State of the Great Lakes 2009
Highlights
&EFA
Canada
-------
State of the Great Lakes 2009
This Highlights report is based on
environmental indicator reports
and information on the nearshore
that was prepared for the State of
the Lakes Ecosystem Conference
(SOLEC) in Niagara Falls, Ontario,
October 22-23, 2008. Many experts
on various components of the Great
Lakes basin ecosystem contributed to
the process. Data sources and contact
information for each indicator are
included in the technical report,
State of the Great Lakes 2009. For
the nearshore components, similar
information can be found in the
report Nearshore Areas of the Great
Lakes 2009.
-ISBN 978-1-100-12213-7
Cat. No. Enl61-3/2009E
EPA950-K-09-001
Front Cover Photo Credits:
Blue Heron: I'.S. Environmental Protection
Agency Great Lakes National Program Office.
Sleeping Bear l'ulies: U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency Great Lakes National
Program Office. Port Huron Mackinac Race: U.S.
Environmental Protection Agenc\ Great Lakes
National Program Office. Niagara Falls: Centre for
Great Lakes and Aquatic Sciences.
^ 10"o Post Consumer Waste. Acid Free.
Assessing Status and Trends of the Great Lakes
Ecosystem
Overall Status
In 2008, the overall status of the Great Lakes
ecosystem was assessed as mixed because
some conditions or areas were good while
others were poor. The trends of Great Lakes
ecosystem conditions varied: some conditions
were improving and some were
deteriorating.
Since 1998, the United States Environmental
Protection Agency and Environment Canada have coordinated a biennial
assessment of the ecological health of the Great Lakes ecosystem using a
consistent set of environmental and human health indicators. This assessment is
in accordance with the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement. Indicator reports
are supported by scientific information and, to the extent feasible, assessed by
Great Lakes experts from Canada and the United States, along with a review of
scientific papers and use of best professional judgement.
Indicators are organized into nine categories: Coastal Zones and Aquatic
Habitats (combined in this report), Invasive Species, Contamination, Human
Health, Biotic Communities, Resource Utilization, Land Use-Land Cover, and
Climate Change. Overall assessments and management challenges were prepared
for each category to the extent that indicator information was available. This
State of the Great Lakes 2009 Highlights report is derived from a more detailed
State of the Great Lakes 2009 report. The 2009 Highlights report also includes
information on "Nearshore Areas of the Great Lakes," which was the theme of
SOLEC 2008.
Assessing Status and Trends of the
Great Lakes Ecosystem
Indicator Category Assessments and
Management Challenges:
Coastal Zones and Aquatic
Habitats
Invasive Species
Contamination
Human Health
Biotic Communities
Resource Utilization
Land Use-Land Cover
Climate Change
Lake-by-Lake Overview
Nearshore Areas of the Great Lakes
State of the Lakes Ecosystem
Conference
Credit: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Great Lakes National Program Office.
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Highlights
Authors of the indicator reports assessed the status of
ecosystem components in relation to desired conditions
or ecosystem objectives, if available. Five status categories
were used (coded by colour in this Highlights report):
| | GOOD. The ecosystem component is presently
meeting ecosystem objectives or otherwise is in
acceptable condition.
| | FAIR. The ecosystem component is currently
exhibiting minimally acceptable conditions, but
it is not meeting established ecosystem objectives,
criteria, or other characteristics of fully
acceptable conditions.
^^^ POOR. The ecosystem component is severely
negatively impacted and it does not display even
minimally acceptable conditions.
| | MIXED. The ecosystem component displays
both good and degraded features.
i J UNDETERMINED. Dataarenol available or are
insufficient to assess the status of the ecosystem
component.
Four categories were also used to denote current trends
of the ecosystem component (coded by shape in this
Highlights report):
IMPROVING. Information provided shows the
ecosystem component to be changing toward
more acceptable conditions.
UNCHANGING. Information provided shows
the ecosystem component to be neither getting
better nor worse.
DETERIORATING. Information provided
shows the ecosystem component to be departing
from acceptable conditions.
UNDETERMINED. Data are not available to
assess the ecosystem component over time, so no
trend can be identified.
9
For many indicators, ecosystem objectives, endpoints,
or benchmarks have not been established.
For these indicators, complete assessments are
difficult to determine.
Indicator Category Assessments and
Management Challenges
COASTAL ZONES AND AQUATIC HABITATS
Coastal Zones and Aquatic Habitats
Great Lakes coastal
zones are unique and
rare in the world of
freshwater ecosystems.
Special lakeshore
communities such as
coastal wetlands,
islands, alvars, cobble
beaches, sand dunes as
well as aquatic habitats, however, are being adversely
impacted by the artificial alteration of natural water level
fluctuations, shoreline hardening, development, and
elevated phosphorus concentrations and loadings. New data
and new management approaches indicate a potential for
reversing the deteriorating conditions identified in some
locations.
The alteration of natural lake level fluctuations
significantly impacts nearshore and coastal wetland
vegetation. Water levels are regulated in Lake Superior and
Lake Ontario and are less variable than in the other Great
Lakes. In Lake Ontario, the reduced variation in water
levels has resulted in coastal wetlands that are markedly
poor in plant species diversity.
