Session 1. Coupled Physical and Biogeochemical Processes in Large Lakes

Chaired by Mathew Wells, Joseph Ackerman and Ralph Smith

Mathew Wells, University of Toronto Scarborough, Toronto, ON M1C1A4 Canada; Phone: (416) 208 4879; E-mail: wells@utsc.utoronto.ca.

Joseph Ackerman, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1 Canada; Phone: 519-824-4120, Ext. 58268; E-mail: ackerman@uoguelph.ca.

Ralph Smith, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON N2L 3G1 Canada; Phone: (519) 888-4567, Ext. 32468; E-mail: rsmith@sciborg.uwaterloo.ca.

Many important limnological processes occur at interface between physical and biological research. For example wind driven currents can determine the spatial distribution of planktonic organisms, sediment resuspension can be an important source of nutrients that drive biological productivity in lakes, and hypoxia can result from a coupling between thermal stratification and high sediment oxygen demand. This session aims to be interdisciplinary in nature and will feature talks on coupled physical and biogeochemical processes in large lakes.

Session 2. Physical Processes in Lakes

Chaired by Cary Troy, Chin Wu and Ram Yerabundi

Cary Troy, 550 Stadium Mall Drive, CIVL 1101D, West Lafayette, IN 47907-2051 United States; Phone: 7654943844; E-mail: troy@purdue.edu.

Chin Wu, 1269D Engineering Hall, 1415 Engineering Drive, Madison, WI 53706; Phone: (608) 263-3078; E-mail: chinwu@engr.wisc.edu.

Ram Yerabundi, 867 Lakeshore Road, Burlington, ON L7R 4A6 Canada; Phone: (905) 336-4785; E-mail: Ram.Yerubandi@ec.gc.ca.

This session's focus is on the physical limnology of the Laurentian Great Lakes and other lakes (large and small) of the world. Papers are solicited dealing with modeling, field, and laboratory studies of physical processes in lakes, including surface and internal waves, currents, turbulence and mixing, thermal stratification, and sediment transport.

Session 3. Nearshore Physical Limnology and Coastal Processes

Chaired by Ryan Mulligan, Damien Bouffard and Leon Boegman

Ryan Mulligan, Civil Engineering, Queen's University, Kingston, ON K7L 3N6; Phone: (613) 533-6503; E-mail: Ryan.Mulligan@civil.queensu.ca.

Damien Bouffard, Civil Engineering, Queen's University, Kingston, ON K7L 3N6; Phone: (613) 533-6717; E-mail: Damien.Bouffard@queensu.ca.

Leon Boegman, Civil Engineering, Queen's University, Kingston, ON K7L 3N6; Phone: (613) 533-6717; E-mail: Leon.Boegman@civil.queensu.ca.

Human activity in lakes and rivers is concentrated in the nearshore zone where coastal infrastructure, drinking water intakes and waste discharges are influenced by fluid dynamic processes. Large-scale up- and down-welling, Kelvin waves and thermal bar periods influence local stratification; coastal processes like surface waves and wave-driven currents cause coastal erosion and sediment re-disribution; micro-scale processes like turbulence effect particle transport and mixing. This session will encompass theoretical, observational, model and applied studies across different scales in nearshore regions of large lakes and rivers. We invite abstracts that focus on the dynamics of waves, currents, turbulence and sediments or other materials. Interdisciplinary presentations that bridge nearshore physical oceanography/limnology and biogeochemistry are encouraged.

Session 4. Reservoir Capacity and Sediment Loading Investigations: Implications for Dam Removal

Chaired by Carol Miller, Jim Selegean and Calvin Creech

Carol Miller, 5050 Anthony Wayne Drive, 2170 College of Engineering, Detroit, MI 48105 USA; Phone: (313) 706-9060; Fax: (313) 577-3881; E-mail: cmiller@eng.wayne.edu.

Jim Selegean, 477 Michigan Ave, Detroit, MI 48226 USA; Phone: (313) 226-6791; E-mail: james.p.selegean@usace.army.mil.

Calvin Creech, US Army Corps of Engineers, Detroit, MI 48226 USA; Phone: xx; Fax: xx; E-mail: ccreech@wayne.edu.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is tasked with maintaining the navigability of the waters of the United States. There are over 100 federal harbors or federally maintained navigation channels in the Great Lakes. Nearly all of the precipitation falling in the Great Lakes Basin eventually passes through a federally-maintained harbor/channel, carrying with it sediment and contaminants. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers spends approximately $40 million removing 2-4 million cy of sediment from these channels annually. A better understanding of how sediment is produced and stored in a watershed will provide insight about the ways to influence this process. Sediment yield has increased by nearly an order of magnitude from the mature, closed forests in pre-European settlement to the agriculture-dominated watersheds of today. Despite this massive increase in sediment production, very little is delivered to the harbors and then out to the Great Lakes. This is due to the impoundment of sediment behind a network of dams. As these dams fill, a wave of sediment will move downstream, inundating fisheries habitat and navigation channels. Moreover, flooding will increase as the channels lose flow capacity. Very little is known about the remaining storage capacity in the dams on the Great Lakes.

Session 6. Effects of Land Use on Nutrient Transport Through Aquatic Systems

Chaired by Rebecca North, Mohamed Mohamed, Krista Chomicki and Peter Dillon

Rebecca North, Department of Chemistry, Trent University, 1600 West Bank Drive, Peterborough, ON K9J 7B8 Canada; Phone: (705) 748-1011, Ext. 7243; E-mail: rebeccanorth@trentu.ca.

Mohamed Mohamed, Environmental Monitoring & Reporting Branch Ontario Ministry of the Environment, 125 Resources Rd, Etobicoke, ON M9P 3V6 Canada; Phone: (416) 235-6108; E-mail: Mohamed.Mohamed2@ontario.ca.

Krista Chomicki, Dept. of Biology University of Waterloo, 200 University Ave W, Waterloo, ON N2L 3G1 Canada; Phone: (416) 235-6567; E-mail: Krista.Chomicki@ontario.ca.

Peter Dillon, 1. Department of Chemistry, Trent University, 1600 West Bank Drive, Peterborough, ON K9J 7B8 Canada; Phone: (705) 748-1011, Ext. 7536; E-mail: pdillon@trentu.ca.

Human population growth has initiated a variety of changes in land use in the watersheds of large lakes. Increased urbanization, agricultural activities and changes to wetlands have large impacts on the form and types of nutrients produced and how they are transported through aquatic systems. This session will investigate the relationships between land use and source, processing, fate and transport of nutrients to large lake systems. Land uses include, but are not limited to urban, agricultural, forested, and wetlands. The overall goal of this session is to link nutrient management in the watershed with down-stream in situ water quality and its impacts on aquatic biota. We invite contributions from studies which investigate nutrient cycling and application in terrestrial, wetland, and aquatic ecosystems. We would like to better understand nutrient movement from the land to the lake in order to understand processes in aquatic eutrophication.

