Could Lake Erie Dry Up?
Over the last year, we’ve heard of the water shortages and restrictions in the Carolinas and in Atlanta. Here on the shores of Lake Erie, part of the largest freshwater system in the world, we do not have to worry about things like that. Or do we?
Great Lakes' water levels are at lows not seen in over forty years. While fluctuations are natural and man-made dams regulate flow to a large extent, recent declines may be due to warmer than average temperatures and climate change. Climate change is accelerating evaporation during both the warmer-than-usual summers and also in the mild winters where ice doesn’t form. To top it off, below-average snow pack in the Lake Superior system isn’t feeding the headwaters like it used to.
Despite the dropping water levels of the Great Lakes, the rest of the country looks at the map and sees a huge, blue, oasis. Although The Great Lakes are a finite resource (only one per cent of the water is renewed annually from rainfall and snowmelt), the arid Southwest and Southeast have already expressed an interest in our freshwater. During his run for the Democratic nomination, New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson raised the ire of Wisconsiners when he eyed Lake Michigan as a source of water should New Mexico’s dry summers continue. During the summer heat, diverting Great Lakes waters through massive pipes doesn’t sound too crazy.
Water diversion, the act of pumping portions of a body of surface water to other regions, is not a new idea. Soviet officials thought they could support agriculture in central Asia by diverting water from the Aral Sea and its contributing rivers. Over the next 50 years, the Aral Sea lost over 75 of surface area and 90 percent of volume. Local economies and lives were destroyed. Could this happen in the Great Lakes? The ecological, economic and social threat of even minor water diversions in the face of climate change and continual loss of population and subsequent loss of power in the federal government cannot be ignored.
If the Great Lakes states, Ontario and Quebec fail to prevent water diversions through legislative action, these scary situations could come true. Fortunately, our leaders are moving forward. The first step, the binational Great Lakes–St. Lawrence River Basin Sustainable Water Resources Agreement, has been signed by the governors and premiers of all of the Great Lakes states and provinces. Now, legislative branches of the eight Great Lakes states must do their part. The Great Lakes-St Lawrence River Basin Water Resources Compact is a legally binding mechanism to ban dangerous diversions from happening in the U.S. This compact, however, must gain legislative approval from the eight states, including New York, and then go to Congress for ratification. This is not an inevitable process – it requires concerted pressure by citizens unwilling to our water slip away. The next two posts will discuss the importance of this compact and what can be done in New York to make it pass.
Caption: The Aral Sea was drained after 50 years of heavy diversion. Could this happen to Lake Erie?
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Comment Options
coolrobc
I think the Southwest would ultimately be better served by desalination plants drawing water from the Pacific. Closer and a virtually unlimited resource.
Either that or maybe people shouldn't complain about water shortages IN A FUCKING DESERT!
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ExWNYer
I agree with you coolrobc. If Phoenix can't sustain it's population beause of water shortages then that is their problem. Deal with it or get out. I hate when people there get all smug because the weather is great in the winter and then whine because they are dying in the summer. The Great Lakes are vital to this country and the movement of goods and shipping. What is vital about Phoenix? They supply nice strippers to Vegas and that is about it.
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Sean
I agree with you both. The whole "straw in the Great Lakes" danger scares me. I hope we see a shift towards populations RETURNING to our area b/c of the droughts in the Southwest rather than pumping our resources TO the SW. You could name a million reasons why protecting the Great Lakes is vital to this region (ecological reasons, economic reasons, etc). Like coolrobc said, they're in a desert! What do they expect?! I try not to take a selfish attitude towards this (i.e. "it's my water, not yours"), but why are we building these metropolises in these inhabitable regions? The carrying capacity of our region is far greater than what we're currently "using". Our POTENTIAL and CAPACITY for growth is outstanding. We live in one of the most hospitable regions in the world. However, we need to establish a plan for future growth potential and develop infrastructure and policies aimed towards growth so we're ready for that influx of population in the future. Our freshwater sources will be a HUGE draw in the coming decades IF we can protect our lakes and resources. A professor of mine, Robert Shibley, recently stated that we need to "stop managing decline and start planning for growth." He couldn't be more right...
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terrapintim
Water rights are going to be such a huge issue in the coming decades. I can't imagine that water could be diverted that far away from the great lakes, but it is really important to thoughtfully develop laws protecting this amazing resource we have in the northeast. There really isn't much of an answer for those in the desert cities other than conservation. People think that they have the right to wash their cars weekly and have deep green lawns, non-xeriscape gardens in these areas, and golf-courses galore. While at the same time the aquifers are being depleted and the rivers are being drawn down and polluted - hurting downstream users. There are so many ecological impacts to these actions that will, ultimately, do even more harm to these areas.
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chris69
Lets get a couple things straight because I cannot stand the lunacy of this story and of the posts. 1) the desert states (Southwest) would be more interested in the waters of the Mississippi which are closer than the waters of the great lakes. 2) desalinization would be cheaper than to build an acquaduct from Illinois to Pheonix 3) No water can be removed from the great lakes without binational approval from all US States bordering the lakes plus the Federal Government as well as all the canadian provinces bordering the lakes plus the Canadian Federal Government.