Lake Ontario Water Levels
76.0
JS 74.0
73.5
1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000
Year
Note: Regulation began in 1960.
Source: State of the Great Lakes 2009 report.
The St. Clair, Detroit, and Niagara Rivers have 44 to 70
percent of their shorelines artificially hardened. Of the
lakes, Lake Erie has the highest percentage of its shoreline
hardened, and Lake Huron and Lake Superior have the
lowest. Whether the amount of shoreline hardening can be
-------
reduced is uncertain; perhaps there may come a time when
shorelines can be restored to a more natural state.
Percentage of Hardened Shoreline
70-100% Hardened
40-70% Hardened
15-40% Hardened
X <15% Hardened
H Non-Structural Ig,
&
Source: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
The ecological
importance of the
Great Lakes special
lakeshore
communities such
as alvars, cobble
beaches and sand
dunes are
increasingly being
recognized. More
than 90 percent of
Great Lakes alvars,
open habitats
occurring on flat
limestone bedrock,
have been destroyed
or substantially degraded, but conservation efforts now
recognize their importance as habitats for rare plants and
animals. Cobble beaches, another unique habitat, are
decreasing due to shoreline development. Increasingly,
human development damages the connectedness and
quality of the sand dune system; however progress is being
made in protecting and restoring critical dune habitats.
The more than 31,000 Great Lakes islands form the world's
largest freshwater island system and their biological
diversity is of global significance. Islands are of particular
importance for colonial nesting waterbirds, migrating
songbirds, unique plants, endangered species, and fish
spawning and nursery areas. Islands are vulnerable to
impacts from shoreline development, invasive species,
recreational use and climate change.
Credit: Matt Hudson, Great Lakes Indian Fish &
Wildlife Commission.
Management Challenges:
Regulate water levels in a manner that allows for healthy
aquatic habitats.
Protect and restore wetlands, islands, alvars, cobble
beaches, sand dunes, and aquatic habitats.
Implement established binational coastal wetland
monitoring programs and protocols.
Develop indicators for all aquatic habitats: open and
nearshore waters, groundwater, rivers and streams,
inland lakes and wetlands.
INVASIVE SPECIES
Invasive species
New non-native
species, now totalling
185 aquatic and at
least 157 terrestrial
species, continue to be
discovered in the Great
Lakes. Each new
non-native species can
interact with the
ecosystem in unpredictable ways, with at least 10 percent of
non-native species considered to be invasive, meaning that
they negatively impact ecosystem health. The presence of
invasive species can be linked to many current ecosystem
challenges including the decline in the lower food web's
Diporeia populations, fish and waterfowl diseases, and
excessive algal growth. Shipping continues to be a major
concern for introductions and spread of invasive species.
However, the roles of canals, online purchase of aquatic
plants, and the aquarium and fish-bait industries are
receiving increasing attention.
Cumulative Number of Aquatic Non-Native Species
"200
1840s 1860s 1880s 1900s 1920s 1940s 1960s 1980s 2000s
Decade
Source: State of the Great Lakes 2009 report.
GOOD
FAIR
POOR
MIXED
UNDETERMINED
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Managing the impact
of harmful invasive
species once they are
established is a major
challenge. For
example, the invasive
sea lamprey is an
established lethal
parasite to large Great
Lakes fishes. Decades of control measures have reduced
the sea lamprey population by over 90 percent from its
peak, but the need for sea lamprey control continues. The
success of control efforts are measured against sea lamprey
target population ranges agreed to by fishery management
agencies, which should result in tolerable fish mortality
rates.
Sea Lamprey
CONTAMINATION
Aquatic Invasive Species
The Great Lakes
ecosystem has been,
and will continue to
be, extremely
vulnerable to
introductions of new
invasive species
because the region is a
significant receptor of
global trade and travel. The vulnerability of the ecosystem
to invasive species is elevated by factors such as climate
change, development and previous introductions.
Management Challenges:
Develop integrated invasive species prevention and
control strategies for the entire basin.
Establish and enforce regulations to inhibit the
introduction and spread of aquatic invasive species.
Gain a better understanding of the links between
vectors and donor regions, the reactivity of the Great
Lakes ecosystem, and the biology of potential harmful
invaders.
Sea Lamprey on Salmon
Credit: Ann Dehass, courtesy of W. Paul Sullivan,
Fisheries and Oceans Canada.
Contamination
Releases of targeted
bioaccumulative toxic
chemicals have
declined significantly
from their peak period
in past decades and,
for the most part, no
longer limit the
reproduction offish,
birds and mammals. Concentrations of contaminants in the
open waters are low, and many contaminants are further
declining. However, concentrations are higher in some local
areas near the shore, such as some bays and Areas of
Concern. The lakes continue to be a receptor of
contaminants from many different sources such as
municipal and industrial wastewater, air pollution,
contaminated sediments, runoff, and groundwater.
Contaminants in Waterbirds
Colonial waterbirds,
such as the herring
gull, are fish-eaters
and usually
considered top-of-the-
food web predators.
They are excellent
bioaccumulators of
contaminants and are
often among the species with the greatest pollutant levels
in an ecosystem. They also breed on all the Great Lakes.