Session 7. Nearshore Issues: Connecting the Dots

Chaired by James Morris and Charles Peters

James Morris, 6480 Doubletree Ave, Columbus, OH 43229-1111 USA; Phone: (614) 430-7702; Fax: (614) 430-7777; E-mail: jrmorris@usgs.gov.

Charles Peters, USGS Wisconsin WSC Director, USGS Midwest Area, Middleton, WI 53562-0000; Phone: (608) 821-3810; Fax: (608) 821-3817; E-mail: capeters@usgs.gov.

Nearshore water quality and processes are affected by a number of factors and inputs along the continuum from watersheds to river mouths to nearshore environments. This session invites papers dealing with studies that illustrate the connections between nearshore issues such as recreational water quality, nutrients, habitat, and human health and those factors and inputs.

Session 8. Hypoxia in the Great Lakes: Detection and Prediction

Chaired by Val Klump, David Dolan and Joseph DePinto

Val Klump, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, School of Freshwater Sciences, Milwaukee, WI 53204 USA; Phone: (414) 382-1700; E-mail: vklump@uwm.edu.

David Dolan, University of Wisconsin - Green Bay, Natural and Applied Sciences, Green Bay, WI 54311 USA; Phone: (920) 465-2986; E-mail: doland@uwgb.edu.

Joseph DePinto, LimnoTech, 501 Avis Drive, Ann Arbor, MI 48108 USA; Phone: (734) 332-1200; E-mail: jdepinto@limno.com.

This session will feature presentations that highlight recent investigations in Lake Erie, Green Bay and Saginaw Bay that monitor and/or model oxygen depletion and associated sediment-water interactions due to physical and biochemical processes. Contributors are encouraged to discuss and compare hypoxia problems in these and other locations and include the potential effects of climate change in their analysis.

Session 9. Quantifying Cumulative Effects to Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Tributaries Through Regional Monitoring

Chaired by Les Stanfield

Les Stanfield, 41 hatchery lane, Ministry of Natural Resources, Picton, ON K0K 2T0 Canada; Phone: 613-476-8777; E-mail: Les.Stanfield@ontario.ca.

The objective of this session is to bring together researchers from around the basin who are working on this challenging question. Papers would include study design to facilitate regional modeling; approaches to addressing scaling issues; fragmentation; managing all this data - approaches for collaboration; communication of the results to affect change.

Session 10. Beach Water Quality and Human Health

Chaired by David Rockwell and Sonia Joshi

David Rockwell, 755 Raintree Drive, Naperville, IL 60540 USA; Phone: (630) 219-3537; E-mail: dcrockwe@umich.edu.

Sonia Joshi, 4840 South State Road, Ann Arbor, MI 48108 USA; Phone: (734) 741-2283; E-mail: sonia.joseph@noaa.gov.

Current beach water quality monitoring has a time delay of up to 48 hours between sample collection and water quality reporting. This may lead to swimming at coastal beaches when bacteria levels pose health threats or losses in local revenue due to inaccurate beach water quality postings. Papers presenting investigative studies leading to healthy beaches by identification of bacterial sources, predictive decision support systems enabling beach managers to reduce errors in managing swimming, sampling methodology optimizing information within a limited budget, and data management systems for beach water quality are invited.

Session 11. Eutrophication Management in the Great Lakes: Past, Present and Future

Chaired by Steven Chapra and David Dolan

Steven Chapra, Tufts University, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Medford, MA 02155 USA; Phone: (617) 627-3654; E-mail: schapr01@tufts.edu.

David Dolan, University of Wisconsin - Green Bay, Natural and Applied Sciences, Green Bay, WI 54311 USA; Phone: (920) 465-2986; E-mail: doland@uwgb.edu.

This session will feature presentations that review the current status of phosphorus management in the Great Lakes. The success of data collection efforts and models that were used to support target phosphorus loads for the Great Lakes and their utility today as ongoing management tools will be examined. Recommendations on the need for improvements in monitoring and reporting based on the collective experience of investigators will be sought. The session will also include presentations related to Great Lakes ecosystem changes that have occurred that require modifications for future monitoring, modeling, and strategies related to managing the Great Lakes.

Session 12. Linkages Between the Landscape and Great Lakes Coastal Ecosystems

Chaired by James Larson, Jeff Schaeffer, William Richardson and Paul Seelbach

James Larson, 2630 Fanta Reed Road, La Crosse, WI 54603; Phone: (608) 781-6268; E-mail: jhlarson@usgs.gov.

Jeff Schaeffer, 1451 Green Rdd, Ann Arbor, MI 48105; Phone: (734) 214-7250; E-mail: Jeff_Schaeffer@usgs.gov.

William Richardson, 2630 Fanta Reed Rd., La Crosse, WI 54603; Phone: (608) 781-6451; E-mail: wrichardson@usgs.gov.

Paul Seelbach, 1451 Green Road, Ann Arbor, MI 48105; Phone: (734) 214-7253; E-mail: pseelbach@usgs.gov.

Rivermouth ecosystems are the last link in the chain that connects terrestrial activities to the nearshore of the Great Lakes. These areas of river-lake mixing are diverse in both structure and function, but as a class remain poorly explored. This session will include both technical talks and cafe-style discussions that explore the large scale drivers of ecosystem structure and function in rivermouth ecosystems and the role these systems play in the regional economy and ecology.

Session 13. Assessment of Progress Made Towards Restoring and Maintaining Great Lakes Water Quality Since 1987

Chaired by Victor Serveiss

Victor Serveiss, Environmental Adviser- US section- International Joint Commission, 2000 L Street, NW, #615, Washington, NY 20036 USA; Phone: (202) 736-9017; E-mail: serveissv@Washington.IJC.org.

The Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement was last amended in 1987 and is being renewed in 2012. Using indicators of chemical, physical, and biological integrity, we examine the progress made towards restoring and maintaining Great Lakes Water Quality during the quarter century between renewals of the Agreement. Following a couple summary talks discussing overall trends of biological, chemical, and physical integrity, subsequent presentations will cover findings for several of the analyzed indicators. The International Joint Commission released a draft report in 2011 that showed mostly favorable or stable results among seven indicators of chemical integrity since 1987. Reductions in chemical concentrations were observed in herring gull eggs, fish, mussels, and sediments from 1987-2000, with no discernable trends since 2000. Biological indicators had mixed results. The burrowing mayfly and lake sturgeon have started to return, but lake trout populations are consistent with 1987 populations. Diporeia, a key part of the aquatic food web, has almost disappeared and other adverse food web alterations are apparent. Surface water temperature, a physical indicator, are rising. Additional indicators showing trends over time will also be presented. The Commission plans to release a final report in 2012 that will include recommendations towards development of a core set of indicators to continue monitoring in order to track progress and inform decision making. The Commission continues to appreciate comments on its draft report.

