Building a CSMI database: Experiences from the Lake Ontario 2018 CSMI Field Year

The Cooperative Science and Monitoring Initiative (CSMI) instituted under the Science Annex of the 2012 Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement (GLWQA) provides an international framework to coordinate science and monitoring activities in one of the five Great Lakes. On a five-year cycle: (Y1) CSMI priorities are developed under GLWQA Annex 2 Lake Partnerships with input from managers, researchers, and other stakeholders, (Y2) projects are then planned to address those priorities, (Y3) projects are implemented during the field sampling year, (Y4) samples are analyzed, and (Y5) results are shared through reporting. Although CSMI has advanced understanding and management of the Great Lakes, such large-scale studies present unique logistical challenges. Specifically, there is a need to promote and enhance data management, coordination, and sharing efforts. Herein, we describe the process used to develop a database for the 2018 Lake Ontario Field Year and explore the challenges, successes, and lessons learned that could improve collaboration and data compilation in future CSMI cycles. The creation of an accessible and transparent database can encourage collaboration between researchers and scientists, provide insight into the state and health of Lake Ontario, and engage the public as to why monitoring the Great Lakes is so crucial. We suggest the following recommendations to be implemented in future CSMI database iterations: 1) early planning of the database development, 2) house the database in a centralized location with emphasis on metadata, 3) encourage development of summary products for various user groups, and 4) sustained collaboration and commitment on database requirements.     

Commentary: Climate change adaptive management in the Great Lakes

Climatologists have estimated how the increase of carbon dioxide emissions will affect the climate in the Great Lakes basin. Models show that at twice the pre-industrial carbon dioxide level, the climate of the basin will be warmer by 2–4 °C and slightly damper than at present. Experts predict that this could have serious implications for the ecosystems and economies of the region. Climate change poses new challenges to decision-makers as they work to restore and maintain biodiversity, create comprehensive strategies for conservation and evaluate future risk to these resources. Adaptive management has served as a tool to meet these challenges although implementation has been uneven. This commentary examines trends and projections for climate change in the Great Lakes, the adaptive management strategies and programs in place to address these changes and the challenges these programs face to address the impacts of changing climate patterns on our freshwater resources.     

Toward science-informed public policy: A conceptual framework for contributing to and studying Great Lakes coastal shoreland management

Great Lakes coastal shorelands encompass valuable environmental and social resources. Most are privately owned. Governments play an important role in managing the use of those shorelands to ensure adequate conservation of the natural and social benefits they provide. Scientists have demonstrated that imprudent land uses are yielding significant ecological harms and increased risks to coastal shorelands, and yet those uses persist. Public coastal shoreland management appears to be poorly informed by the best available science. In addition to generating good science, scientists are themselves members of the public well-positioned to contribute to improved coastal shoreland management. Two prominent proposals for doing so include calls for scientists, first, to better communicate their knowledge through direct engagement with decision-makers (‘contributing to’) and second, to co-produce the knowledge that decision-makers require by participating in multi-disciplinary, community-engaged research (‘studying’). For either endeavor, scientists need to understand public coastal shoreland management processes to engage effectively with them. Drawing from multiple literatures, this paper presents a conceptual framework to assist scientists working to contextualize and more effectively convey the knowledge they have, or to engage in research designed to co-produce knowledge, in order to better promote science-informed public coastal shoreland management. The framework is set within the institutional arrangements that structure coastal management processes, and it highlights the ways in which key decision-maker attributes—their collective knowledge, capacities, and commitments—influence decision-making actions and outputs. While situated specifically within the context of coastal management, the framework is adaptable to other policy arenas more broadly.     

Climatic change and the effect on hydrology and water management in the Rhine basin.