YOU WANT THE REAL WATER PROBLEM, OK, THEN HERE IT IS! ITS CALLED SHIPPING!
THE DESERT SOUTHWEST WANTS MORE WATER THEN RESTRICT THE FLOW OF THE MISSISSIPPI AND REDIRECT THE EXCESS TO WEST TEXAS AND NEW MEXICO.
YOU WANT TO KNOW WHY THE GREAT LAKES LEVELS ARE SO LOW? OK HERE IT IS...THE CORPS OF ENGINEERS SPENT TO MUCH MONEY BLASTING AND DREDGING CHANNELS BETWEEN THE GREAT LAKES SO THAT OCEAN SIZED VESSELS COULD TRAVEL ALL THE WAY UP TO LAKE SUPERIOR. THE RESULT IS THAT THERE IS MUCH TO MUCH WATER FLOW LEAVING THE UPPER LAKES!
WHAT IS NEEDED TO STOP THE DEAD ZONE IN THE GULF OF MEXICO AND TO SAVE THE GREAT LAKES?
RESTRICT THE FLOW OF THE MISSISSIPPI AND RESTRICT THE FLOW OF WATER FROM THE UPPER GREAT LAKES! THERE IS TO MUCH WATER FLOWING OUT OF THE MISSISSIPPI TO SUPPORT SHIPPING AND THE MIDWEST IS SUFFERING FROM DESERTIFICATION.
EITHER PUT A LOCK BETWEEN LAKE SUPERIOR, LAKE MICHIGAN, LAKE HURON AND LAKE ERIE OR CUT OFF FLOW ENTIRELY AND YOU WILL SEE THOSE LEVELS RESTORED.
THERE THE ENEMY IS ONLY PARTLY CLIMATE....BUT THE MAN-MADE ENEMY IS SHIPPING!
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nonono
and what, prey tell, will the much lusted for revitalization / repopulation of the Queen city mean to our ever evaporating natural resources???
or is this 'off topic' ?
the solution lies in endeavoring to "live simply - so that others may simply live". a redundantly simple solution.
(chris69 however should be dehydrated and desalinated just as soon as someone removes the caps lock button from his keyboard)
oops, did i just completely invalidate any reasonable position chris69 may have had, by criticizing him in jest and sarcasm? should i be prosecuted for de-salt and flattery? might my comments offend and inflame an entire region of the nation poised to drain our pond and label us downers?
so many moral dilemmas, so little guidance.
go ahead Elena, delete me entirely - my souls to thirsty to care........................
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NewBuffalo
I think I will call my bro-in-law in phoenix during july and tell him that I am enjoying my glass of AQUA as I WASH MY CAR AND FILL MY POOL as he sits in the 120 degree desert with a water ration. I say "F" them all, you want to live in a desert? pay the price........
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chris69
CLOSE THE DAMN WELLAND CANAL!
RESTRICT THE FLOW OF WATER FROM SUPERIOR TO HURON
RESTRICT THE FLOW OF WATER FROM HURON TO MICHIGAN
RESTRICT THE FLOW OF WATER FROM HURON TO ERIE
PROBLEM SOLVED!
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BuffaloBloviator
Attention. Buffalo to boom towns - DRY UP!
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knock_knock
People move to the desert and complain about water. People move next to an airport and complain about the noise??? Its called common sense.
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chris69
why thank you IIrain...I found that VERY AMUSING...I guess iit would be funny if I told you my name was Chris Loude
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llrain
you guess that would be funny.. but I don't really think it is
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RisingDamp666
You're off topic, IIrain, so say something stupid about the Great Lakes....everyone else just did.
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IamMe
Why should we bail out the northerners for moving south.
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coolrobc
Chris what was so crazy about my post or the story? Richardson did propose putting a straw in Lake Michigan. I agree it doesn't make the most sense, but the concept of shipping water from the great lakes to the South West has been around since at least the 90's, and I'm sure longer.
Since when do elected politicians put forth idea's that make the most sense anyway?
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chris69
Its like the bridge to nowhere in alaska....they can propose it all they want but believe it or not Buffalo has water shortages....because our water and sewar pipes are 150 years old....they have 50% leak rates which is why our water bills are 2x as high as they should be.....they have to pump 2 glasses of water in order for you to buy 1.
think about this....what would be the evaporation rates of an acquaduct going from say chicago to pheonix think about this....what would be the fuel cost if it was shipped via truck, rail or air think about this....do you know how many years it would take to build such an acquaduct...and how easy it would be for just one congressional, senate or presidential administration to kill that kind of spending.
so yes we need a us-canadian compact, we need laws and treaties that bind all the states and provinces
BUT MY FRIEND...SHIPPING AND THE CORPS OF ENGINEERS ARE THE REAL ENEMY....NOT PHEONIX AND LA.
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