Brian Barton
The Great Lakes, which span 750 miles from West to East, are the largest system of freshwater lakes in the world. They are a crucial source of drinking water and support a diverse range of ecosystems and recreational activities. However, human activities have severely impacted the Great Lakes, with Lake Erie being the most polluted due to heavy industrial activities and agricultural runoff. In recent decades, efforts have been made to address this issue, including the implementation of environmental regulations and significant restoration initiatives. While some improvements have been noted, the Great Lakes continue to face challenges from various forms of pollution, including plastic waste, chemical runoff, and atmospheric deposition.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Most Polluted Lake | Lake Erie |
| Reason | Substantial industrial presence along its coasts |
| Human Population | 11.6 million |
| Pollution Sources | Chemical pollutants, sewage, industrial wastewater, fertilizers, pesticides, microplastics, nuclear power plants, detergents, etc. |
| Impact | Dead fish, poor water quality, habitat degradation, biodiversity loss, etc. |
| Action Taken | US President Joe Biden announced a USD$1 billion investment into the cleanup and restoration efforts of the Great Lakes |
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What You'll Learn
Lake Erie is the most polluted of the Great Lakes
Lake Erie, in particular, had become predominantly polluted by the 1960s. This was largely due to the heavy industrial presence along its shores. With 11.6 million people living in its basin and sprawling farmland in its watershed, Lake Erie is severely impacted by human activities. For decades, factories have dumped chemical pollutants into the lake and its tributaries. The Cuyahoga River in Cleveland, OH, and the Detroit River in Michigan are among the waterways that have carried pollutants into Lake Erie.
The lack of substantial government oversight in the 20th century meant that waste, pesticides, fertilizers, and sewage from surrounding cities and agricultural runoff made their way into the lake. This pollution resulted in the death of fish and made swimming hazardous along the lake's shoreline. The phrase "Lake Erie is dead" appeared in national publications in the late 1960s, reflecting the dire state of the lake at the time.
In recent decades, environmental regulations and cleanup efforts have led to improvements in water quality and the reintroduction of economically important fish species. However, Lake Erie remains vulnerable to pollution, and ongoing challenges include plastic pollution, chemical pollution, and nutrient pollution from agricultural runoff. These issues continue to threaten the health of Lake Erie and the diverse range of uses it supports.
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Industrial and agricultural pollution
The Great Lakes—Lake Huron, Ontario, Michigan, Erie, and Superior—are the largest source of freshwater on Earth. They span 750 miles from West to East and are situated across nine states/territories: Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, and Ontario. The lakes are a crucial source of drinking water, transport, and recreation. However, they have also been used for industrial and agricultural activities that have led to significant pollution.
Lake Erie, in particular, has suffered from severe pollution since the 1960s due to heavy industrial activities and agricultural runoff from the surrounding states. Factories dumped chemical pollutants, acids, iron, and oil wastes 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, fertilizers, and sewage from surrounding agricultural and industrial sources to contaminate the lake. This resulted in the death of fish and other wildlife, and the lake was declared "dead" in national publications during the late 1960s.
Agricultural pollution is a significant contributor to the degradation of the Great Lakes. Agriculture occupies about one-quarter of the land surrounding the lakes, and chemical fertilizers, manure, and pesticides used in farming can run off into the waterways during rainfall. This runoff contains nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus, which can fuel excessive algae growth, creating "dead zones" where aquatic life cannot survive due to oxygen depletion. Additionally, the release of carbon dioxide from filled-in wetlands and the use of microplastics in farming practices further contribute to the pollution of the lakes.
Industrial pollution has also played a major role in the contamination of the Great Lakes. Prior to the enactment of the 1972 Clean Water Act in the US and similar laws in Canada, industries discharged untreated wastewater directly into the lakes. Atmospheric pollution from factories and power plants can also fall as acid rain, impacting aquatic ecosystems. Furthermore, nuclear power plants on the lake shores contribute to water warming, which can alter fish populations and increase algae growth.
To address these issues, the United States and Canada have implemented various laws, policies, and commissions, such as the Boundary Waters Treaty and the Clean Water Act, to improve water quality and protect the health of the ecosystems and surrounding communities. However, despite these efforts, the Great Lakes continue to face the challenges of industrial and agricultural pollution, and the implementation of solutions remains a complex task.
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Chemical pollution
The Great Lakes—Lake Huron, Ontario, Michigan, Erie, and Superior—span 750 miles from west to east and are situated across nine states/territories: Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, and Ontario. Together, the five lakes comprise the largest freshwater source on Earth.
Unfortunately, the Great Lakes have not always been able to safely provide a diverse quantity of uses. Chemical pollution, in particular, has been a significant issue for the lakes.
Of all the Great Lakes, Lake Erie has been the most chemically polluted. By the 1960s, Lake Erie had become predominantly polluted, largely due to the heavy industrial presence along its shores. With 11.6 million people living in its basin and sprawling farmland and big cities dominating its watershed, Lake Erie is severely impacted by human activities. Factories have dumped chemical pollutants into the lake and the waterways that flow into it, such as the Cuyahoga River in Cleveland, Ohio, and the Detroit River in Michigan.