Overall, most contaminants in herring gull eggs have
declined 90 percent or more since the monitoring began in
1974, but recently, the rate of decline has slowed. More
physiological abnormalities in herring gulls still occur at
Great Lakes sites than at cleaner reference sites away from
the Great Lakes basin.
IMPROVING UNCHANGING DETERIORATING UNDETERMINED
Since the 1970s,
concentrations of
historically-regulated
contaminants such as
polychlorinated
biphenyls (PCBs),
dichloro - diphenyl-
trichloroethane
(DDT) and mercury
have generally declined in most monitored fish species.
Concentrations of other regulated and unregulated
contaminants such as chlordane and toxaphene vary in
selected fish communities, and these concentrations are
often lake-specific. Overall, there has been a significant
decline in these contaminant concentrations. However, the
Contaminants in Whole Fish
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rate of decline is slowing and, in some cases concentrations
are even increasing in certain fish communities.
5.0
4.5
4.0-
3.5-
3.0
2.0
1.5-
1.0-
0.5-
0.0
Total PCBs in Whole EPA Lake Trout
Superior
^- Michigan
* Huron
*- Erie*
-»- Ontario
d"
Year
* Walleye were used in place of lake trout for Lake Erie
Source: State of the Great Lakes 2009 report.
Phosphorus Concentrations and Loadings
Excessive inputs of
phosphorus to the
lakes from detergents,
sewage treatment
plants, agricultural
runoff, and industrial
discharges can result
in nuisance algae
growth. Efforts that
began in the 1970s to reduce phosphorus loadings have
been largely successful. However, in some locations,
phosphorus loads may be increasing again, and an
increasing proportion of the phosphorus is a dissolved
form that is biologically available to fuel nearshore algal
blooms. The status and trends of phosphorus can be quite
different in the nearshore waters compared to the offshore
waters of each lake.
Substances of emerging concern such as flame retardants,
plasticizers, pharmaceuticals and personal care products,
and pesticides have been at the forefront of many recent
studies because they may pose a risk to fish, wildlife or
people. Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs, flame
retardants incorporated into many products), for example,
have recently been added to fish monitoring programs
in Canada and the United States. Program results
demonstrate that voluntary and regulatory action on the
more toxic formulations of PBDEs through the mid-2000s
resulted in a prompt decrease of concentrations of these
contaminants in Great Lakes fish. Perfluoroctanesulfonate
(PFOS), which is a product used in surfactants such as
water-repellent coatings and fire-suppressing foams, has
been detected in fish throughout the Great Lakes and has
demonstrated the capacity for biomagnification in food
webs.
Total PBDE in Whole EPA Lake Trout
1.0
a
.
LLJ
a
m
a- 0.4
1
H 0.2
0.0
051999
2000
D2001
D 2002
2003
D2004
2005
Superior Michigan Huron Erie* Ontario
Lake
* Walleye were used in place of lake trout for Lake Erie
Source: State of the Great Lakes 2009 report.
Atmospheric deposition of toxic compounds to the Great
Lakes will continue into the future. Levels of banned
organochlorine pesticides are generally decreasing. Levels
of persistent bioaccumulative toxic substances in air tend
to be lower over Lake Superior and Lake Huron, but they
may be much higher in some urban areas around the lakes.
Management Challenges:
Eliminate nuisance algae growth through vigilant efforts
to control excessive phosphorus loadings to the Great
Lakes, guided by a better understanding of the location
and relative importance of various sources as well as
the role that some invasive species play in the cycling of
phosphorus.
Research human and ecosystem health implications of
detected bioaccumulative toxic substances and newly
monitored contaminants in the Great Lakes.
Reduce atmospheric deposition of contaminants to the
Great Lakes.
Remove existing sources of PCBs in the Great Lakes
basin.
Systematically measure toxic chemicals from all vectors
to improve source identification and local management
actions.
GOOD
FAIR
POOR
MIXED
UNDETERMINED
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HUMAN HEALTH
Human Health
Improvements in
drinking water
assessment techniques
and beach monitoring,
along with continuing
declines in
concentrations ofPCBs
in fish and air, are
being made and help
to protect human health. Incompletely known are global or
continental factors that may be limiting the success of air
pollution reduction efforts. Continued reduction of pollution
sources near beaches and continued study of the impacts of
non-native mussels on beach water quality are also needed.
A suite often health-
related parameters are
used to assess treated
drinking water quality
in the Great Lakes
region. The parameters
include chemical and
bacterial contaminants
as well as treatment
success. According to
these parameters, the
Great Lakes provide
residents with some of
the finest drinking
water sources found anywhere in the world, and water
treatment plants in both Canada and the United States are
using successful treatment technologies. However,
drinking water treatment facilities generally do not
completely eliminate all contaminants.
Based on 2007 data from over 1600 beaches along the U.S.
and Canadian coastlines of the Great Lakes, an average
of 67 percent were open more than 95 percent of the
swimming season. In general, Lake Erie and Lake Ontario
have more beach advisories, postings, and closures than
Lake Superior, Lake Michigan and Lake Huron due to a
greater number of both point and non-point sources of
pollution in the lower Great Lakes.
