Great Lakes in Demand

1. Great Lakes in Demand Peter Maxwell Renee Christopher Section 006

2. “We know the value of water when the well runs dry.”-Benjamin Franklin

3. Great Lakes Facts • The Great Lakes are the largest freshwater resource in the world and hold approximately 20% of the world’s freshwater • 95% of the United States water supply 6 quadrillion gallons • If spread evenly across the US it would submerge the nation in 9.5 feet of water http://www.frogsonice.com/froggy/about/michigan-map.jpeg

4. Great Lakes Ownership • The Great Lakes are shared between Ontario, Quebec, Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and New York. • Nearly 730 million gallons of water are pumped from the Great Lakes on a daily basis to provide water for these areas. http://www.usembassycanada.gov/content/can_usa/images/GREATLAKES2.jpg

5. World Water Shortage • Only 0.5% of the water on earth is freshwater • Consumption of water is doubling every 20 years twice the rate of human population growth • Nearly two-fifths of the world currently face severe water shortages • More than 2.7 billion people will face severe water shortages by the year 2025 • Worldwide 8 children die every second due to water borne illness. • Lack of water and water quality leads to higher water prices which leads to an increase in food prices. Increased food prices are a global symbol of poor sustainability. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/2943946.stm

6. US Water Problems • In the US many regions are looking to the Great Lakes as their future water resource as aquifers and rivers are depleted. • The Ogallala Aquifer in the Southwest United States and Waukesha, Wisconsin region are two areas currently seeking freshwater from the Great Lakes. http://www.onmilwaukee.com/images/articles/wispol071205_story1.jpg

7. Waukesha • Currently suffering from water depletion anxiety, their water will be depleted in the near future. • Currently drilling wells deeper where water has high radium content. • Radium is a naturally occurring carcinogen in sandstone. • Would like to build a system of pipelines to bring Great Lakes water to their region. If Waukesha was allowed to pump Great Lakes water they would be required to offer a return flow very expensive http://www.ci.waukesha.wi.us/WasteWater/Images/secondary-clarifier-2.jpg

8. Ogallala • Agriculture accounts for 85% of water consumption worldwide • The aquifer is approx. 174,000 sq. miles. It could cover the United States in 1 ½ feet of water • Withdrawal exceeds renewal by nearly 10 times • Fastest disappearing aquifer in the world mostly due to the great amount of water used from agricultural irrigation in the plains regions http://www.meteor.iastate.edu/gccourse/issues/society/ogallala/1.gif

9. The Pros and Cons PROS: If the Great Lakes waters were sold, the money would be very beneficial to government programs and taxes could potentially be lowered. The Great Lakes have the potential to solve water scarcity problems in the United States and good relationships could be built between the Great Lakes Basin states and other regions.

10. CONS: Lower water levels! • Levels are already low, lower than in the drought of the 1930’s. These levels not predicted for another 50 years • Decrease value of “lakefront” property as shore recedes • Less coastline leads to fewer habitats for coastal aquatic life • Great Lakes shipping industry (6 billion dollars per year) would suffer. • Larger ships must seek alternate routes, usually longer therefore requiring more fuel and creating more pollution • Dredging of canals costs millions of dollars per year

11. The Future of the Great Lakes • After 4 years of trial and error, the Great Lakes Charter Annex is complete. Permit now required to: Take more than 2 million gallons a day from ground or surface water, excluding the Great Lakes themselves, take more than 5 million gallons a day from the Great Lakes, take more than 5 million gallons a day from the Great Lakes, take more than 250,000 gallons of water a day for purposes of a water bottling operation.

