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The Effects of the Low Water Levels in the Great Lakes on Humans

Global climate change, dam building, and channeling can affect the Great Lakes' water levels, but so too can the water levels of the Great Lakes affect the lives of humans who depend on them.The Great Lakes, the freshwater system of the five major lakes in the northeastern United States and lower Canada, are the largest bodies of fresh water in the world, and when their water levels diminish, there are effects on human activities.

  1. Shipping

    • Lower lake levels may mean that ships have to lighten their cargo or risk running aground. This can cause shortages of important supplies. An April 2007 article on Minnesota Public Radio reported that some Lake Superior shippers were having to carry less material to avoid hitting the bottom of the lake. In some cases, coal freighters were having to reduce their shipments by thousands of tons.

    Recreational Boating

    • Lower water levels in the Great Lakes mean more difficulties for boaters. A June 2007 USA Today article reported that lower Lake Superior waters meant that boaters were having difficulty finding places to set sail or dock. Larger boats were unable to dock in shallow waters and had to either find suitable docks or stay in deep waters until spaces were available.

    Effects on Wetlands Activities

    • The water levels of the Great Lakes affect those of surrounding rivers, marshes and wetlands, and the lower levels can hurt the ecosystems. The U.S. Global Change Research Program's assessment of the Great Lakes said that lower lake levels and stream flows could "compromise marshes and wetlands" and reduce the wildlife habitat.

    Wild Rice Harvest

    • The Great Lakes often stream into surrounding wetlands, but when water levels fall surrounding areas dry up. Often wild rice grows in wetlands around Lake Superior, but lower lake levels hurt its growth. Wild rice is an important food to Native American tribes in the Great Lakes region. In April 2007, News From Indian Country, an independent Native American newspaper, quoted Matt O Claire, a game warden with the Wisconsin-based Bad River Natural Resources Department and member of the local Chippewa tribe, as saying that a lack of water could destroy the growth areas of a lot of wild rice.

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