There has been a marked increase in recent years in the resources dedicated to investigating the problems arising from climate change with respect to hydrology and to some extent to water resource management. Many of these studies are concentrated on the river Rhine basin. In order to review the actual state of scientific findings a workshop, organised by the International Commission for the Hydrology of the Rhine (CHR), was held on 24 and 25 June 2003. The invited experts discussed the following topics: observed variability in climatic and hydrological data, the development and interpretation of climate scenarios, and assessment of changes in the discharge regimes and the occurrence of hydrological extremes. Based on the workshop the question of whether or not current knowledge and procedural strategies can be used as a basis for future water management was evaluated by an expert group of the CHR. In this paper the process of decision-making with regard to flood management is analysed. Hints are given to convince the decision-makers to take into account the impacts of climate change in water resources management. The special challenges arising in international river basins are discussed.     

Exploring market-based environmental policy for groundwater management and ecosystem protection for the Great Lakes region: Lessons learned

The Great Lakes–St. Lawrence River Basin Water Resources Compact (the Compact) was created to protect future water supplies and aquatic ecosystems in the Great Lakes. The Compact requires the eight Great Lakes state to regulate, among other things, large withdrawals of groundwater and surface water so that they do not negatively affect stream flows and ecosystems within the Great Lakes Basin. Thus, the Compact raises the possibility of increased restrictions on groundwater withdrawals in many locations throughout the Great Lakes region. However, restricting withdrawals is likely to encounter opposition from water users when such restrictions are viewed as an infringement on existing water use rights and/or as negatively impacting local economic development. Such conflicts could hinder effective implementation of state and regional water policy. This paper explores the application of a market-based environmental management tool called “Conservation Credit Offsets Trading (CCOT)” that could facilitate allocation of groundwater withdrawals, and develops a framework for guiding the implementation of CCOT within the context of a groundwater permitting system. Using a watershed in southwestern Michigan, this study demonstrates how bio-physical information and input from various local stakeholders were combined to aid groundwater policy designed to achieve the objective of no net (adverse) impact on stream ecosystems. By allowing flexibility through trading of conservation credit offsets, this groundwater policy tool appears to be more politically acceptable than traditional, less flexible, regulations. The results and discussion provide useful lessons learned with relevance to other areas in the Great Lakes Basin.     

Thirty-five years of restoring Great Lakes Areas of Concern: Gradual progress,hopeful future

In 1985, remedial action plan development was initiated to restore impaired beneficial uses in 42 Great Lakes Areas of Concern (AOCs). A 43rd AOC was designated in 1991. AOC restoration has not been easy as it requires networks focused on gathering stakeholders, coordinating efforts, and ensuring use restoration. As of 2019, seven AOCs were delisted, two were designated as Areas of Concern in Recovery, and 79 of 137 known use impairments in Canadian AOCs and 90 of 255 known use impairments in U.S. AOCs were eliminated. Between 1985 and 2019, a total of $22.78 billion U.S. was spent on restoring all AOCs. Pollution prevention investments should be viewed as spending to avoid future cleanups, and AOC restoration investments should be viewed as spending to help revitalize communities that has over a 3 to 1 return on investment. The pace of U.S. AOC restoration has accelerated under the Great Lakes Legacy Act (GLLA) and Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI). Sustained funding through U.S. programs like GLRI and GLLA and Canadian programs such as Canada-Ontario Agreement Respecting Great Lakes Water Quality and Ecosystem Health and the Great Lakes Protection Initiative is needed to restore all AOCs. Other major AOC program achievements include use of locally-designed ecosystem approaches, contaminated sediment remediation, habitat rehabilitation, controlling eutrophication, and advancing science. Key lessons learned include: ensure meaningful public participation; engage local leaders; establish a compelling vision; establish measurable targets; practice adaptive management; build partnerships; pursue collaborative financing; build a record of success; quantify benefits; and focus on life after delisting.     

Water Demand Management In The Middle East And North Africa: Observations From the IDRC Forums And Lessons For The Future

Abstract

In 2002 and 2003, Canada's International Development Research Centre, in partnership with other donors, organized four regional Forums to facilitate the exchange of information, results and lessons learned on water demand management (WDM) in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). Over 500 decision-makers and water practitioners from 11 countries participated in Forums on wastewater reuse, water valuation, private-public partnerships, and decentralization. A large amount of valuable information on the above topics was gathered, and is available by entering www.idrc.ca/wadimena and clicking on WDM Forums.