Session 14. Multi-media Assessment of Toxics in the Great Lakes 2012

Chaired by Bernard Crimmins and Sean Backus

Bernard Crimmins, 11981 Price Street NE, Alliance, OH 44601; Phone: (202)-368-6926; E-mail: bcrimmin@clarkson.edu.

Sean Backus, 867 Lakeshore Road, Burlington, ON L7R 4A6 Canada; Phone: (905) 336-464; E-mail: sean.backus@ec.gc.ca.

The Great Lakes system has a rich history of chemical monitoring and exploration, serving as a sentinel for contamination of freshwater systems. Determining the fate of legacy (PCBs, OCPs) and emerging (siloxanes, PFCs, and OP/Br flame retardants) contaminants requires understanding contributions from multiple media. The current session attempts to highlight the progress of current Great Lakes chemical monitoring programs developing a top down snap-shot (air, water, biota, sediment) of toxics in the Great Lakes system.

Session 15. Approaches for Contaminant Exposure and Effects Assessment in Large Lakes and River Systems

Chaired by Paul Helm and Alice Dove

Paul Helm, 125 Resources Road, Ontario Ministry of the Environment, Toronto, ON M9P 3V6 Canada; Phone: (416) 235-6131; E-mail: Paul.Helm@Ontario.ca.

Alice Dove, Environment Canada, 867 Lakeshore Road, Burlington, ON L7R 4A6 Canada; Phone: (905) 336-4449; E-mail: Alice.Dove@ec.gc.ca.

A wide range of past- and current-use chemical contaminants and mixtures are present in and entering the Great Lakes and large river systems. There is a need to compliment chemical specific measurements with alternative assessment techniques to examine exposure and possible ecosystem health effects of these compounds and mixtures. This session aims to bring together a broad community of researchers examining assessment approaches and analytical techniques for environmental screening, identifying new compounds, identifying & applying markers of exposure, and developing & applying indicators of effects in Great Lakes and riverine aquatic biota.

Session 16. The History of Water Pollution Issues in the St. Lawrence River

Chaired by Peter V. Hodson Department of Biology and School of Environmental Studies, and David Carpenter

Peter V. Hodson Department of Biology and School of Environmental Studies,, Queen's University, Kingston,, ON K7L 3N6; Phone: (613) 533-6129; E-mail: peter.hodson@queensu.ca.

David Carpenter, University of Albany, SUNY, Rensselaer, NY 12144 USA; Phone: (518) 525-2660; Fax: (518) 525-2665; E-mail: dcarpenter@albany.edu.

Session focus: The state of St. Lawrence River ecosystems reflects current and historical environmental stressors. Only by recognizing and understanding the impacts of past activities can we understand conditions today. This session will focus on evidence of past stressors that have affected the St. Lawrence River ecosystem. Papers are invited that analyze long term data sets to describe trends in levels of stressors (e.g., industrial discharges, land-use practices, chemical pollutants, channelization, habitat destruction, etc ), water or sediment quality (eutrophication, sediment core analysis, chemical concentrations in fish and birds), and ecosystem structure and function (changes to benthos, fish and bird populations and communities, fisheries productivity etc). Spatial studies demonstrating the sources and nature of stressors would also be welcome.

Session 17. Mercury Sources, Cycling and Bioaccumulation in the Great Lakes

Chaired by David Lean, David Krabbenhoft and Reed Harris

David Lean, Lean Environmental, P.O. Box 309, Apsley, ON K0L1A0 Canada; Phone: (613) 889-0528; E-mail: drslean@gmail.com.

David Krabbenhoft, 8505 Research Way, Middleton, WI 53562 USA; Phone: 608-821-3843; Fax: 608-821-3817; E-mail: dpkrabbe@usgs.gov.

Reed Harris, 180 Forestwood Drive, Oakville, ON L6J4E6 Canada; Phone: 905 339 0763; E-mail: reed@reed-harris.com.

Mercury has been recognized for decades as a problematic contaminant of aquatic biological resources across the Great Lakes, and while bi-national efforts have been effective for reducing some external loads, concentrations in sport and commercial fisheries still commonly exceed levels of concern for human and wildlife consumption. This session seeks to bring multi-disciplinary (air, water, sediments and biota) information on mercury and methylmercury sources, cycling, and bioaccumulation in the Great Lakes. Targeted speakers would be sought to represent a complete scientific picture of our current understanding as well as at least one speaker who can represent current relevant policy issues.

Session 18. Lake Ontario Ecosystem: Status and Future Directions

Chaired by Mohiuddin Munawar, Lars Rudstam and Marten Koops

Mohiuddin Munawar, Fisheries & Oceans Canada, 867 Lakeshore Road, Burlington, ON L7R 4A6 Canada; Phone: (905)336-4867; E-mail: mohi.munawar@dfo-mpo.gc.ca.

Lars Rudstam, Cornell Biological Field Station, 900 Shackelton Point Road, Bridgeport, NY 13030 USA; Phone: (315) 633-9243; E-mail: rudstam@cornell.edu.

Marten Koops, Fisheries & Oceans Canada, 867 Lakeshore Road, Burlington, ON L7R 4A6 Canada; Phone: (905) 336-4559; E-mail: marten.koops@dfo-mpo.gc.ca.

The Lake Ontario ecosystem is experiencing significant ecological changes. It continues to be impacted by multiple anthropogenic stressors including rapid oligotrophication of the offshore waters, exotic invasions, food web disruptions/alterations, climate change and frequent occurrence of toxic algal blooms in the nearshore waters. Lake wide, binational and multi-agency initiatives have been undertaken for the conservation of Lake Ontario, including the Lake Ontario Lower Aquatic Food Web Study (LOLA) conducted during 2003 and 2008 and also the Lake Ontario Nearshore Nutrient Transfer Study (LONNS) conducted during 2008-09. This special session is designed to focus on the ecology of Lake Ontario and its management during the past decade as well as monitoring the ecosystem health of Lake Ontario in the future.