Since the Great Lakes Basin lacked substantial government oversight, waste, fertilizers, pesticides, and sewage from surrounding cities, industrial plants, and agriculture made their way into the lake. This led to dead fish appearing along the lake's shoreline, and the coining of the phrase "Lake Erie is dead" in the late 1960s.
In addition to point-source pollution, Lake Erie also receives nonpoint source pollution from atmospheric and urban runoff. This includes toxins, chemicals, and eroded soil from streets, lawns, farms, and other areas, as well as air pollution from smokestacks at power plants, factories, and vehicles.
To address the issue of chemical pollution in Lake Erie and the other Great Lakes, various laws, policies, and commissions have been created by the United States and Canada. For example, in 1909, the Boundary Waters Treaty was put into place to control the water quality in the Boundary Waters that border both countries. The Clean Water Act of 1972 in the US and similar laws in Canada also helped to reduce the discharge of wastewater into the lakes.
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Plastic pollution
The Great Lakes—Lake Huron, Ontario, Michigan, Erie, and Superior—span 750 miles from West to East and are situated across nine states/territories: Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, and Ontario. The lakes are a crucial source of drinking water for 40 million people and support over 300,000 jobs. Unfortunately, they have been severely impacted by human activities and pollution, with Lake Erie being the most polluted of the Great Lakes.
Microplastics in the Great Lakes come from various sources, including city water runoff, heavy winds, and rain storms. Single-use plastics are a major contributor, with items like plastic bottles, caps, and food wrappers making up a significant portion of the litter collected on Great Lakes beaches. Microbeads, tiny plastic particles used in personal care products like facial scrubs, soaps, and toothpastes, have also been found in the Great Lakes. While some countries and states have banned microbeads in cosmetics, they still contribute to the plastic pollution in the lakes.
Efforts to combat plastic pollution in the Great Lakes are ongoing. The Alliance for the Great Lakes' Adopt-a-Beach program has volunteers who participate in shoreline cleanups, removing tens of thousands of pounds of trash, most of which is plastic. Regional, national, and international initiatives, such as the U.S. Marine Debris Act (2006) and the Save our Seas Acts (2018 and 2020), also aim to address marine debris and microplastics. Additionally, legislation in Illinois targets plastic production and reduction, reuse systems, and improved data for policymaking. While these efforts are making progress, experts emphasize the need to reduce plastic production and use to curb the flow of microplastics into the Great Lakes.
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Invasive species
The Great Lakes—Lake Huron, Ontario, Michigan, Erie, and Superior—are the largest system of freshwater lakes in the world. They span 750 miles from West to East and are situated across nine states/territories: Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, and Ontario. The lakes are a crucial source of potable drinking water, support ecosystems, and enable fishing, boating, and other recreational activities.
However, the Great Lakes face significant pollution and invasive species issues. Pollution enters the lakes through various pathways, including atmospheric deposition of pollutants, runoff from farms and urban areas, and direct discharge of industrial wastewater.
Some of the infamous invasive species in the Great Lakes include:
- Sea Lamprey: The invasion of sea lampreys led to the creation of the Great Lakes Fishery Commission to control their population.
- Zebra and Quagga Mussels: These invasive mussels are known for disrupting habitats and the food web of the ecosystem.
- Round Goby
- Phragmites: Invasive Phragmites from Europe have dominated habitats, outcompeting native plant species, and forming dense stands that negatively impact wildlife diversity and recreational activities.
- Purple Loosestrife and Eurasian Watermilfoil : These are invasive plant species that impact the ecosystem.
- Stiltgrass: First recorded in the Great Lakes in 1991, this invasive grass outcompetes native plants and can harbor plant diseases that infect native species.
- Rusty Crayfish: These crayfish eat native fish eggs, impacting the fish population in the Great Lakes.
- Carp: Feral carp were first recorded in the upper Mississippi River in the 1970s and have since been documented in all lakes except Lake Superior.
The introduction of these invasive species has disrupted the natural balance of the Great Lakes ecosystems, outcompeting native species, degrading habitats, altering food webs, and threatening biodiversity.
To address the issue of invasive species, various efforts have been made, including early detection and surveillance programs, partnerships between federal and state agencies, and the implementation of initiatives like the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI), which aims to prevent new introductions and control existing invasive populations.
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Frequently asked questions
Lake Erie is the most polluted of the Great Lakes due to the substantial industrial presence along its coasts.
Lake Erie is polluted with chemical pollutants, sewage, and agricultural waste.
The main source of pollution in Lake Erie is the discharge of chemical pollutants from factories into the lake and its tributaries.
The pollution in Lake Erie has led to the death of fish and made swimming hazardous along the lake's front. It has also contributed to the premature death of the lake.
Environmental regulations have been put in place since the 1970s, which have resulted in a significant improvement in water quality and the reintroduction of economically important fish species. Additionally, US President Joe Biden announced a USD$1 billion investment in 2021 towards the cleanup and restoration of the Great Lakes.