A decrease in the concentration of contaminants in
sport fish can be attributed to the elimination of the
use of a number of persistent bioaccumulative toxic
Credit: Jonathan S. Yoder, Centre for Disease
Control.
chemicals in the environment, mainly organochlorine
contaminants such as toxaphene. Although declines in
PCB concentrations have been observed in lake trout,
concentrations still exceed consumption limits so it is
important to continue monitoring. Some new persistent
bioaccumulative chemicals of concern have been detected
in fish and are now being monitored.
IMPROVING UNCHANGING DETERIORATING UNDETERMINED
Guide to Eating Ontario Sportfish
for PCB Concentrations in Lake Trout
4 meals
per month
M^H^Mni
8 meals
per month
Lake
Ontario
Lake
Huron
Lake
Superior
Sensitive (Women of child-bearing age and children under 15 years of age)
population limits used in graph.
Source: Stale of the Great Lakes 2009 report.
Air quality seems to be improving on a regional scale,
but localized problem areas still exist. In the United
States portion of the Great Lakes basin, concentrations of
nitrogen oxides and ground-level ozone are decreasing.
These successes are attributed to improvements in urban
areas. In the Canadian portion of the basin, concentrations
of nitrogen oxides have also decreased as a result of
improvements in urban areas and although ozone levels
remain a concern, there has been an overall decreasing
trend in peak ozone concentrations. This decrease is
partly due to weather conditions less conductive for ozone
production, and the reductions of nitrogen oxide emissions
in Ontario and in the United States.
Management Challenges:
Protect Great Lakes drinking water sources from
potential threats to human health, including many
contaminants, pathogenic bacteria, salts in stormwater
runoff, and chemicals of emerging concern such as
Pharmaceuticals and personal care products, endocrine
disrupters, antibiotics and antibacterial agents.
Review and standardize U.S. state guidelines for
contaminants in sport fish.
Monitor chemicals of emerging concern such as PBDEs
and PFOS.
Identify human and ecosystem effects from exposure to
multiple contaminants, including endocrine disrupters.
-------
Improve quantitative measurements for water quality
improvements that can be expected as a result of
implementing various best management practices.
BIOTIC COMMUNITIES
Bio tic Communities
Overall, the status of
biotic communities
varies from one lake to
another, with Lake
Superior generally
having a more positive
status than the other
lakes. Indicators that
measure lower food
web components generally show more negative status and
trends, and most of these can be related back to the impacts
of invasive zebra and quagga mussels. Some indicators that
focus on higher food web components are more positive and
highlight the successes that can be achieved as a result of
long-term restoration and protection efforts.
Bottom-dwelling, or
benthic, aquatic
organisms are important
to, and indicative of,
aquatic ecosystem
health. The diversity of
benthic organisms in
Lake Superior, Lake
Huron, and Lake
Michigan is typical of
nutrient-poor, oxygen-
rich conditions. In
contrast, the community of benthic organisms in Lake
Erie is more typical of an aquatic ecosystem with low
oxygen, nutrient-rich conditions.
Diporeia is an aquatic invertebrate that is an important
food source for preyfish, and its populations have declined
drastically in all lakes except Lake Superior. The decline
began after the arrival of zebra and quagga mussels, but
their continuing downward trend is far more complex. The
continuing decline will have serious consequences for the
food web, and impacts are being observed in populations
of preyfish such as whitefish, bloater and sculpin.
In the lower Great Lakes, over 99 percent of the native
freshwater mussel population has been wiped out by
the establishment of invasive zebra and quagga mussels.
There are a few isolated nearshore communities of native
mussels that are still reproducing, with coastal wetlands
Credit: G. Carter, National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration.
acting as refugia for native mussels. Recent research on
native mussels in the St. Lawrence River shows that after
a period of time following an invasion, the numbers of
native mussels in open waters may stabilize and natural
reproduction may resume.
Diporeia Decline in Lake Huron
2000 2003 2007
012345 012345 012345
Density (No. m'2x 103) Density (No. m'2 x 103) Density (No. m'2 x 103)
Source: Slate of the Great Lakes 2009 report.
Preyfish, including bloater and sculpin, are a group of
species that eat aquatic invertebrates and are an important
food source for trout, salmon and other large predatory
fish. Maintaining healthy preyfish populations is essential
for supporting lake trout restoration as well as sport and
commercial fishing interests. The impacts of the decline of
preyfish populations and shift in biotic communities will
continue to be an issue of concern for the near future.
Lake Trout
Lake Superior is
currently the only
lake where natural
reproduction of lake
trout has been
re-established and
maintained. In
Lake Huron,
self-sustaining
populations occur at
a few locations in
Georgian Bay in
Canada. In the U.S.
waters of Lake Huron there are widespread but low levels
of natural reproduction. Natural reproduction has been
occurring in Lake Michigan and Lake Ontario at very low
levels. To improve survival in Lake Erie, a deepwater strain
of Lake Superior lake trout is being introduced and is also
being considered for Lake Ontario. These fish may be
better suited to survive in offshore habitats not colonized
by traditional strains.
Credit: Fisheries and Oceans Canada.
GOOD
FAIR
POOR
MIXED
UNDETERMINED
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Highlights
Most salmon populations are successfully reproducing
and are now considered to be naturalized to the Great
Lakes ecosystem.