The WDM Forums demonstrated that water demand management is occurring in MENA, but without the breadth or strength that is required by the increasingly difficult water situation throughout the region. There is therefore great scope for further analytical work on water demand management and even greater scope for work on ways to promote its adoption in all nations and sectors. This review extracts lessons from the Forums, and suggests short- and long-term entry points for research and practice. The most striking conclusion is that in no MENA nation is WDM the main impetus for action. With wastewater the need to deal with growing volumes of sewage is the main force, and with the other three forums it is the need to reduce government budgets. Future work to promote water demand management in MENA must be oriented towards identifying and strengthening linkages to other water policies or programs, notably by distinguishing the role of WDM as a tool for greater water use effciency from its role as a tool for greater water use equity. Equally important will be efforts to strengthen multi-stakeholder participation, transparency and accountability in policy-making processes and to promote dialogue with water-users, particularly women and the rural poor.     

Training Opportunities Available to Ohio Lake Erie Basin Local Decision-makers Regarding the Economic and Fiscal Benefits of Coastal and Watershed Stewardship

This paper presents new knowledge about the current status of training on the economic value of stewardship practices in the Ohio Lake Erie basin. Local decision-makers shape coastal and watershed conditions but often do not appreciate the economic, fiscal, and ecological benefits that could be gained from sound stewardship practices. This study investigated the information and training about economic benefits available in the Ohio Lake Erie basin. Training providers and technical assistance professionals helped identify key training needs and challenges to decision-maker awareness of benefits. We found relatively few organizations offering training that incorporate economic or fiscal benefits into their curricula. Within these programs, stormwater management and tourism were the most popular training topics among local decision-makers. Regarding target audiences, training providers noted that public sector participants tended to be interested in the fiscal (tax revenue and public spending) impacts of regulations and in economic development. Our analysis suggests a need to document the economic and fiscal benefits and costs to existing practices in the Lake Erie basin to provide case studies and examples for peer-to-peer education for local decision-makers. The results suggest a need for increased collaboration among training providers and educational institutions in the Lake Erie basin to develop case studies or fact sheets of benefits and costs. The results also suggest that creating a technical advisory network concerning economic benefits and costs would provide a useful service to local decision-makers.     

Ecological data as a resource for invasive species management in U.S. Great Lakes coastal wetlands

The coordinated use of ecological data is critical to the proper management of invasive species in the coastal wetlands of the Laurentian Great Lakes. Researchers and government programs have been increasingly calling for the use of data in management activities to increase the likelihood of success and add transparency in decision making. Web-enabled databases have the potential to provide managers working in Great Lakes coastal wetlands with relevant data to support management decisions. To assess the potential value of these databases to managers in Laurentian Great Lakes states, we surveyed wetland managers to determine their current data usage as well as their future data interests and catalogued the online databases currently available. Surveys were disseminated via email to managers in 56 different organizations overseeing invasive species management efforts in Great Lakes coastal wetlands; 46 responses were included in this analysis. Of the survey respondents, all reported using raw biotic data for decision making, (i.e. presence of target species) but many indicated that they would prefer to incorporate a greater variety of data, as well as more complex information. Our survey found that managers used web-enabled databases, but most databases that we catalogued only provided presence data for wetland biota. We concluded that databases can provide the types of data sought by invasive species managers but have unmet potential to be integrated into responsive management processes.     

Lake Champlain 2010: A summary of recent research and monitoring initiatives

Lake Champlain shares a geological history with the Great Lakes and, as part of the St. Lawrence drainage, also shares biological and ecological similarities. The complex bathymetry and extensive shoreline provide a variety of lacustrine habitats, from deep oligotrophic areas to shallow bays that are highly eutrophic. The large basin:lake ratio (19:1) makes Lake Champlain vulnerable to impacts associated with land use, and in some parts of the lake these impacts are further exacerbated by limited water exchange among lake segments due to both natural and anthropogenic barriers. Research in Lake Champlain and the surrounding basin has expanded considerably since the 1970s, with a particularly dramatic increase since the early 1990s. This special issue of the Journal of Great Lakes Research brings together 16 reports from recent research and monitoring efforts in Lake Champlain. The papers cover a variety of topics but primarily focus on lake hydrodynamics; historical and recent chemical changes in the lake; phosphorus loading; recent changes in populations of phytoplankton, zooplankton, and fishes; impacts of invasive species; recreational use; and the challenges of management decision-making in a lake that falls within the legal jurisdictions of two U.S. states, one Canadian province, two national governments, and the International Joint Commission. The papers provide not only evaluations of progress on some critical management issues but also valuable reference points for future research.     

