Lakes. The five-year
study is estimated to cost $17.5-million
and will examine causes ranging from
climate change to erosion. The journal
Northern Ontario Business (January
2007) notes that another IJC report,
“Protection of Water of the Great
Lakes,” discusses the causes of water
level decline: “. . . the primary factors
are climatic conditions, which control
precipitation, runoff and direct supply
to the lakes, and rate of evaporation.
However, diversions, consumptive use,
dredging, and water-level regulation also
play a role.”
The IJC has given priority to the St.
Clair River question. In early November
it released a preliminary report saying
that its investigations to date do not
support the erosion theory. Extensive
videotaping indicates that the river
bottom is stable, with large rocks and
gravel preventing the washing away of
the riverbed.
The IJC has not yet checked the river’s
flow across its entire depth. But because
it appears stable at its deepest parts
(where the current is strongest), this is
a good sign. However, there remains
a possibility that dredging did lead
to outflows that are greater than they
would otherwise be—even though the
riverbed is stable. The IJC is installing
sophisticated hydraulic flow meters to
monitor the outflow. Biometric (3-D)
models are also being constructed.
If erosion or dredging is causing a
problem with outflows in the St. Clair
River, there is a (somewhat expensive)
solution available. Large boulders and
aggregate could be brought in to shore up
the vulnerable areas. Such work would
not begin until the IJC’s final report on
the area, expected by February 2009.
Climate Change
Environment Canada has modelled the
effects of global warming on the Great
Lakes and, specifically, Lake Superior.
Its model indicates that water levels
could drop by as much as 1.2 metres
by 2050. The model also indicates that
some of this water loss may be offset
by increased precipitation. This is not
yet the case. Other climate change
CBC News in Review • December 2007 • Page 55
models predict a decline in water levels
throughout the Great Lakes of 0.5 to 2.5
metres.
One of the more pessimistic
predictions came from the World
Wildlife Fund (WWF – www.wwf.ca) in
November 2006. Its study indicated that
an anticipated two-degree rise in global
temperatures will drastically affect the
Great Lakes Basin sometime between
2026 and 2060. Increased evaporation,
changes in rainfall patterns, and
alterations in glacial melting will result
in Great Lakes water levels dropping by
up to 1.2 metres.
The WWF argues that Great Lakes
Basin residents should begin planning
now for this event. As one example
of what to expect, the WWF suggest
that they should anticipate at least a 17
per cent reduction in hydro production
at plants that are on the Great Lakes
system.
Inquiry
1. What does the IJC appear to think may be the reason for the drop in Great
Lakes water levels?
2. What does the work of Environment Canada suggest is the cause for the
decline in water levels?
3. What do you think might be the result of the continued drop in water
levels? How should Canadians respond to this possibility?
CBC News in Review • December 2007 • Page 56
LAKE SUPERIOR: WHERE DID THE WATER GO?
Activity: Who Pulled the Plug?
Further Research
You probably
know that low
water levels are
not just a Canadian
problem but,
in fact, appear
to be part of
a global crisis.
Recently, Council
of Canadians
(www.canadians.
org) chair, Maude
Barlow, authored
a book on the
topic, entitled
Blue Covenant:
The Global Water
Crisis and the
Coming Battle for
the Right to Water
(McClelland &
Stewart, 2007).
At present, there is anything but consensus on why the Upper Great Lakes water
levels are so low. Is this merely something that happens to them every 30 years
or so? Is climate change due to global warming already causing irreversible
changes? Is erosion in the St. Clair River the real culprit? Is some combination of
these or other factors the explanation?
Your Task: Come up with an answer as to who—or what—seems to have pulled
the plug on the Great Lakes. You may complete this task individually, in pairs, or
even small research teams.
Your Report: Brief—no more than one or two pages—but detailed in the factors
that your research indicates are the reasons behind the low water levels in
Superior and the other lakes. When your report is completed, present it to your
peers.
Your Research: May include information from the video and other portions of
this guide, as well as other sources that you locate.
Here are some Internet sites that are good starting points:
• USA Today: “The Case of the Disappearing Great Lake,” www.usatoday.com/
news/nation/environment/2007-06-13-lake-superior_N.htm
• globeandmail.com: “The Mystery of Lake Superior’s Low Levels, Surging
Temperatures,” www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20070728.
wsuperior0728/BNStory/Science/home
• National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration: “Water Levels of the Great
Lakes,” www.glerl.noaa.gov/pubs/brochures/lakelevels/lakelevels.pdf
• cbc.ca: “Who Pulled the Plug on Lake Superior?” www.cbc.ca/national/blog/
video/environmentscience/who_pulled_the_plug_on_lake_su_1.html
• International Joint Commission: “International Upper Great Lakes Study,”
www.iugls.org/en/IUGLS%20Brochure.pdf
• National Wildlife Federation: “Climate Change and Great Lakes Water
Resources, November 2007,” http://online.nwf.org/site/DocServer/Climate_
Change_and_Great_Lakes_Water_Resources_Report_FI.pdf?docID=2442
• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency: “The Great Lakes: An Environmental
Atlas and Resource Book,” www.epa.gov/glnpo/atlas/index.html
• Georgian Bay Association: “Large Permanent Drop Discovered in Huron and
Michigan Lake Levels,” www.georgianbay.ca/press_release_Jan24.htm
CBC News in Review • December 2007 • Page 57