Session 19. Chip Weseloh Tribute Session - 35 Years of Great Lakes Wildlife Research

Chaired by Craig Hebert

Craig Hebert, Environment Canada, 1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, ON K1A 0H3 Canada; Phone: (613) 998-6693; Fax: (613) 998-0458; E-mail: craig.hebert@ec.gc.ca.

Dr. Chip Weseloh of the Canadian Wildlife Service is retiring after 35 years of wildlife research on the Great Lakes. A cross-section of Chip's collaborators will present examples highlighting his significant contributions to Great Lakes wildlife science. This will include examples of how his work has transcended the Great Lakes to influence research activities in other regions.

Session 20. Native Species Protection and Restoration in the Great Lakes: Progress and Issues

Chaired by Tom Stewart and Chris Wilson

Tom Stewart, Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, RR # 4, Picton, ON K0K2T0 Canada; Phone: (613) 476-1749; E-mail: tom.stewart@ontario.ca.

Chris Wilson, Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources Trent University, 2140 East Bank Drive, DNA Building, Peterborough, ON K9J 7B8 Canada; Phone: (705) 755 2260; E-mail: chris.wilson@ontario.ca.

Efforts to restore the Great Lakes have been very sucessful but challenges remain. The ecology of the Great Lakes has changed. Many native species have been lost or are threatened, non-native species have naturalized and are valued and new introduced species continue to colonize. At the same time, efforts to restore and protect native species continue. We invite papers that demonstrate progress in native species restoration and protection in the Great Lakes or address associated science or managment issues.

Session 22. Changing Face of Harmful Algal Blooms

Chaired by Greg Boyer and Sue Watson

Greg Boyer, State University of New York, ESF, Syracuse, NY 13210 usa; Phone: (315)470-6855; Fax: (315)470-6856; E-mail: glboyer@esf.edu.

Sue Watson, National Water Institute, Environment Canada, Burlington, ON LR7 4A6 Canada; Phone: (905) 336-4759; Fax: (905) 336-4999; E-mail: Sue.Watson@ec.gc.ca.

This session will focus on the new research, techniques and approaches for the study of benthic and pelagic harmful algal blooms in the Great Lakes. Presentations on proposed mechanisms for bloom formation, monitoring techniques and human and ecosystem health aspects are all encouraged.

Session 23. Coastal Zone Ecology

Chaired by Jon Midwood, Amanda Fracz, Maja Cvetkovic and Agnes Richards

Jon Midwood, 48 Kipling Rd., Hamilton, ON L8S3X5 Canada; Phone: 905-525-9140, Ext. 27461; Fax: 905-522-6066; E-mail: midwoojd@mcmaster.ca.

Amanda Fracz, McMaster Dept. Biology, 1280 Main St. W., Hamilton, ON L8S2K1 Canada; Phone: 905-525-9140, Ext. 27461; Fax: 905-522-6066; E-mail: fracza@mcmaster.ca.

Maja Cvetkovic, McMaster Dept. Biology, 1280 Main St. W., Hamilton, ON L8S2K1 Canada; Phone: 905-525-9140, Ext. 27461; Fax: 905-522-6066; E-mail: maja.cvet@gmail.com.

Agnes Richards, Environment Canada, 4905 Dufferin Street, Downsview, ON M5H 5T4 Canada; Phone: (416)739-5928; E-mail: Agnes.Richards@ec.gc.ca.

Coastal areas are exceptionally diverse yet often threatened. Topics should focus on: species that are dependent on coastal areas, establishing linkages between species and their environment, and coastal habitat in general.

Session 24. The Past, Present and Future of the Ottawa River

Chaired by Adrienne Ethier and Renee Silke

Adrienne Ethier, AECL CRL Stn 700D, Chalk River, ON K0J 1J0 Canada; Phone: (613) 584-3311, Ext. 46631; Fax: (613) 584-8232; E-mail: ethiera@aecl.ca.

Renee Silke, AECL CRL Stn 34, Chalk River, ON K0J 1J0 Canada; Phone: (613) 584-3311, Ext. 43889; Fax: (613) 584-8232; E-mail: silker@aecl.ca.

The Ottawa River is the largest tributary of the St. Lawrence River and the second largest river in eastern Canada. Its watershed is part of the Great Lakes St. Lawrence drainage basin and covers an area of 140,000km2, with approximately 35% of the watershed located in Ontario and 65% in Québec. This session will look broadly at this richly historic waterway and how past and current uses of the Ottawa River continue to influence the ecological health of the River itself and the communities along its shores. It will provide an overview of Ottawa River research, including monitoring, modelling, industrial contamination sources, and municipal sewage. As well, it will examine the challenging policy issues affecting a river bordered by two different provinces.

Session 26. Great Lakes Phytoplankton and Benthic Algae in a Changing Ecosystem

Chaired by Ralph Smith and Susan Watson

Ralph Smith, Biology Dept., U. Waterloo, Waterloo, ON N2L 3G1 Canada; Phone: (519) 888-4567, Ext. 32468; Fax: (519) 746-0614; E-mail: rsmith@uwaterloo.ca.

Susan Watson, Environment Canada, N.W.R.I., 867 Lakeshore Rd., Burlington, ON L7R 4A6 Canada; Phone: (905) 336-4759; Fax: (905) 336-4999; E-mail: Sue.Watson@ec.gc.ca.

The Great Lakes are manifesting clear signs of a profound regime shift. An increased frequency of severe and often erratic benthic and planktonic algal blooms in some regions contrasts with an apparent oligotrophication of the offshore and destabilised lower foodweb communities. Debate continues about the roles of nutrients, thermal regime, and invasive species in these events. There is a clear need for robust characterisation of the underlying processes. New and emerging techniques for efficient and informative investigation of planktonic and benthic algal communities continue to develop but there is need to evaluate and integrate these methods with more traditional approaches. This session invites contributions that address the changing dynamics of phytoplankton and benthic algae, their relationship to ecosystem properties, and the development of new approaches to a predictive understanding of these important determinants of production and water quality.

Session 27. Wetlands Services: Diversity, Productivity and Aesthetics of St. Lawrence and Great Lakes Shorelines

Chaired by Christiane Hudon

Christiane Hudon, 105 mcGill street, Montreal, QC H2Y 2E7 Canada; Phone: (514) 283-6195; Fax: (514) 496-7398; E-mail: christiane.hudon@ec.gc.ca.

The session focuses on the wide range of highly valuable services provided by riverine and lacustrine wetlands, including their structural, functional and socio-cultural aspects. These valuable traits encompass landscape heterogeneity, species diversity, physical habitat, carbon and nutrient processing, water epuration as well as recreational and spiritual values, to name a few.