12. Water scarce regions can now apply to receive permission to pump water, with very strict control. • Must have a CLEAN return flow • High charges for withdrawal • All withdrawals must be approved by all eight members under the Great Lakes Charter Annex • General costs are extremely high i.e. buying the water itself, construction of pipelines, purification for return flow

13. Bibliography • Alexander, Jeff. “Report urges state to protect groundwater.” Muskegon Chronicle. February 06, 2006. Great Lakes Directory, http://www.greatlakesdirectory.org. (20 March, 2006) • BBC News. “UN Warns of Looming Water Crisis” BBC News. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/1887451.stm (20 March, 2006) • BBC News. “Why World’s Taps are Running Dry.” Kirby, Alex. BBC News. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/2943946.stm. (20 March, 2006) • BBC News. “World: Americas Great Lakes in Danger.” Carter, Lee. BBC News. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/458579.stm (20 March, 2006) • Cabala, Tanya. Feb. 2006. “Alarm Sounds for Great Lakes: Lake Michigan study highlights local problems—and opportunities.” Planning: 10-14. • DeMare, Joe. 2001. “Lakes H2O “Annexed” by WTO.” The Humanist. 61 no3 32-33. • Dempsey, Dave. “Sharing the Great Lakes.” 2006. http://www.greatlakestownhall.org/opinion/issue.php (8 February, 2006) • “Drought, Dearth, Famine, Starvation.” Apocalyptic Hope. http://www.cybertime.net/~ajgood/dearth.html (20 March, 2006) • The Embassy of the United States of America. Great Lakes Map. The Embassy of the United States of America: Canada. http://www.usembassycanada.gov/content/can_usa/images/GREATLAKES2.jpg (20 March, 2006) • Eggert, David. “Deal lets bottling plan withdraw 218 gallons a minute.” The Bay City Times, 2006 Jan. 27. A 7 (col. 2) • Eggert, David. “Legislature approves oversight of large water withdrawals.” The Bay City Times, 2006 Jan. 18. A 1 (col. 3) • Flesher, John. “Brighter Future: State expects more money for cleaning up Great Lakes hot spots like Saginaw River, Bay.” The Bay City Times, 2006 Feb. 9. C 1 (col. 2). • Frogs on Ice. Michigan Map. Frogs on Ice. http://www.frogsonice.com/froggy/about/michigan-map.jpeg. (20 March, 2006) • Geddes, John. 2000. “Water Wars.” Maclean’s v. 113 no 10. Mar 6. 20-4. • “Great Lakes, good regulation.” Grand Rapids Press. February 20, 2006. Great Lakes Directory, http://www.greatlakesdirectory.org. (20 March, 2006) • “ Great Lakes Water Export.” Great Lakes Directory. April 8, 2006. Great Lakes Aquatic Habitat Network. (20 March, 2006) • Harding, Russ J. “II. Water Supplies” Mackinaw Center for Public Policy. May 4, 2005. http://www.mackinac.org/images.asp?ID=7072#1831 (8 February, 2006) • Hightower, Jim. 2000. “Blue Gold.” Utne Reader. Jul-Aug. 2005. 67-68. • Porter, Charlene. “Every Precious Drop: Stretching Water Supplies. An interview with Sandra Postel” Global Issues: Troubled Waters. US Information Agency. http://usinfo.state.gov/journals/itgic/0399/ijge/gj-05.htm. (20 March, 2006) • Shook, Dennis A. “Once-wet Waukesha now thirsting for water.” On Milwaukee. http://www.onmilwaukee.com/visitors/articles/wispol071205.html (20 March, 2006) • Shook, Dennis A. “Waukesha discussing county water commissionLombardi said city will still seek Lake Michigan water” GM Today. December 1, 2005. Great Lakes Directory, http://www.greatlakesdirectory.org (20 March, 2006) • “Tapping into Lake Michigan” Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. February 2, 2006. Great • Lakes Directory, http://www.greatlakesdirectory.org. (20 March, 2006) • United Nations Environmental Program. Global Environmental Outlook 2000: Chapter Two: The State of the Environment. 1999. http://www.unep.org/Geo2000/english/0099.htm (8 February, 2006) • Waukesha, City of. Water Plant Picture. City of Waukesha. http://www.ci.waukesha.wi.us/WasteWater/Images/secondary-clarifier-2.jpg (20 March, 2006) • Wilhite, Donald. “The Ogallala Aquifer and Carbon Dioxide: Are Policy Responses Applicable?” In Societal Responses to Regional Climate Change: Forecasting by Analogy. Editted by Michael H. Glantz. 375-400. Boulder: Westview Press.