Many self
sustaining
populations of lake
sturgeon still exist
in the Great Lakes
but at a very small
fraction of their
estimated historical
abundance.
Credit: U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. Successful river
spawning sites remain on each of the Great Lakes, with a
total of twenty-seven confirmed locations. Larger than
average populations still reside in the North Channel and
southern Main Basin of Lake Huron and in the St. Clair /
Detroit River connecting waters, including Lake St. Clair.
Agencies continue to work together to develop
management strategies to strengthen existing populations
and reintroduce new ones.
Walleye populations in all the Great Lakes connecting
channels have benefited from very good hatches in 2003.
This has resulted in good angler catches throughout the
region and a commercial walleye harvest in Lake Erie.
In the Saginaw Bay portion of Lake Huron, the walleye
population is nearing the recovery criteria set by the
Michigan Department of Natural Resources. However,
there is inconsistency in achieving walleye population and
harvest targets due to the highly variable quality of walleye
hatches in many of the lakes.
Despite significant
historical declines, the
Great Lakes bald eagle
population is on the
rebound. In 2007, the bald
eagle was removed from
protection under the U.S.
Endangered Species Act,
although it is still
protected by two other
pieces of U.S. federal
Credit: Laura Whitehouse, U.S. Fish & Wildlife legislation. In Ontario, the
Great Lakes bald eagle
population is protected by the Endangered Species Act,
although the national population does not currently
receive federal protection. The governments of Canada and
the United States are working together on a binational
initiative to identify, prioritize, and improve bald eagle
habitat sites.
Management Challenges:
Enhance native preyfish populations.
Establish appropriate fish stocking levels in relation to
the health of the preyfish population base.
Improve biomonitoring programs and maintain trend
data, including those for bald eagles.
Protect existing high-quality nearshore areas.
Plan and implement restoration projects that maximize
benefits to all biotic communities, for example by
incorporating native mussel refugia into coastal wetland
restoration plans.
Monitor fish communities to understand the
relationship between Diporeia and zebra and quagga
mussels.
RESOURCE UTILIZATION
Resource Utilization
IMPROVING UNCHANGING DETERIORATING UNDETERMINED
Although water
withdrawals have
decreased, overall
energy consumption is
increasing as
population and urban
sprawl increase
throughout the Great
Lakes basin. Human
population growth will lead to an increase in the use of
natural resources.
Less than 1 percent of the Great Lakes waters are renewed
annually through precipitation, run-off and infiltration.
The net basin water supply is estimated to be 500 billion
litres (132 billion gallons) per day, which is equal to the
discharge into the St. Lawrence River.
In 2004, water withdrawn from the Great Lakes basin
was at a rate of 164 billion litres (43 billion gallons) per
day, with 95 percent being returned and 5 percent lost to
consumptive use. Of the total withdrawals, 83 percent was
for thermoelectric and industrial users and 14 percent was
for public water supply systems. Due to the shutdown of
nuclear power facilities and improved water efficiency at
thermal power plants, water use in Canada and the United
States has decreased since 1980. In the future, increased
pressures on water resources are expected to come from
population growth and from climate change.
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Water Withdrawals by Category as Percentage of Total, 2004
Public Supply
13.7%
Thermoelectric
72.3%
Irrigation
" 1.1%
Livestock
0.3%
Industrial
10.4%
Source: State of the Great Lakes 2009 report.
The human population of the Great Lakes basin is
approximately 42 million. Parameters such as population
size, geography, climate, and trends in housing size and
density all affect the amount of energy consumed in
the basin. Electricity generation was the largest energy-
consuming sector in the Great Lakes basin due to the energy
required to convert fossil fuels to electricity.
Total Secondary Energy Consumption
in Megawatt-hours (MWh)
Sector
Residential
Commercial
Industrial
Transportation
Electrical
Generation
U.S. Basin
Total Energy
Consumption
(2000)
478,200,000
314,300,000
903,900,000
714,000,000
953,600,000
Canadian Basin
Total Energy
Consumption
(2002)
127,410,000
107,800,000
206,410,000
184,950,000
303,830,000
Source: State of the Great Lakes 2009 report.
Population growth and urban sprawl in the basin have
led to an increase in the number of vehicles on roads, fuel
consumption, and kilometres/miles travelled per vehicle.
In the Great Lakes states, fuel consumption for vehicles
increased by 15 percent on average from 1994 to 2006, as
compared to a 28 percent increase nationally in the United
States. In Ontario, sale of motor gasoline increased by
approximately 23 percent between 1994 and 2006, on par
with the Canadian national average. Kilometres/miles
travelled within the same areas increased 19 percent for
the United States and 66 percent for Canada.
Management Challenges:
Research the ecological impact of water withdrawals.
Manage energy production and conservation to meet
current and future demands.
. Meet the challenges of population growth and urban
sprawl by improving current and future transportation
systems and infrastructures.
LAND USELAND COVER
Land Use-Land Cover
Changes on the
landscape, due in part
to pressures associated
with urban population
growth, affect the
Great Lakes, especially
in the nearshore zone
where the land meets
the water. Changes in
land use and land cover affect how water moves across the
landscape, and they alter tributary and nearshore flow
regimes. Altered flow regimes affect seasonal timing of water
inputs and may result in increased erosion, sediment
transport, and reduced water quality in tributaries and
nearshore areas of the Great Lakes. These changes may
modify nearshore aquatic habitat structure and alter
ecological functions.