Session 28. Native and Non-native Invertebrates: Biology, Ecology and Role in Food Webs

Chaired by Alicia Perez-Fuentetaja and Jérôme Marty

Alicia Perez-Fuentetaja, Biology Dept. and Great Lakes Center, Science 254, 1300 Elmwood Ave., Buffalo, NY 14222 USA; Phone: (716) 878-4608; Fax: (716) 878-4028; E-mail: perezfa@buffalostate.edu.

Jérôme Marty, St Lawrence River Institute, 2 Belmont Street, Cornwall, ON K6H 4Z1 Canada; Phone: (613) 936-6620, Ext. 227; Fax: (613) 936-5935; E-mail: jmarty@riverinstitute.ca.

This session aims to provide a forum for a variety of research on freshwater invertebrates and to allow for comparisons between native and non-native species. Topics related to novel biological aspects of invertebrates, their ecology and their interactions are welcome, including studies on their role on contaminant transfer.

Session 29. Atlantic Salmon Restoration - Tools and Techniques, Challenges and Solutions, Partnerships and Progress

Chaired by Marion Daniels and Chris Robinson

Marion Daniels, 300 Water St., Peterborough, ON K9J 8M5 Canada; Phone: (705) 755-1345; E-mail: marion.daniels@ontario.ca.

Chris Robinson, Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters, Peterborough, ON K9J 8L5; Phone: (705) 748-6477, Ext. 237; E-mail: chris_robinson@ofah.org.

In many parts of the world, Atlantic salmon populations are in decline or have been lost, primarily as a result of habitat alterations and other changes to their environments. Consequently, a number of large-scale, high-profile restoration projects are now underway to rehabilitate or restore Atlantic salmon stocks. The purpose of this symposium is to share knowledge, ideas and experiences to help enhance the success of Atlantic salmon restoration efforts. The symposium will examine challenges to restoration and offer practical solutions and approaches. The symposium will showcase restoration projects, highlight the effects changing physical, chemical and ecological environments, report on research and monitoring efforts and describe tools and techniques for Atlantic salmon restoration. The symposium will also explore the important roles of partnerships, community involvement and public outreach in the restoration process.

Session 30. Waterbird Studies in Great Lakes Rivers: Populations, Contaminants, Management and Ecology

Chaired by Chip Weseloh, Lee Harper and Scott Rush

Chip Weseloh, Canadian Wildlife Service, 4905 Dufferin St., Toronto, ON M3H 5T4 Canada; Phone: (416)-739-5846; Fax: (416)-739-5845; E-mail: chip.weseloh@ec.gc.ca.

Lee Harper, Riveredge Associates, 58 Old River Rd., Massena, NY 13662 USA; Phone: (315)-323-2525; E-mail: lharper1@twcny.rr.com.

Scott Rush, Great Lakes Institute for Environmental Research, 401 Sunset Avenue, Windsor, ON N9B 3P4 Canada; Phone: (216)-904-2439; E-mail: srush@uwindsor.ca.

For the Great Lakes basin, lacustrine components tend to overshadow elements of the main rivers. Bird populations which inhabit rivers are an often overlooked part of these systems. The five main rivers (the connecting channels) of the Great Lakes, i.e. the St. Marys, St.Clair, Detroit, Niagara and St. Lawrence, all harbour various species and numbers of breeding waterbirds. These include gulls, terns, cormorants, herons, rails, ducks, geese, cranes, etc. Several aspects of these rivers differentiate them from the big lakes, facilitating the annual cycles of these waterbird species. For instance, along with important breeding grounds, most of these rivers remain unfrozen during the winter, providing refugia for wintering birds, especially waterfowl and gulls. These larger rivers also serve as migration corridors for many species. Further, most of these rivers have been designated as Areas of Concern due to their beneficial use impairments. The goal of this session is to identify and showcase as many of these ornithological aspects of the Great Lakes Rivers as speakers are willing to put forth.

Session 31. Yellow Perch in the Great Lakes - St. Lawrence River System : Recent Responses to Different Stressors and Management Decisions

Chaired by Pierre Dumont and Yves Mailhot

Pierre Dumont, Ministère des Ressources naturelles et de la Faune du Québec, Direction de l’expertise Faune-Forêts-Mines-Territoire de l’Estrie-Montréal-Montérégie et de Laval-Lanaudière-Laurentides, Longueuil, QC J4K 2T5 Canada; Phone: 450 928 7608 , Ext. 308; Fax: 450 928 7541 ; E-mail: pierre.dumont2@mrnf.gouv.qc.ca .

Yves Mailhot, Ministère des Ressources naturelles et de la Faune, 100, rue Laviolette, bureau 207, 2è étage, Trois Rivières, QC G9A 5S9 Canada; Phone: 819 371-6151, Ext. 338; Fax: 819-371-6978; E-mail: yves.mailhot@mrnf.gouv.qc.ca.

Yellow Perch is an ecologically and economically important fish species in the Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence River. In the past 40 years, dramatic variation in yellow perch population abundance and distribution has been observed throughout their range in this large watershed. Many factors are thought to influence yellow perch dynamics, over short and long time scales, including water quality, physical habitat, predator-prey relationships (mainly involving walleye, northern pike and, more recently, double-crested cormorant), invasive species and, likely the most studied factor, fisheries. Recent observations showed that eutrophication-induced changes to food webs, complicating assessment, management and recovery. The aims of this session are to present the recent knowledge (1) on the factors governing the Yellow Perch population dynamics, (2) the observed responses to the management measures implemented and (3) to stimulate the discussion on the relationships between natural and anthropogenic stressors.

Session 32. Lake Simcoe: Bringing the Science Together

Chaired by Joelle Young, Michelle Palmer and Véronique Hiriart-Baer

Joelle Young, 125 Resources Road, Toronto, ON M9P 3V6 Canada; Phone: (416) 327-4864; Fax: (416) 327-6519; E-mail: joelle.young@ontario.ca.

Michelle Palmer, 125 Resources Road, Toronto, ON M9P 3V6 Canada; Phone: (416) 327-3466; Fax: (416) 327-6519; E-mail: michelle.palmer@ontario.ca.

Véronique Hiriart-Baer, 867 Lakeshore Road, P.O. Box 5050, Burlington, ON L7R 4A6 Canada; Phone: (905) 336-6447; Fax: (905) 336-4699; E-mail: Veronique.Hiriart-Baer@ec.gc.ca.

Lake Simcoe, the largest inland lake in south-central Ontario, Canada, has been degraded by human activities over the last 200 years. In response, a significant amount of research by its provincial and federal governments, and academics, has been dedicated to understanding the processes and mechanisms by which human activities and other stressors impact this large lake. Through both historical examination of trends and current studies, papers in our proposed session will highlight this research focusing on the connectivity among Lake Simcoe's watershed, tributaries and the lake, as well as making comparisons with ecosystems of other large lakes.

