Great Lakes “101”

Mr. Rolland

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Familiar names

Chicago Milwaukee Green Bay Detroit (river access) Erie Buffalo Cleveland

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Mapping the Great Lakes

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Homes

Huron Ontario Michigan Erie Superior HOMES

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For your notes

Chicago Milwaukee Green Bay Detroit (river access) Erie Buffalo Cleveland

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Think and Share

Why are so many cities located near the Great Lakes?

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Overview of Great Lakes Resources

Great Lakes cover 94,000 square miles Basin includes all or parts of eight states and two Canadian provinces Population of 35 million (U.S. and Canada) Contain about 9 quadrillion gallons of water, or 18 percent of the world’s freshwater supply Coastline of 10,000 miles

1330’923’

750’210’

802’

L. Superior

L. Michigan

L. Huron

L. St Clair L. Erie

L. Ontario

Niagara R.

L. St. LawrenceL. St. Francis

L. St. Louis

St. Lawrence River

St. Marys River

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History

Prior to European settlement, Iroquoian people lived around Lakes Erie and Ontario, Algonquian peoples around most of the rest

During the American Revolution, the region became was contested between Britain and rebellious American colonies. Hoping for favorable claims of territorial control in an eventual peace treaty with Britain

• Region experienced population growth due to natural resources such as fresh water

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Growth and Economy

Settlement and economic expansion on both sides accelerated after the 1825 opening of The Erie Canal which linked the Great Lakes to the Atlantic Ocean

The region on both sides of the border became a vast

research and design laboratory for agricultural machinery and techniques.

Owner-operator family farms transformed both demographics and ecology into a vast terrain of farmlands, producing primarily wheat and corn.

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Erie Canal

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Human effect on the Great Lakes

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Heavy Industry

Auto manufacturing Steel manufacturing Chemical manufacturing

Have all left a negative impact on the region

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Water quality has been severely degraded by pollution from industrial and municipal discharges, as well as agricultural and non-point sources

Water QualityManagement

Contaminated sediments in many tributaries and harbors contain a legacy of pollution from decades of abuse

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Organization

Great Lakes resources are managed by two countries, eight states and two provinces

Three international agreements between the U.S. and Canada serve as a platform for managing most of the water resources

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A system has been established to oversee and implement these agreements that involves Bi-National Organizations and the Governments. These groups share common goals of the agreement, but have differing responsibilities.

Management

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Why should we keep the Great Lakes

clean?

Think and Share

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Great Lakes are drinking water source to 40 million residents in U.S. and Canada U.S. draws more than 40 billion gallons from Great Lakes a day (half for power production) Levels and flows of Great Lakes are only partially controlled Diversion of water from Great Lakes to other watersheds has been subject of litigation and legislation

Water QuantityManagement