For the period 1992 to 2001, approximately 800,000
hectares (2 million acres) or 2.5 percent of the Great
Lakes basin experienced a change in land use. These
changes were dominated by conversion of forested
and agricultural lands to either high or low intensity
development, transportation (roads), or upland grasses
and brush (early successional vegetation). More than half
of these changes are considered to be irreversible and
permanent. Conversion rates exceeded predictions based
on population growth alone.
GOOD
FAIR
POOR
MIXED
UNDETERMINED
-------
Proportion of Agriculture by Watershed, 1992-1998
Least
Source: State of the Great Lakes 2009 report.
While good water quality is generally associated with
heavily forested or undisturbed areas, forested buffers
near surface water features can also protect soil and water
resources, despite land use classes present in the rest of
the watershed. Higher percentages of forest coverage in
these areas reduce local runoff and related problems, while
improving the ecosystem's capacity to store water. In the
Great Lakes basin, forests cover 69 percent of the land
in riparian zones within 30 metres (100 feet) of surface
waters.
Percent Forested Land within Riparian Zones
by Watershed
Kilometers
0 50100 200 300 400
Miles
02550 100 150 200
% Forested Land
within
Riparian Zones
o 0-15%
o 16-25%
o 26-40%
o 41 - 60%
o 61 - 75%
o 76-85%
86-100%
Map Produced by:
USDA Forest Service
Office of Knowledge Management, Durham. NH
Source: State of the Great Lakes 2009 report.
IMPROVING UNCHANGING DETERIORATING UNDETERMINED
As coastal areas are
developed,
shorelines are
armoured to protect
property and
infrastructure. Large
navigation
structures, marinas,
and launch ramps
are constructed to
promote commerce
and recreational
Credit: US Army Corps of Engineers, Buffalo District. US6S. Physical
alterations to the land/water interface disrupt natural
coastal processes which, over time, can have significant
regional impacts on nearshore and coastal margin
substrates, habitat, hydraulic connectivity, and nearshore
water quality. In Ohio, more than 75 percent of the
coastline was armored by 2000, and recent recession-line
mapping showed a significant increase in the number of
shore protection structures installed between 1990 and
2004.
Lake Michigan and U.S. Lake Erie watersheds have the
highest proportion of impervious surfaces. The Lake
Superior watershed contains the lowest proportion of
impervious surfaces within the United States portion of
the Great Lakes basin.
Percent Impervious Surface
12000
80%- 100%
D 50% - 79%
20%-49%
Superior Michigan Huron
Erie
Ontario
Source: State of the Great Lakes 2009 report.
Urban population growth in the Great Lakes basin
shows consistent patterns in both the United States and
Canada. From 1996 to 2006, the population of Canadian
metropolitan areas of the Great Lakes basin grew from
over 7 million to over 8 million, an increase of 16.3
percent. From 1990 to 2000, the population of United
States metropolitan areas of the Great Lakes basin grew
from over 26 million to over 28 million, an increase
of 7.6 percent. Sprawl is increasing in rural and urban
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fringe areas of the
Great Lakes basin,
placing a strain
on infrastructure
and consuming
habitat in areas that
previously tended
to have healthier
environments than
those in urban
areas. This trend
is expected to
continue.
Credit: Bob Nichols, U.S. Department of Agriculture
Natural Resources Conservation Service.
Management Challenges:
Develop a uniform land use/land cover classification
system across the basin.
Update land use/land cover datasets to improve current
information availability for management decisions.
Manage forest lands in ways that protect the continuity
of forest cover to allow for habitat protection and
wildlife species mobility, therefore maintaining natural
biodiversity.
Develop and promote Green Cities concepts which
will accommodate increasing human population while
reducing impacts on the Great Lakes basin.
CLIMATE CHANGE
Lake Superior Ice Cover
March 2009
Credit: NASA image courtesy MODIS Rapid Respons
Team, Goddard Space Flight Center.
temperatures are increasing, lake ice cover is decreasing.
Climate in the Great
Lakes region is
changing. Shorter
winters, warmer
annual average
temperatures, and
heavy rain and snow
and extreme heat
events are occurring
more frequently. Air
and water
The use of long-term historical Intensity-Duration-
Frequency curves to design storm retention ponds and
other stormwater facilities is no longer adequate because
climate change is dramatically altering precipitation and
temperature patterns. These changes are expected to
alter lake snow pack density, evaporation rates, and water
quality. As a result, jurisdictions in Canada and the United
States are studying how to adapt to the anticipated impacts
of climate change.
Management Challenge:
Extend global climate change models to Great Lakes
regional and local scales, and where possible link to
weather models to assist in planning and designing
effective stormwater management facilities.
Projected Changes in Climate for the Great Lakes Basin
Airshed Effects:
\ Increase in air temperatures
* Increase in precipitable water
in warmer atmosphere
Change in frequency and
intensity of storms
\ Checkmarks indicate observed effects.