Session 49. Aquatic Habitat Restoration and Management in the Great Lakes

Chaired by John Farrell and Kevin Kapuscinski

John Farrell, SUNY-ESF, 250 Illick Hall, Syracuse, NY 13210 USA; Phone: (315) 470-6990; Fax: (315) 470-6934; E-mail: jmfarrell@esf.edu.

Kevin Kapuscinski, SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry, 241 Illick Hall, Syracuse, NY 13210 USA; Phone: (315) 470-4819; E-mail: kevin.kapuscinski@gmail.com.

We are interested in submissions regarding holistic perspectives on the theory, application, and scientific evaluation of aquatic habitat restoration in the Great Lakes and we would like you to consider participating in this event. Are ecological restoration targets and management goals and desired outcomes being realized? Are there broader mechanistic or cascading ecological responses that can influence organization of biota within the Great Lakes? We plan to explore state-of-the-art restoration approaches from an ecological perspective. With the recent Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) and a growing interest and action in remediation of degraded habitat, there is a need to critically examine ecological responses to enhancement measures. We encourage participation from scientists and managers to exchange ideas and findings relative to how ecological processes, fisheries, and faunal linkages are influenced by restoration and management.

Session 55. Fisheries Assessment and Management

Chaired by Alastair Mathers

Alastair Mathers, Ministry of Natural Resources, Picton, OH K0K 2T0; Phone: (613) 476-8733; E-mail: alastair.mathers@ontario.ca.

Fish talks

Session 33. Aquatic Invasive Species in the Great Lakes: Spread, Population Dynamics and Ecological Impact

Chaired by Alexander Karatayev and Lyubov Burlakova

Alexander Karatayev, Great Lakes Center, Buffalo State College, 1300 Elmwood Ave., Buffalo, NY 14214 USA; Phone: (716) 878-5423; Fax: (716) 878-6644; E-mail: karataay@buffalostate.edu.

Lyubov Burlakova, Great Lakes Center, Buffalo State College, 1300 Elmwood Ave., Buffalo, NY 14222 USA; Phone: (716) 878-4504; Fax: (716) 878-6644; E-mail: burlakle@buffalostate.edu.

Invasive species continue to spread around the world, especially across large lakes, where the human activities facilitate their introduction and spread. Many invasive species can induce community changes and effect ecosystem functioning, threatening survival of native species. Prediction of the introduction of new invaders, understanding the rate of spread of introduced species, their impact on native species, and their role in invaded ecosystems are all critically important for effective conservation and management of the Great Lakes. This session will explore the spread of invasive species in the Great Lakes and their tributaries, as well as in other freshwater ecosystems, population dynamics of old and new invaders, and their ecological impacts.

Session 34. Risk Assessment and Response to Aquatic Invasive Species

Chaired by Jeff Brinsmead and Brenda Koenig

Jeff Brinsmead, Biodiversity Branch- Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, 300 Water St., 2nd Floor North, P.O. Box 7000, Peterborough, ON K9J 8M5 Canada; Phone: (705) 755-5424; Fax: (705) 755-2168; E-mail: jeff.brinsmead@ontario.ca.

Brenda Koenig, Biodiversity Branch- Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, 300 Water St., 5th Floor North, P.O. Box 7000, Peterborough, ON K9J 8M5 Canada; Phone: (705) 755-1904; Fax: (705) 755-1957; E-mail: brenda.koenig@ontario.ca.

Invasive species are a serious threat to biodiversity and have been cited as the second most common cause of declines in aquatic species at risk. The socio-economic impacts of invasive species are also considerable. The cost of managing zebra mussels in Ontario is estimated to be between $75 and 91 million annually. With 186 non-native species, the impacts of invasive species on the Great Lakes are considerable. This session proposes to explore the important aspects of preventing new invasions and managing species that are already established. The science behind the assessment of biological risk and the socio-economic analysis of risk will be discussed. By identifying potential invaders and pathways that are a high risk to the Great Lakes ecosystem and inland waters, limited resources can be focused on research and prevention related to these priority species and pathways. Unfortunately, not all invasive species introductions can be prevented. Thus, research on new management and response techniques and their efficacy is essential. Initial response techniques to contain or eradicate newly arrived species are critical in preventing the establishment of invasive species. However, the management of established invasive species is equally important to control species numbers, impacts and spread. The management of pathways is necessary to prevent new introductions and the spread of existing invasive species.

Session 36. Large Lake Climate in a Global Context

Chaired by Brent Lofgren and Jia Wang

Brent Lofgren, NOAA/GLERL, 4840 S. State Rd., Ann Arbor, MI 48108 USA; Phone: (734) 741-2383; Fax: (734) 741-2055; E-mail: Brent.Lofgren@noaa.gov.

Jia Wang, NOAA/GLERL, 4840 S. State Rd., Ann Arbor, MI 48108 USA; Phone: (734) 741-2281; Fax: (734) 741-2055; E-mail: Jia.Wang@noaa.gov.

Climate variability in large lakes of the world is influenced by forcing mechanisms that extend well beyond the region in which they are situated. These forcings include teleconnection patterns, such as the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) and ENSO (El Nino and Southern Oscillation), climate change due to global budgets of greenhouse gases, or paleoclimate phenomena due to orbital parameters. The time scales of these effects can range from seasonal to multiple millenia. This session invites observational and modeling studies that investigate either individual climate subsystems (atmosphere, hydrodynamics, lake ice, ecosystems, and land processes/hydrology) or interactions among the climate subsystems. Papers are also welcome on adaption approaches, for either human or natural systems, in response to future climate change.

Session 37. Climate Change: Modelling, Vulnerability, Adaptation and Mitigation

Chaired by Eleanor Stainsby, Scott MacRitchie and Allan Douglas

Eleanor Stainsby, 125 Resources Road, Etobicoke, ON M9P 3V6 Canada; Phone: (416) 327-6535; Fax: (416) 327-6519; E-mail: eleanor.stainsby@ontario.ca.

Scott MacRitchie, 125 Resources Road, Etobicoke, ON M9P 3V6 Canada; Phone: (416) 235-6533; E-mail: scott.macritchie@ontario.ca.

Allan Douglas, OCCIAR- MIRARCO/Laurentian University, 935 Ramsey Lake Road, Sudbury, ON P3E 2C6 Canada; Phone: (705) 675-1151, Ext. 1506; Fax: (705) 675-4838; E-mail: adouglas@mirarco.org.