Great Lakes coastal fish habitat classification and assessment

Basin-scale assessment of fish habitat in Great Lakes coastal ecosystems would increase our ability to prioritize fish habitat management and restoration actions. As a first step in this direction, we identified key habitat factors associated with highest probability of occurrence for several societally and ecologically important coastal fish species as well as community metrics, using data from the Great Lakes Aquatic Habitat Framework (GLAHF), Great Lakes Environmental Indicators (GLEI) and Coastal Wetland Monitoring Program (CWMP). Secondly, we assessed whether species-specific habitat was threatened by watershed-level anthropogenic stressors. In the southern Great Lakes, key habitat factors for determining presence/absence of several species of coastal fish were chlorophyll concentrations, turbidity, and wave height, whereas in the northern ecoprovince temperature was the major habitat driver for most of the species modeled. Habitat factors best explaining fish richness and diversity were bottom slope and chlorophyll a. These models could likely be further improved with addition of high-resolution submerged macrophyte complexity data which are currently unavailable at the basin-wide scale. Proportion of invasive species was correlated primarily with increasing maximum observed inorganic turbidity and chlorophyll a. We also demonstrate that preferred habitat for several coastal species and high-diversity areas overlap with areas of high watershed stress. Great Lakes coastal wetland fish are a large contributor to ecosystem services as well as commercial and recreational fishery harvest, and scalable basin-wide habitat models developed in this study may be useful for informing management actions targeting specific species or overall coastal fish biodiversity.     

A review of U.S. Army Corps of Engineers airborne coastal mapping in the Great Lakes

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Joint Airborne Lidar Bathymetry Technical Center of Expertise (JALBTCX) collected its first airborne coastal mapping data on the Great Lakes in 1995. Since then, the JALBTCX has collected nearly 5 billion elevation and depth measurements and created over 2000 geographic information system (GIS) products for the shorelines of the Great Lakes. With improvements in airborne coastal mapping technology and the introduction of regional management for the USACE, surveys expanded into the regional scale, multi-sensor National Coastal Mapping Program (NCMP). The NCMP was initiated in 2004 to produce recurrent, regional, high-resolution light detection and ranging (lidar) elevation data and hyperspectral and aerial imagery to support regional sediment management, regulatory functions, flood damage reduction, asset management, emergency operations, and environmental stewardship. The JALBTCX is a collaboration among the USACE, the U.S. Naval Oceanographic Office (NAVOCEANO), and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The partners have worked together on airborne coastal mapping and charting since the late 1980s with the goal of advancing airborne lidar bathymetry and associated technologies. The collaboration has fielded three generations of airborne sensors and has transferred this technology to the commercial sector, supporting an expanding market for bathymetric lidar. The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of the history of USACE survey efforts in the Great Lakes (1995–2012), an in-depth review of the resulting imagery and lidar data products, and new information product developments and applications to support environmental and coastal engineering throughout the Great Lakes region.     

Status,causes and controls of cyanobacterial blooms in Lake Erie

The Laurentian Great Lakes are among the most prominent sources of fresh water in the world. Lake Erie's infamous cyanobacterial blooms have, however, threatened the health of this valuable freshwater resource for decades. Toxic blooms dominated by the cyanobacterium Microcystis aeruginosa have most recently been one of primary ecological concerns for the lake. These toxic blooms impact the availability of potable water, as well as public health and revenues from the tourism and fishery industries. The socioeconomic effects of these blooms have spurred research efforts to pinpoint factors that drive bloom events. Despite decades of research and mitigation efforts, these blooms have expanded both in size and duration in recent years. However, through continued joint efforts between the Canadian and United States governments, scientists, and environmental managers, identification of the factors that drive bloom events is within reach. This review provides a summary of historical and contemporary research efforts in the realm of Lake Erie's harmful cyanobacterial blooms, both in terms of experimental and management achievements and insufficiencies, as well as future directions on the horizon for the lake's research community.     