Nearshore Effects:
\ Increase in water
temperature
Increase in evaporation
Intake Effects:
Increase in water temperature
Higher evaporative losses from lakes
\ Less ice cover (shorter duration)
Watershed Effects:
Warmer air temperatures
. More precipitation (decreases in
key seasons)
Less winter precipitation as
snowfall and more rain
\ Less snowpack
More intense precipitation
events
Increase in evapotranspiration
Credit: Linda Mortsch, Environment Canada.
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Lake-by-Lake Overview
LAKE SUPERIOR
The ecosystem is in generally good condition. Bald
eagle, gray wolf and peregrine falcon populations are
recovering, fisheries are in good to excellent condition,
and the lower food web is robust and stable. Forest cover is
increasing, contaminant levels are declining or remaining
constant, and there have been important habitat and land
acquisitions such as the Lake Superior National Marine
Conservation Area in Canada. Stresses include non-native
species, toxic chemicals and fish consumption advisories,
shoreline development and hardening, habitat loss, land use
change, mining and climate change effects.
LAKE MICHIGAN
The lake continues to be a source of good drinking
water for 12 million residents with a decrease in beach
advisory days while monitoring efforts are up; the
ecosystem exhibits a notable return of bird, mammal
and aquatic species due to habitat restoration and dam
removal and a continued decline of contaminants in fish
though advisories are still necessary. The ecosystem is
currently exhibiting dramatic symptoms of major food
web disruption as Diporeia disappear, viral hemorrhagic
septicemia is found in fish, and the invasive quagga mussel
is dominant. The interaction of invasives with nutrients
leads to detrimental algae growth. Water levels remain
below average.
LAKE HURON
Although degradation is not as severe as in the lower Great
Lakes, major changes to the Lake Huron food web, new
diseases, and nearshore algal fouling are of serious concern.
Beaches are a prominent feature in the southern portion
of the watershed. Ongoing stewardship efforts are working
toward restoring recreational water quality. The northern
watershed contains diverse habitat and many ecologically
rich areas. New partnerships are being formed to protect
and expand these examples of Great Lakes biodiversity
through the development and implementation of a
binational biodiversity strategy.
LAKE ERIE
Nutrient management remains the top priority for
improving the lake. Yellow perch stocks are recovering;
however, the top predator species populations of walleye,
lake trout, and lake whitefish are struggling. Contaminant
levels, specifically PCBs and mercury continue to affect
fish consumption. Aquatic invasive species, such as zebra
mussels, quagga mussels, round gobies and predatory
zooplankton, are changing the food web, potentially
affecting nearshore algae and the frequency of botulism
outbreaks.
LAKE ONTARIO
The reduction in contaminants continues to improve.
Concentrations of many organic compounds in open
waters are present in only trace amounts, with some below
water quality objectives. Bird populations are plentiful, bald
eagles went from having no active nesting territories in the
1970s to 23 established nesting territories in the basin with
three along the shoreline. Aquatic invasive species such as
zebra mussels, quagga mussels and predatory zooplankton
have become established and may be impacting food
web dynamics. Complicating the food web further is
the reoccurrence of nearshore algal blooms, resulting in
problems such as beach closures, drinking water quality
concerns, and added costs to industry. This was the focus of
an intensive binational monitoring effort in 2008.
Credit: From left to right: Lake Superior credit Nancy Stadler-Salt, Environment Canada; Lake Michigan credit U.S. National Park Service; Lake Huron credit Parks Canada; Lake Erie
Point Pelee ©Parks Canada/C. Lamiruy; Lake Ontario courtesy Hans Biberhofer, Environment Canada.
11
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Nearshore Areas of the Great Lakes
Nearshore Waters of Each Great Lake
I Nearshore water
Source: Adapted from Nearshore Areas of the Great Lakes, 1997.
In 1996, the State of the Lakes Ecosystem Conference
(SOLEC) focused on the nearshore lands and waters of
the Great Lakes where biological productivity is greatest
and where humans have maximum impact. In 2008, the
conference concentrated on what had changed with
respect to the nearshore environments since 1996.
Additional conditions and issues not evaluated in 1996
were also addressed. For the purposes of SOLEC 2008,
the aquatic component of the nearshore was denned as
beginning at the shoreline or the lakeward edge and
extending offshore to the deepest lakebed depth contour
where the thermocline typically intersects with the lake
bed in late summer or early fall. Nearshore areas of the
Great Lakes are important because this is where land-
based activities can impact water quality and where
humans generally interact with the Great Lakes.
Changes from 1996-2008
SOLEC 1996 identified the introduction of invasive
species as among the most destructive human activity
affecting nearshore waters. In 1996, there were
approximately 166 documented invasions of non-
indigenous aquatic species in the Great Lakes since
the early 1800s. Between 1996 and 2008,19 additional
invasions were reported. Agencies and organizations
across the Great Lakes are exploring techniques and
policies to protect aquatic habitats from the impacts of
invasive species.
In 1996, SOLEC concluded that the most pressing
need for the nearshore terrestrial ecosystem was a
conservation strategy that would protect ecologically
significant nearshore ecosystems within 19 geographic
"biodiversity investment areas." Efforts such as The
Nature Conservancy and Nature Conservancy of
Canada's Binational Conservation Blueprint for the Great
Lakes, and the Biodiversity Conservation Strategies
for Lake Ontario and Lake Huron supported by the
Lakewide Management Plans and binational lake action
plans process, have furthered the biodiversity investment
area idea.