The session will focus on the many facets of climate change from modelling to vulnerability assessment to adaptation and mitigation.

Session 38. Interactions Between Climate and the Energy and Water Balance of Lakes and Their Watersheds

Chaired by John Lenters, Peter Blanken, Andrew Gronewold and Christopher Spence

John Lenters, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE 68583-0987; Phone: (402) 304-0166; E-mail: jlenters2@unl.edu.

Peter Blanken, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309-0260; Phone: (303) 492-8310; E-mail: blanken@colorado.edu.

Andrew Gronewold, NOAA GLERL, Ann Arbor, MI 48108; Phone: (734) 741-2444; E-mail: drew.gronewold@noaa.gov.

Christopher Spence, Environment Canada, Saskatoon, SK S7N 3H5; Phone: (306) 975-6907; E-mail: chris.spence@ec.gc.ca.

Climate variability and change have important effects on the hydrology of lakes and their surrounding watersheds. Similarly, large lakes and lake-dominated landscapes can have a significant feedback on the regional climate. This session encourages observational and model-based studies that examine lake/watershed energy and water balance processes (precipitation, evaporation, streamflow, etc.), thermodynamic and hydrologic states (water temperature, snow/ice cover, lake level, etc.), and interactions with the regional climate (lake-effect snow, land/lake breezes, air mass modification, etc.).

Session 40. Remote Sensing, Visualization, and Spatial Data Applications for the Great Lakes

Chaired by George Leshkevich and Robert Shuchman

George Leshkevich, NOAA/Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory, 4840 South State Road, Ann Arbor, MI 48108 USA; Phone: (734) 741-2265; Fax: (734) 741-2055; E-mail: george.leshkevich@noaa.gov.

Robert Shuchman, Michigan Tech Research Institute, 3600 Green Court, Suite 100, Ann Arbor, MI 48105 USA; Phone: (734) 913-6860; Fax: (734) 913-6880; E-mail: shuchman@mtu.edu.

Contributions are invited on all aspects of remote sensing (including data collection, data analysis/interpretation, data applications, etc.) in the Great Lakes or other large lakes from satellite, airborne, ship, or other platforms. Presentations highlighting the role of remote sensing in interdisciplinary studies are encouraged, as are presentations describing the utilization of new or innovative sensors (such as scatterometer, hyperspectral, or acoustic) or techniques (such as data fusion and data visualization) for research or operational use.

Session 41. Ecological Tracers in Great Lakes/St. Lawrence River Food Webs

Chaired by Tim Johnson, Aaron Fisk and Gilbert Cabana

Tim Johnson, Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, 41 Hatchery Lane, Picton, ON K0K 2T0 Canada; Phone: (613) 476-7718; Fax: (613) 476-7131; E-mail: tim.johnson@ontario.ca.

Aaron Fisk, University of Windsor, 401 Sunset Ave, Windsor, ON N9B 3P4 Canada; Phone: (519) 253-3000, Ext. 4740; Fax: (519) 971-3616; E-mail: afisk@uwindsor.ca.

Gilbert Cabana, CP 500, Trois-Rivieres, QC G9A 5H7 Canada; Phone: (819) 376 2545; Fax: (819) 376-2545 ; E-mail: gilbert.cabana@uqtr.ca.

Ecological tracers (stable isotopes, fatty acids, contaminants) greatly expand the resolution of trophic interactions and provide insights into processes and mechanisms in food web studies. This session will bring together researchers from around the Great Lakes basin who are using ecological tracers to characterise trophic structure, physiologic rates, organismal health, and other applications. Presentations can include laboratory, field, and theoretical studies that utilise ecological tracers to understand food webs in the Great Lakes and the Saint-Lawrence River.

Session 43. Large Vessel Research Capability and Program History on the Laurentian Great Lakes

Chaired by Brian Lantry and Tom Stewart

Brian Lantry, USGS Lake Ontario Biological Station, 17 Lake St., Oswego, NY 13126 US; Phone: (315) 343-3951, Ext. 6518; Fax: (315) 342-8065; E-mail: bflantry@usgs.gov.

Tom Stewart, OMNR Lake Ontario Management Unit, RR # 4, Picton, ON K0K 2T0 Canada; Phone: (613) 532-5550; E-mail: tom.stewart@ontario.ca.

Availability and coordination of large vessel potential on the Great Lakes is an issue that frequently arises at times of great ecosystem change and budgetary constraints. Vessel capacity continues to change and for several areas has increased, been enhanced or otherwise modernized. In this session we seek to present an overview/history of the Great Lakes research fleet, examine the current vessel capacity, current programs in operation, agency and researcher needs, and opportunities to enhance existing programs with either new research or sampling added on to existing operations.

Session 44. Watching Our Waters: Observing Systems and More in the Great Lakes/St. Lawrence Basin

Chaired by Theodore Slawecki and Joanne Hamel

Theodore Slawecki, LimnoTech, 501 Avis Drive, Ann Arbor, MI 48108 United States; Phone: 7343321200; Fax: 7343321212; E-mail: tad@limno.com.

Joanne Hamel, Observatoire global du Saint-Laurent, 310, Allée des Ursulines, Rimouski, QC G5L 3A1 Canada; Phone: (418) 723-8372 , Ext. 1194; Fax: (418) 724-1842; E-mail: hamelj@ogsl.ca.

Ecosystem management requires an understanding of processes, current state, trends, and relies on prospective scenarios that are built on measurements of the environment. Our region's network of observing and monitoring activities includes the use of buoys, weather stations, tide gauges, water quality stations, remote sensing and much more. Such activities are coordinated through the Great Lakes Observing System (glos.us) or the St. Lawrence Global Observatory (slgo.ca). This session welcomes presenters who provide, manage, consume or present data and information products based on observing systems in the Great Lakes / St. Lawrence area along with their own research or management endeavours.

Session 45. Education and Outreach

Chaired by Rochelle Sturtevant

Rochelle Sturtevant, 4840 South State Road, Ann Arbor, MI 48108 USA; Phone: (734)741-2287; E-mail: rochelle.sturtevant@noaa.gov.

Without up-to-date information, citizens cannot make informed decisions concerning the sustained uses of Great Lakes resources and the conservation and protection of those resources. To have maximum impact, advances in science must be shared with decision makers, legislators, clientele groups, students and citizens in terms they can understand. We encourage the submission of case studies, applied research and examples of the successful transfer of science based information and technology to students, citizens, legislators and clientele groups. Papers that provide information on how you conducted and evaluated successful extension and outreach programs are welcome.

