Great Lakes water wars

Race to make the Earth look like the Moon

Posted by Jon Rynn (Guest Contributor) at 9:42 AM on 30 Oct 2007

Read more about: water crisis | water conflicts | severe weather | climate

What with drought threatening large sections of the American West and South, perhaps it should not be surprising to see this article from the Chicago Tribune, "Great Lakes key front in water wars; Western, Southern states covet Midwest resource," in which the reporter warns:

With fresh water supplies dwindling in the West and South, the Great Lakes are the natural-resource equivalent of the fat pension fund, and some politicians are eager to raid it. The lakes contain nearly 20 percent of the world's surface fresh water ... Water levels of the Great Lakes are down substantially, and while that may be part of the historic cycle of ups and downs, water managers argue the region must jealously guard what is here

Even New Mexico Governor and Presidential candidate Bill Richardson couldn't resist the temptation to speculate on using the lakes. Fortunately, there is a concerted attempt to protect them:

Eight Great Lakes-area states, from Minnesota to New York, and two Canadian provinces have proposed a regional water compact that would, among other things, strengthen an existing ban on major water diversions outside the Great Lakes Basin, home to 40 million Americans and Canadians

The New York Times Magazine ran a long story about the problems of water in the West, making it clear to me that any diversion from the Great Lakes would lead to their eventual emptying in order to keep unsustainable lifestyles going, particularly in the Southwest. According to the article, "The Future is Drying Up":

The two problems -- water and energy -- are so intimately linked as to make it exceedingly difficult to tackle one without the other. It isn't just the matter of growing corn for ethanol, which is already straining water supplies. The less water in our rivers, for instance, the less hydropower our dams produce. The further the water tables sink, the more power it takes to pump water up. The more we depend on coal and nuclear power plants, which require huge amounts of water for cooling, the larger the burden we place on supplies.

Another indication that overshooting the carrying capacity of the planet is a holistic affair, involving energy, water, forests, the climate, transportation, agriculture, manufacturing, and that most difficult piece, politics.

For story: Great Lakes water wars
4 Comments | Post a Comment

Not going to happen

The polution and depletion of the great lakes is already a major concern here. Any major diversion of water from the great lakes would likely result, here in Canada, of a major diversion of the snow melt before it reached the great lakes.

If the South West needs more water I think losing the grass on the golf courses and getting rid of most of the fountains and swimming pools might be a good place to start.

by Justinsb at 11:44 AM on 30 Oct 2007

Water Wars? There's a Book on That

Just an FYI, I work with Peter Annin, who recently wrote a book called The Great Lakes Water Wars. While it does seem far fetched that anyone out of basin could lay claim to Great Lakes water, it's important to note that issues like these end up being "death by a thousand cuts." In other words, a state allows one community just outside the watershed to have a little drink, signaling to other, not-quite-in-the-basin communities to ask for more. Besides, water's already flowing out of the Lakes all over in the form of bottles with names like Dasani and Ice Mountain (ironic since we don't have too many mountains here.)

Anyway, there's all kinds of fun facts like these at: www.greatlakeswaterwars.com

by adamhint at 7:09 AM on 31 Oct 2007

Great Lakes Waters, and More...

I created a blog in February, 2007, devoted in large measure to the Great Lakes Compact, and other political and environmental issues that relate to water and land use in Wisconsin and acorss the Great Lakes region.

The URL is: http://thepoliticalenvironment.blogspot.com/

Major recent topics include the failure of the Wisconsin legislature to create and debate a Compact implementing bill, the probable seven-fold expansion of an oil refinery on Lake Superior wetlands in northern Wisconsin, and sprawl development across southeastern Wisconsin in a blog series called "The Road to Sprawlville."

I accept and encourage blog comments and emails.

Thanks,
Jim Rowen

James Rowen

by jer45y at 11:02 AM on 31 Oct 2007

overpopulation

It's not unsustainable lifestyles, it's unsustainable population growth. There are water shortages all over the country because there are too many people. What good is it to save water if your neighbor is going to have 4 kids?
The funny thing is that Scottsdale Az. is pretty much full of Chicagoans and other midwesterners who have no clue there's a problem with water in the desert.

by cbloom at 9:20 PM on 31 Oct 2007

ADVERTISING POLICY

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