Setting an agenda to catalyze research in the social and organizational dimensions of Great Lakes remediation,restoration, and revitalization

The Great Lakes region was once a hub of industry and innovation that provided wealth and identity to the region. Economic upheavals have left the region trying to recreate economies and cleanup degraded environments. There have been multiple, overlapping efforts to change these conditions and create a new narrative for the region through environmental remediation, habitat restoration, and community revitalization on the path towards resilience. The elements that contribute to success are organized differently in different places, and are not always identified or characterized in the environmental literature. Trying to fill this conceptual gap is critical because landscape-scale environmental cleanup has been delivered at the local scale through various partnerships and arrangements. Thus, this special collection of articles in the Journal of Great Lakes Research explores how individuals, organizations, and communities are engaging in the complex process of environmental cleanup and revitalization throughout the region. This collection of articles represents a range of approaches to unpack how people are navigating and contributing to this regenerative process from quantitative studies at the regional scale that characterize global patterns to in-depth qualitative studies that identify and characterize the processes that unfold in specific places to change our environments both ecologically and socially. These articles represent the broad experience unfolding in the region to understand these activities through research and navigate them through practice. This collection will add new dimensions to Great Lakes research by including the individuals, organizations, and agencies as components of the ecosystem.     

Stakeholder evaluation of the feasibility of watershed management alternatives,using Integrated Lake Basin Management principles

Containing more than 90% of the liquid fresh water on our planet's surface, lakes are used for a wide range of human needs. Managing them for sustainable use also requires consideration of a multitude of scientific, socioeconomic and governance issues. Integrated Lake Basin Management (ILBM) is a comprehensive approach for achieving sustainable management of lakes and reservoirs through gradual, continuous and holistic improvement of basin governance, involving sustained efforts for improvement of six governance ‘pillars’ (Policy; Institutions: Stakeholders; Knowledge; Technology; Finances). This study demonstrates that ILBM is applicable not only to lentic water systems (lakes, reservoirs), but also to the upstream and downstream water systems (rivers, tributaries) of which they are a part. Two watersheds in eastern Pennsylvania (USA), designated as ‘Critical Water Planning Areas,’ are used as a case study for this application, with a focus on the ILBM Stakeholder pillar. The primary objective was to rank the feasibility of alternative management options for these watersheds on the basis of watershed stakeholder perceptions and discussions. The results of this process and the analyses undertaken in this study are discussed, including the management options ultimately identified, the lessons learned in the evaluation process, and means for improving the process for future evaluations.     

Fish movement and migration studies in the Laurentian Great Lakes: Research trends and knowledge gaps

Resource management agencies in the Laurentian Great Lakes routinely conduct studies of fish movement and migration to understand the temporal and spatial distribution of fishes within and between the lakes and their tributaries. This literature has never been summarized and evaluated to identify common themes and future research opportunities. We reviewed 112 studies, published between 1952 and 2010, with the goal of summarizing existing research on the movement and migration of fishes in the Laurentian Great Lakes. The most commonly studied species were Lake Trout (Salvelinus namaycush), Walleye (Sander vitreus), and Lake Sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens). Studies relied mainly on mark-recapture techniques with comparatively few using newer technologies such as biotelemetry, hydroacoustics, or otolith microchemistry/isotope analysis. Most movement studies addressed questions related to reproductive biology, effects of environmental factors on movement, stocking, and habitat use. Movement-related knowledge gaps were identified through the literature synthesis and a survey distributed to Great Lakes fisheries managers. Future studies on emigration/immigration of fishes through lake corridors, the dispersal of stocked fishes and of stock mixing were identified as being particularly important given their potential for developing lake- or region-wide harvest regulations and stocking strategies. The diversity of tools for studying fish movement across multiple years and various spatial scales gives researchers new abilities to address key science questions and management needs. Addressing these needs has the potential to improve upon existing fisheries management practices within the complexity of multi-jurisdictional governance in the Laurentian Great Lakes.     