Session 46. From RAPs to a Nearshore Governance Framework

Chaired by Gail Krantzberg and Chris McLaughlin

Gail Krantzberg, 1280 Main St. W, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4K1; Phone: (905) 525-9140, Ext. 22153; E-mail: krantz@mcmaster.ca.

Chris McLaughlin, McMaster Univeristy, hamilton, ON L8S 4K1; Phone: (905) 525-9140, Ext. 22153; E-mail: chris.mclaughlin@mcmaster.ca.

After 24 years of experience in cleaning up Areas of Concern, this workshop-formatted session will dissect what enable implementation to proceed, what got in the way, and what lessons can be transferred to a new governance framework to address the nearshore waters being emphasized in a renewed Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement

Session 47. Great Lakes/St. Lawrence River Basin Sustainable Water Resources Agreement and Great Lakes/St. Lawrence River Basin Water Resources Compact: Linking Science and Policy to Improve Protections for Regional Water Resources

Chaired by Caroline Anderson

Caroline Anderson, 675 Boul. Rene-Levesque Est, Box 42, Quebec, QC G1R5V7 Canada; Phone: (418) 521-3885, Ext. 4820; Fax: (418) 644-2003; E-mail: caroline.anderson@mddep.gouv.qc.ca.

On December 13, 2005, the Great Lakes Governors and Premiers (Parties) signed the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River Basin Sustainable Water Resources Agreement (Agreement). Also, on December 8, 2008, the Great Lakes Governors endorsed the companion Great Lakes - St. Lawrence River Basin Water Resources Compact (Compact), which then became State and federal law. In doing so, the signatory Parties committed themselves to protecting and sustainably managing the waters of the Great Lakes - St. Lawrence River Basin. They agreed to, among other things, adopt the necessary legislative and regulatory measures for enacting the provisions of the Agreement and Compact and develop new tools to strengthen the scientific basis for sound water management decision-making. This session's aim is to present the Parties and their partners' accomplishments in science and policy since enacting the Compact and Agreement.

Session 50. Protected Areas Within and Bordering the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River: Unique Conservation Challenges and Opportunities

Chaired by Chantal Vis and Dan Kraus

Chantal Vis, Parks Canada, 111 Water St. East, Cornwall, ON K6H 6S3 Canada; Phone: (613) 938-5935; Fax: (613) 938-5987; E-mail: chantal.vis@pc.gc.ca.

Dan Kraus, Nature Conservancy of Canada - Ontario Region, RR#5, 5420 Highway 6 North, Guelph, ON N1H 6J2 Canada; Phone: (877) 343-3532, Ext. 228; E-mail: Dan.Kraus@natureconservancy.ca.

The network of protected areas located within (islands and aquatic protected areas) and on the shores of the Great Lakes/St. Lawrence River play an important role in maintaining the biodiversity of species, habitats and ecosystems unique to this system. This session invites contributions that deal with the monitoring, management and restoration of protected areas in the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River including conservation issues arising from within their boundaries such as restoration of native species, invasive species, hyper-abundant species, species at risk, as well as issues arising from outside the protected areas borders such as land-use changes, wind power generation, and changing water levels. Presentations that deal with the broader issues of resilience, connectivity, adaptation to climate change and the role of protected areas in the Great Lakes are also welcome.

Session 51. Managing Flows and Levels in the Great Lakes/St. Lawrence River System for Today and Tomorrow

Chaired by Cindy Warwick, Wendy Leger and David Fay

Cindy Warwick, 234 Laurier Avenue West, Ottawa, ON K1P 6K6 Canada; Phone: 613-995-0185; E-mail: warwickc@ottawa.ijc.org.

Wendy Leger, 867 Lakeshore Road, Burlington, ON L7R 4A6 Canada; Phone: 905-336-4949; E-mail: wendy.leger@ec.gc.ca.

David Fay, 111 Water Street East, Cornwall, ON K6H 6S2 Canada; Phone: 613-938-5725; E-mail: david.fay@ec.gc.ca.

The conference theme - From Great Lakes Flow Mighty Rivers - highlights the importance of the lake-river interface and provides a great venue for the exploration of how that interface is managed when lake levels and river outflows are regulated through man-made control structures such as dams. Since 2000 the International Joint Commission (IJC) has undertaken two major studies on lake-river regulation: The Lake Ontario - St. Lawrence River Study to examine regulation of levels and flows through the Moses-Saunders dam at Cornwall, Ontario and Messina New York and the International Upper Great Lakes Study that has examined the regulation of Lake Superior outflows through the dams on the St. Marys River, changes in conveyance or water-carrying capacity of the St. Clair River (as a connecting channel between Lakes Huron and Erie) and wider questions of multi-lake regulation. These studies have highlighted the technical, environmental, economic, social and political issues associated with regulated systems. The proposed session(s) would include papers that address some of the issues raised and approaches taken for these two projects, highlighting issues such as natural flow methodologies, the potential impacts of climate change and adaptive management, for example: • The IJC and Great Lakes Regulation: The challenges of governing transboundary levels and flows • Regulating to better mimic natural flows in the Lake Ontario - St. Lawrence River system • Update to the management of Lake Superior outflows • An exploratory analysis of multi-lake regulation for addressing climate extremes • An adaptive management approach for managing the risks associated with Great Lakes-St. Lawrence water level changes due to climate change The session(s) would also be an opportunity to hear alternative views or evaluations of these projects, challenges faced and lessons learned from other regulated systems (or regulation proposals) and/or perspectives on efforts to better mimic natural flows or adapt to climate change in these, or other, regulated systems. Estimated number of contributors: 4-9 (4-5 on the IJC work and another 4-5 presenters would be sought on regulated system issues and/or natural flows from outside of the IJC family)

Session 52. Review and Recommendations for Addressing Nearshore Issues - International Joint Commission: 2009- 2011 Priority Cycle

Chaired by John Wilson and Saad Jasim

John Wilson, International Joint Commission, 100 Ouellette Avenue, Windsor, ON N9A 6T3 Canada; Phone: 519-257-6705; Fax: 519-257-6740; E-mail: wilsonj@windsor.ijc.org.

Saad Jasim, IJC - GLRO, 100 Ouellette Ave, Windsor, ON N9A 6T3 Canada; Phone: 519-257-6705; E-mail: jasims@windsor.ijc.org.

The International Joint Commission assembled workgroups of experts from the United States and Canada to study several issues of importance to the nearshore of the Great Lakes. The nearshore is the zone that is subjected to many stressors and is of great importance to the public. This session will present the workgroup’s reviews of problems and recommendations to address the following issues: eutrophication & harmful algal blooms, chemicals of emerging concern, aquatic invasive species, beaches & recreational water quality, and the benefits and risks of fish consumption.