Whatever your vision for the waterfront is, imagine it built. Imagine tourists and residents flocking to shores of Buffalo. Imagine, too, that the lake that laps up along the shore is a mile from where boats dock today. Imagine marinas that have been put out of business because it was too expensive to dredge deeper and allow boats into their shallow ports. While this situation may be extreme, allowing water diversions from the Great Lakes could bring it much closer to reality.
Everyday, thousands of gallons of water are withdrawn from Lake Erie to provide the residents of many communities, including the City of Buffalo, drinking and bathing water. These waters, in theory, eventually return to their source. But, diversions to regions outside of the basin can cause a net loss of water. The governors of the eight states and the premiers of the two provinces that border the Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence River are determined to not let this happen. Now it is up to the citizens and legislatures of this region to make the same stand.
While Quebec and Ontario have done their part, The Great Lakes–St. Lawrence River Basin Water Resources Compact is an interstate agreement that is awaiting approval from the eight states that lie on the Great Lakes and St Lawrence River. The Compact details many water management issues, and includes an all important ban on new diversions of water from the basin. Limited exceptions could be allowed, such as for emergency public water supply purposes in communities near the basin, but exceptions would be strictly regulated.
The Agreement and Compact are important updates to previous diversion protection measures, which historically have struggled to adequately protect the Great Lakes and which could lose a constitutional challenge.
This compact is crucial to Buffalo and the entire western New York region. Countless public and private dollars have been invested in waterfront development. While it will take more than just money for Buffalo’s renaissance to happen, destroying one of greatest natural assets will undermine current and future investments. After years of polluting our lakes, the time has come to prove to the world and ourselves that we care enough about the Great Lakes to give them the respect and legal protection these beautiful bodies of water deserve.
(Continuation of previous post from Great Lakes United. Click here to view first post)
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