Meghan Hodges
The Great Lakes, covering nearly 95,000 square miles, are a source of drinking water for over 30 million people in the US and Canada. However, they have faced severe pollution over the years, with the Detroit and Niagara rivers being among the most polluted areas as of 1971. While some progress has been made, toxic pollution remains a significant issue, with chemicals such as PCBs, DDT, chlordane, lead, copper, and arsenic being detected in and around the lakes. The sources of this pollution are diverse, ranging from industrial sites to agricultural runoff, and the impacts have led to the degradation of aquatic life and ecosystems.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Lake Name | Lake Erie |
| Location | Bordered by Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, and Ontario |
| Population | 11.6 million |
| Pollution Sources | Industrial waste, sewage, agricultural runoff, fertilizers, pesticides, detergents, radioactive waste, natural pollutants |
| Pollutants | PCBs, DDT, chlordane, lead, copper, arsenic, red clay, taconite tailings, pulp wastes |
| Impact | Dead fish, hazardous swimming conditions, increased algae growth, negative impact on wildlife and ecosystems |
| Action Plans | Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement, creation of GLWQA Nutrients Annex Subcommittee, various laws, policies, and commissions |
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What You'll Learn
Lake Erie's pollution
Lake Erie is the most polluted of all the Great Lakes. It is the shallowest and most industrialized of the Great Lakes, making it highly susceptible to pollution. The lake has a prominent place in the hearts of Midwesterners, who often refer to it as the "Walleye Capital of the World". However, decades of industrial and municipal waste dumping, agricultural runoff, and inadequate government oversight have severely degraded its water quality.
The agricultural industry, particularly in the Maumee River Watershed, contributes significantly to the phosphorus pollution in Lake Erie. Liquified animal waste from concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) and fertilizer runoff leach into the lake, providing nutrients for algal blooms. These blooms have had severe ecological and economic impacts, impairing the recreation economy and threatening the drinking water supply for lakeside communities. In 2014, a massive algal bloom shut down Toledo's drinking water supply for 400,000 people for three days, leading to legal action against the EPA for failing to enforce the Clean Water Act.
Despite ongoing challenges, there have been efforts to address Lake Erie's pollution. The Lake Erie Binational Nutrient Management Strategy, the Clean Water Act, and innovative solutions from organizations like the National Wildlife Federation all aim to improve water quality. However, flexibility and collaboration are still needed to protect the lake's future and ensure safe drinking water for the millions who depend on it.
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Industrial and agricultural waste
The Great Lakes, covering nearly 95,000 square miles, hold over 20% of the Earth's surface freshwater. More than 30 million people in the US and Canada rely on them for drinking water. However, the lakes have been degraded for over a century due to industrial and development expansion. By the 1960s, rivers flowing into the lakes, such as the Cuyahoga, Buffalo, and Chicago, were so polluted they would catch fire.
Lake Erie, in particular, has suffered from severe pollution, largely due to heavy industrial activity along its shores. Factories dumped chemical pollutants into the lake and the waterways that flowed into it, such as the Cuyahoga and Detroit Rivers. The lack of substantial government oversight allowed waste, pesticides, and fertilizer from agricultural runoff, and sewage from surrounding cities to contaminate the lake. This resulted in the death of fish and made swimming hazardous along its shores.
In addition to industrial pollution, agricultural practices have also contributed to the problem. Large farms often do not use buffer strips, which are vegetative borders alongside farmland and waterways, to prevent pollutants like nitrogen and phosphorus from entering the water. Tile drainage systems further exacerbate the issue by increasing the amount of water flowing into ditches, streams, and rivers, carrying these pollutants with it.
Efforts have been made to mitigate the damage, such as the construction of sewage plants and the installation of water filters by industries. However, these measures have not reversed the harm but have only slowed down the rate of deterioration.
The Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement, signed by Canada and the United States, provides a framework for the two countries to work together to restore and protect these waters. While progress has been made, toxic pollution remains a significant issue, with persistent chemicals like PCBs, DDT, lead, and arsenic still present in and around the Great Lakes.
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Nuclear power plants
The Great Lakes, covering nearly 95,000 square miles, provide over 20% of the world's surface freshwater. More than 30 million people in the US and Canada rely on them for drinking water. The lakes also support a multibillion-dollar maritime economy. However, the lakes have faced significant pollution over the last two centuries due to industrialisation, development, and population growth.
