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Impact of low water on Lake Huron is evident in high and dry dock. (Canada Natural Resources Courtesy photo by Ryan Schwartz)

WATER LEVEL SOLUTION? Construct St. Clair River Sill System, Activists Urge

December 23, 2012       Leave a Comment
By: Dave Rogers

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Would installation of a sill system to reduce the flow of the St. Clair River help to raise levels of the Great Lakes?

That's one option being pushed by activists who met recently in a "Restore Our Water Levels" session organized by the Ontario Sierra Club at the Bay County Building.

Craig Murchison and Kraig Kubik, representatives of the Saginaw Bay Yacht Club, reported that the group is seeking a crisis declaration from the nine governors of the Great Lakes states and the U.S. State Department.

Such declarations would perhaps prompt Congress to appropriate funds to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to complete a 3D model of the St. Clair river and construct the sill system necessary to reduce flow in the river.

The sill system would aim to restore the 20 inch drop in Lakes Michigan/Huron that some experts assert occurred from dredging in the 1960s and subsequent erosion of the St. Clair River.

Through the Ontario Sierra Club, community groups are meeting to plan actions that may address these historic low levels.

The Sierra Club says its members are supportive of this action because of the substantial loss of wetlands around the lake with resulting loss habitat for fish, birds and animals plus the encouragement of growth of invasive species like phragmites.

People on the shores of the Lake Michigan-Lake Huron system are facing the possibility of all-time low water levels, says Jon Allan, director, Michigan Office of the Great Lakes.

The basic argument and driving force for this would be the economic loss and job loss in the marine, tourism, shipping, associated industries. This is in addition to the tremendous existing and potential loss in commercial and residential property values. They noted residents along Canada's Georgian Bay cannot access their property because it is only accessible by water is too low now.

According to local activists, there is no support for dam/lock control as is done for Lakes Superior and Ontario. This is vastly more expensive, takes longer to implement, is less environmentally friendly and most importantly is subject to continual political pressure on what water level should be maintained.

An argument against water level adjustment is made by some Lake Michigan and Chicago groups that say permanently decreasing the flow in the St. Clair River would in high water years cause damage to their properties, such as occurred in the mid 80?s. That argument is nullified by using adjustable sills, say some local activists.

One current design for sills would use pilings about 3 feet off the bottom to as not to hinder sturgeon spawning. In addition they could have ballast compartments, which when pumped out would allow the sill to float a bit and thereby making it possible to be turned in the direction of flow thereby allowing more water to pass in high water years. The Corps would no doubt refine these designs but basic idea of an adjustable sill would be there. Note from this meeting and progress in the area can be viewed on the website, www.restoreourwater.com.

In a special report entitled "State of the Great Lakes 2012," Allan reviews possible reasons for these low water conditions:

"Some believe that diversions taking water from the lake system at the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal and increased flow on the St. Clair River has exacerbated these reductions, and that undoing these human changes will raise lake levels."

But he concludes:

"Practically speaking, only nature can raise these lake levels, but humans historically have had an impact.

"The St. Clair River channel was expanded in the 1960s, increasing its outflow and lowering lake levels by 10-16 inches. Some have suggested that installing weirs in this location could raise the water but this would have little effect, high costs and would impede shipping.

The Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal, completed in 1900, ultimately lowered the lakes' levels by about two inches. Incidentally, man-made diversions into the system near Thunder Bay, Ontario, raise the water more than that amount.

"While we all are at the mercy of nature on this issue, it provides a salient example of how water use can affect people all around a lake," said Mr. Allan, commenting:

"Back at the turn of the century, the Sanitary District of Chicago did not consult with Canada about constructing its diversion, and by 1907 the two were embroiled in litigation over lake levels and navigation."

Today the Great Lakes Compact provides a framework for consensus-based decision-making about how water from the lakes can be used, in what quantities and where, said Mr. Allan.

For any diversion, the state receiving that water must make a case to the other states and provinces in the compact that the removal of that water will meet the requirements set forth in the agreement.

Another tool unique to Michigan is the Water Withdrawal Assessment Tool. With this online interface, the resource impacts of a proposed withdrawal can be predicted in advance.

According to state law, any withdrawal must meet the environmental and ecological standard of 'no adverse resource impact' before it can begin. One critical aspect of the tool is that it continually adjusts to account for new withdrawals and uses science-based metrics.

Within the state, the southwest region has experienced prevalent large quantity withdrawals. To address this issue, the legislature convened the Southwest Michigan Water Resources Council in 2011 to evaluate existing tools and processes in the St. Joseph and Kalamazoo River watersheds, as well as recommend a new state water conservation and efficiency program. Their study is currently underway.

Regarding invasive species, 2012 has been a critical year for further action on controlling another vector -- ships' ballast water, according to the report. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and U.S. Coast Guard have finalized standards for ballast water treatment, which will further reduce the risk of new species arriving in the Great Lakes.



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Dave Rogers

Dave Rogers is a former editorial writer for the Bay City Times and a widely read,
respected journalist/writer in and around Bay City.
(Contact Dave Via Email at carraroe@aol.com)

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