Understanding Uses of Great Lakes - St. Lawrence Water: Trends and Opportunities

Session: 24. - Managing Water Use in the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River Basin

Stephen Cole, Great Lakes Commission, [email protected]
Michael Polich, Great Lakes Commission, [email protected]

Abstract

Since 1988, the Great Lakes Commission has maintained a database of water use information to support the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River Water Resources Compact and Agreement. Each year, water use managers from the basin’s states and provinces report withdrawals, consumptive uses and diversions by type of use, water source, jurisdiction and watershed and GLC compiles an annual report of water use.

In 2016, over 42 billion gallons of water per day was withdrawn from the Great Lakes basin for human use and approximately 5% of that was either consumed or not returned. This presentation will explore how this water was used, identify some key trends in Great Lakes water use and highlight continuing research priorities.

1. Keyword
Great Lakes basin

2. Keyword
regional analysis

3. Keyword
hydrologic budget