GREAT LAKES WATER MANAGEMENT UNDER A CHANGED CLIMATE FRANK H. QUINN Great Lakes Environmental...

GREAT LAKES WATER MANAGEMENT UNDER A CHANGED

CLIMATE

FRANK H. QUINN

Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory

Ann Arbor, Michigan

FUTURE WATER MANAGEMENTGOALS

• SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

• REDUCE VULNERABILITY

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

OBJECTIVE EVALUATION CRITERIA

REGIONAL ECONOMIC INCOME DEVELOPMENT JOBS

ENVIRONMENTAL BIODIVERSITY, PROTECTION HABITAT, WETLANDS

EQUITY UPSTREAM/DOWNSTREAM COMPETING INTERESTS

REDUCE VULNERABILITY

OBJECTIVE EVALUATION CRITERIA

MINIMIZE RISK POPULATION AT RISK FREQUENCY OF EVENT

MINIMIZE ECONOMIC LOSSES PUBLIC LOSS ($) PERSONAL LOSS ($) INSURED LOSS ($)

INCREASE RELIABILITY OF WARNING TIME INSTITUTIONAL LOSS EVACUATION TIME

1909 BOUNDRY WATERS TREATY BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES

AND CANADA

ORDER OF PRECEDENCE FOR WATER USE

• USES FOR DOMESTIC AND SANITARY PURPOSES

• USES FOR NAVIGATION

• USES FOR POWER AND IRRIGATION PURPOSES

INTERESTS NOT CONSIDERED UNDER THE

TREATY• ENVIRONMENTAL

• SHORE PROPERTY (PUBLIC AND PRIVATE)

• RECREATIONAL BOATING

• AGRICULTURE

• TOURISM

MANAGEMENT OPTIONS

• LET NATURE TAKE ITS COURSE • PLACE SILLS IN THE ST. CLAIR RIVER• MAINTAIN AVERAGE LEVELS OF

LAKES SUPERIOR AND ONTARIO• IMPORT ADDITIONAL WATER FROM

CANADA• PARTIAL/FULL REGULATION OF

LAKES ERIE AND MICHIGAN-HURON

FINAL THOUGHT

• WE HAVE HAD ABOUT 30 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE DEALING WITH HIGH LAKE LEVELS

• WE HAVE NO EQUIVILENT EXPERIENCE WITH SUSTAINED LOW LEVELS