Great Lakes Educational Needs Assessment: Teachers’ Priorities for Topics,Materials, and Training

Teachers have an opportunity to create awareness of the importance of the Great Lakes by incorporating lake examples of major science/social concepts into their curricula. A survey of 300 middle school science teachers in watershed counties of Great Lakes states and Ontario revealed topics that were highest priority and that teachers wanted to know more about: water quality, environmental responsibility, water uses and conservation, and toxic chemicals. Topics of lowest priority were those dealing with shipping, water diversion, human history, careers and hobbies, and aesthetics (art, music, and literature of the lakes). Reasons for not including low priority topics were primarily based on their not being a part of the assigned curriculum for the responding science teachers. Responses regarding topic priorities and knowledge did not differ significantly by state/province, gender, grade level taught, early vs. late response, or whether the teachers had participated in a Great Lakes education workshop, with the primary exception that teachers who had been in a workshop generally rated exotic species as more important and were teaching more about it. Teachers claim to get most of their Great Lakes information from workshops and classes, with newspapers as the primary mass media source. They prefer to receive instructional materials in the form of classroom-ready activities and units, and when they seek additional education they prefer one-day or summer workshops for college credit. Providers of Great Lakes education resources should consider teacher preferences in designing materials and experiences, and consider infusion as a means of introducing non-science topics into science classes.     

Discussion of the paper entitled “Ethiopian Interests in the Division of the Nile River Waters”[l]

ABSTRACT

It is argued that the establishment of tradable water rights will play an important role in increasing productivity and sustainability of water use in developing countries. Due to economic growth, scarcity is expected to be conducive to water market development. This article presents the potential for and feasibility of markets in water rights in Jordan through a comparative study of Chile, Mexico, and California. Many lessons were learned from the experiences of those countries concerning water markets. The transformation of these lessons to the Jordanian context is faced with some fundamental challenges in terms of water legislation, institutional structure, and data. Water legislation must deal with externalities, dispute, and third-party effect. Adopting a new water act and review of water laws is essential for better water resources management and assured public input and feedback. Market oriented policy should be introduced only on a pilot basis in terms of pricing. Policy makers believe that dealing with future water scarcity in Jordan will be achieved through better management and utilization of water using both conventional and nonconventional sources. Moreover; policy makers and farmers in Jordan expressed strong reservations on intersectoral water transfers because of the importance of water to the Jordanian economy.     

Researcher disciplines and the assessment techniques used to evaluate Laurentian Great Lakes coastal ecosystems

The Laurentian Great Lakes of North America have been a focus of environmental and ecosystem research since the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement in 1972. This study provides a review of scientific literature directed at the assessment of Laurentian Great Lakes coastal ecosystems. Our aim was to understand the methods employed to quantify disturbance and ecosystem quality within Laurentian Great Lakes coastal ecosystems within the last 20 years. We focused specifically on evidence of multidisciplinary articles, in authorship or types of assessment parameters used. We sought to uncover: 1) where Laurentian Great Lakes coastal ecosystems are investigated, 2) how patterns in the disciplines of researchers have shifted over time, 3) how measured parameters differed among disciplines, and 4) which parameters were used most often. Results indicate research was conducted almost evenly across the five Laurentian Great Lakes and that publication of coastal ecosystems studies increased dramatically ten years after the first State of the Great Lakes Ecosystem Conference in 1994. Research authored by environmental scientists and by multiple disciplines (multidisciplinary) have become more prevalent since 2003. This study supports the likelihood that communication and knowledge-sharing is happening between disciplines on some level. Multidisciplinary or environmental science articles were the most inclusive of parameters from different disciplines, but every discipline seemed to include chemical parameters less often than biota, physical, and spatial parameters. There is a need for an increased understanding of minor nutrient, toxin, and heavy metal impacts and use of spatial metrics in Laurentian Great Lakes coastal ecosystems.