Land Use Change
Credit: Bob Nichols, U.S. Department of Agriculture
Natural Resources Conservation Service.
Land use change
in the form of
development of
farm and natural
lands in both
urban and rural
areas presented
the single largest
threat to the Great
Lakes basin
ecosystem in 1996.
In 2008,the
continued rapid
expansion and growth of urban and suburban areas
and associated infrastructure was the single most
significant land use/land cover change (about 60 percent)
within the U.S. portion of the Great Lakes basin over the
last decade. Much of the newly developed land was
converted from agricultural or early successional
vegetation lands.
In 1996, Great
Lakes coastal
wetlands totalled
more than
216,000 hectares
(534,000 acres)
and it was
acknowledged
that they are a
considerable
ecological,
biological,
Credit: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Great
Lakes National Program Office.
economic and aesthetic resource. There currently is not
enough detailed or comprehensive data about coastal
wetlands across the entire Great Lakes basin to report
confidently on conditions and trends in viability, health,
or success of protection and restoration efforts. A long-
term coastal wetland monitoring plan has since been
developed and is in the initial stages of implementation.
Although nutrient loadings to the Great Lakes have been
reduced in the past 30 years, many physical, chemical
and biological changes to the nearshore environment
12
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Highlights
remain. Emerging issues such as botulism, harmful
algae blooms, viral hemorrhagic septicemia (VMS),
and shoreline development, among other stressors will
require additional research and management strategies to
alleviate.
Cladophora is a
native,
filamentous, green
alga that is found
attached to solid
substrate in all of
the Great Lakes.
Where phosphorus
resources and light
penetration are
sufficient, the alga
can grow to
nuisance
proportions,
fouling beaches and clogging water intakes. It is the
nuisance growths of Cladophora observed in nearshore
regions of Lake Erie, Lake Michigan and Lake Ontario
that have drawn the attention of those involved in public
recreation, operation of utilities and water quality
management.
The frequency and
severity of type E
botulism
outbreaks have
cycled over the last
several decades,
with recent
increases and
expansion of
affected areas and
species. Over the
Harmful Algal Blooms
Credit: Brenda Moraska Lafrancois, U.S. National Park
Service.
Credit: Mark Breederland, Michigan Sea Grant.
past few years, botulism outbreaks have been particularly
severe in Lake Michigan. In 2007, botulism outbreaks
caused an estimated 17,000 avian mortalities for the
entire Great Lakes region. The prolific growth of
Cladophora algae, believed to occur because of increased
water clarity and subsequent increase in sunlight
penetration resulting from the invasive mussels' water
filtration capabilities, may be linked with botulism
outbreaks.
Credit: Joe Barber, Ohio Department of Natural
Resources Division of Wildlife.
Recently there has
been an apparent
resurgence in
harmful algal
blooms (HABs) in
the lakes and
concern about
their potential
production of
toxins or harmful
metabolites.
HABs in the Great Lakes involve a variety of species and
are particularly problematic in coastal areas. Lake Erie
has the most extensive nearshore region due to the
shallow nature of the lake, so toxic HABs are a particular
concern there and the focus of several recent studies.
Viral
hemorrhagic
septicemia (VHS)
can be a deadly
fish virus and an
invasive species
that is a causative
factor for
significant fish
kills in the Great
Lakes. VHS is a
new introduction
into the Great
Lakes, probably introduced in 2001 or 2002. It has been
confirmed to be present in all of the Great Lakes except
Lake Superior, and in inland lakes and streams in
Michigan, New York, Ohio and Wisconsin. It is
unknown how VHS was introduced into the Great Lakes;
suspected vectors for the introduction and spread include
ballast water, movement of live fish (including baitfish),
and the natural migration offish.
Credit: National Park Service, Photo courtesy of
Mohamed Faisal, Michigan State University.
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State of the Lakes Ecosystem Conference
The State of the Lakes Ecosystem Conferences (SOLEC) are hosted
regularly by the United States Environmental Protection Agency and
Environment Canada in response to the reporting requirements of the
Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement.
The conferences and reports provide independent, science-based
reporting on the state of the health of the Great Lakes basin ecosystem.
Four objectives for the SOLEC process include:
To assess the state of the Great Lakes ecosystem based on accepted
indicators
To strengthen decision-making and environmental management
concerning the Great Lakes
To inform local decision makers of Great Lakes environmental issues
To provide a forum for communication and networking amongst all
the Great Lakes stakeholders
The role of SOLEC is to provide clear, compiled information to the Great
Lakes community to enable environmental managers to make better
decisions. Although SOLEC is primarily a reporting venue rather than
a management program, many SOLEC participants are involved in
decision-making processes throughout the Great Lakes basin.
For more information about Great Lakes indicators and the State of the
Lakes Ecosystem Conference, visit:
www.binational.net
www.epa.gov/glnpo/solec
www.on.ec.gc.ca/greatlakes
State of the
Great Lakes
2009
Highlights
by the Governments of
Canada
The United States of America
Prepared by
Environment Canada
and the
United States Environmental
Protection Agency
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