On Thursday, May 30, the NEMWI’s Great Lakes Washington Program coordinated a briefing for congressional staff on the recent water levels management report and recommendations from the International Joint Commission (IJC). Speakers from the IJC and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers described the peer-reviewed report that proposes modest improvements to the management of water flowing out of Lake Superior into Lakes Michigan and Huron, particularly in times of extremely low water levels. The IJC recommended further study on ways to restore Lakes Michigan and Huron by 5-10″ without exacerbating future high water levels. Finally, the speakers explained the developing Adaptive Management plan to address the impacts of fluctuating water levels, given the anticipated future fluxes associated with changing environmental and climatic conditions. Staff received information on the long-term monitoring, modeling, and assessment needed to fully and properly implement an Adaptive Management program. Additional information on the Adaptive Management plan, including a detailed powerpoint on the draft report, is available here.
For more information, contact Danielle Chesky, Director of the Great Lakes Washington Program at the Northeast-Midwest Institute.