The radioactive waste produced by these plants can persist in the environment for generations and poses a serious threat to the water supply. Radionuclides, including tritium, are particularly challenging to remove from water. While there have been no major issues with radionuclides in the Great Lakes due to strict regulations and monitoring, there are still concerns about spills, meltdowns, and nuclear waste polluting the waterways. The IJC Great Lakes Water Quality Board has recommended that governments take special precautions when retiring nuclear plants to protect the water quality of the Great Lakes.
The Pickering and Darlington power plants in Ontario have been a particular source of concern. These plants use a "heavy water" type of reactor, which has released more tritium into the water than the reactors used in US Great Lakes plants. However, the Darlington site now has facilities to treat tritium-concentrated water, and both plants use containment and recovery methods to reduce tritium escape.
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Atmospheric pollution
The Great Lakes—Lake Huron, Ontario, Michigan, Erie, and Superior—cover nearly 95,000 square miles (250,000 square kilometres) and hold over 20% of the Earth's surface freshwater. They are situated across nine state/territory borders: Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, and Ontario. The lakes are a crucial source of drinking water for over 30 million people in the US and Canada.
One of the key concerns regarding atmospheric pollution in the Great Lakes region is acid rain. Acid rain is caused by the release of compounds such as sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides into the atmosphere. These substances react with water, oxygen, and other chemicals to create acid rain pollution, which has detrimental effects on aquatic ecosystems.
In addition to acid rain, atmospheric pollution can also contribute to the increase of algae in the lakes. "Biodegradable" detergents, used by people for activities like washing dishes, contain nutrients that, when dumped into the lake, accelerate the growth of algae. This, in turn, ruins beaches and ages the lake at a much faster rate than normal.
To combat atmospheric pollution and its impacts on the Great Lakes, various laws, policies, and commissions have been established by the United States and Canada. For example, the Boundary Waters Treaty, signed in 1909, aimed to control water quality in the boundary waters shared by the two countries. Additionally, the Air Quality Agreement was put in place to protect the health of both the ecosystems of the Great Lakes and the citizens who live nearby.
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Sewage and chemicals
The International Joint Commission (IJC), created under the Boundary Waters Treaty between the US and Canada in 1909, has been working to address water quality issues in the Great Lakes since its inception. The IJC's first Great Lakes water quality assessment, conducted from 1913 to 1918, found bacterial contamination from sewage systems and ships, particularly around Great Lakes cities and towns with frequent ship traffic. The Detroit River and the lower Niagara River were deemed unsuitable for household use due to this contamination.
In the decades leading up to the 1970s, Lake Erie experienced visible degradation due to excessive nutrient enrichment, known as eutrophication. Phosphorus from municipal sewage treatment plants and other anthropogenic sources caused severe algal fouling, leading to aesthetic, taste, and odor issues, reduced oxygen levels, and fish die-offs. Detroit, an industrial city, also contributed to Lake Erie's pollution by dumping acids, iron, and oil wastes into the river flowing into the lake.
The Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement, signed by the US and Canada, provided a framework for cooperative restoration and protection of the lakes. However, progress has been slow, and the lakes continue to face pollution from various sources, including industrial sites, agricultural runoffs, and urban development.
The environmental impacts of human activities on the Great Lakes ecosystem are evident, with increasing concentrations of historic pollutants like mercury and new contaminants like pharmaceuticals and plastic waste. These chemicals are persistent, toxic, and bioaccumulative, posing significant risks to human health and the environment.
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Frequently asked questions
Lake Erie is the most polluted of the Great Lakes. By the 1960s, Lake Erie had become predominantly polluted, largely due to the heavy industrial presence along its shores.
Lake Erie has 11.6 million people living in its basin, with big cities and sprawling farmland dominating its watershed. The lake is severely impacted by human activities, with factories dumping chemical pollutants into the lake and the waterways that flow into it, such as the Cuyahoga River in Cleveland, OH, and the Detroit River in Michigan.
The United States and Canada have implemented various laws, policies, and commissions to try to keep the Great Lakes clean, such as the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement. The agreement set common targets for controlling a variety of pollutants in Lake Erie, including nutrient pollution from detergents and sewage.
