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Great Lakes Compact approved - signed

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  • Great Lakes Compact approved - signed



    CNN story....

    Great Lakes Compact OK'd to prevent water diversion

    TRAVERSE CITY, Michigan (AP) -- Great Lakes water cannot be diverted to thirsty areas elsewhere in the United States and abroad under an agreement approved Friday by President Bush.

    Use of water from Lake Michigan and the other Great Lakes is covered under the agreement.

    Approval of the Great Lakes Compact was the final step in a nearly decade long quest to strengthen legal protections for the use of water from the five Great Lakes, their connecting channels and the St. Lawrence River. It received bipartisan support and the backing of business and environmental groups and both presidential candidates.

    The pact bans new diversions of water to places outside the region -- eight states and two Canadian provinces with a combined population of roughly 40 million. There are limited exceptions for communities near the basin boundary that meet rigorous requirements and for the taking of water in small containers.

    "Together, we have taken a major step to protect the Great Lakes," said Wisconsin Gov. Jim Doyle, chairman of the Council of Great Lakes Governors. "I am hopeful that this historic cooperation will enable us to accelerate our future efforts."

    The deal was negotiated by the governors and ratified by legislatures in all eight states -- New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin and Minnesota. Congress recently gave its approval. The Canadian provinces of Ontario and Quebec adopted similar policies.

    The lakes contain nearly 20 percent of the world's fresh surface water.

    Compact supporters long have voiced concern that arid regions such as the western United States would target the lakes as the Sun Belt's population and political clout grew.

    But it was an Ontario consulting firm's proposal in the late 1990s to ship 158 million gallons of Lake Superior water to Asia that inspired negotiations leading to the pact. A permit issued to the firm was withdrawn before the water was taken.

    Some environmentalists questioned whether the pact was strong enough, focusing on a provision allowing diversions of water in containers smaller than 5.7 gallons, designed to accommodate bottled water companies. Supporters said the deal's protections were adequate.

    The United Nations estimates that by 2025, two-thirds of the world's population will lack ready access to clean, fresh water.
    Dr. Mordrid
    ----------------------------
    An elephant is a mouse built to government specifications.

    I carry a gun because I can't throw a rock 1,250 fps

  • #2
    The lakes contain nearly 20 percent of the world's fresh surface water.
    Actually, slightly more, 21.4%, (22.5E12 m3), but this is about water only in liquid phase. If you count the fresh water in solid phase (icecaps and glaciers), the Great Lakes account for <5% of the world's fresh water. Even in gaseous phase (atmospheric water vapour), there is an astonishing global average of 42E9 m3 of water at any moment!!!!

    This makes the trigger event of 158E6 gallons (0.6E9 m3) for shipping to Asia almost negligible, especially as it would have to be over a period of time. To put it into scale, drought-ridden Cyprus is shipping vital water in by tanker from Greece at a peak rate of 50E3 m3/day (6 tankers shuttling, 1 filling, 1 emptying, 2 coming, 2 going at any one time). At the same rate, it would take 33 years to ship that volume!!!!

    As for bottled water, you would need to fill about a thousand-trillion 5.7 gallon bottles overnight to make the fish start gasping!

    The Great Lakes system is dynamic. On an average, the 20th c. outflow to the St Lawrence is 6.9E3 m3/s (about 5E3 m3/s at Niagara) or about 220E9 m3/y. What goes out, must come in and it would be reasonable to assume the inflow for the whole basin would be at least 400E9 m3/y, the rest being losses through evaporation, lake bed percolation, human outtake, other outflows etc. This is a helluva lot of water and the drop of L. Superior over a 7-y "drought" represents a very small proportion.

    Notwithstanding all these almost astronomical figures, such protection of a vast natural resource is a great move. Pity we can't do the same to the even bigger natural resource we call the atmosphere!

    Key figure corrected
    Last edited by Brian Ellis; 5 October 2008, 01:34. Reason: Correction of figure
    Brian (the devil incarnate)

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    • #3
      The real pleasure of the Great Lakes is living among them. More lighthouses than any ocean state, coastlines you wouldn't believe, the North Shore of Superior, Sleeping Bear Dunes etc. etc. For nature freaks it's one humongous theme park.
      Dr. Mordrid
      ----------------------------
      An elephant is a mouse built to government specifications.

      I carry a gun because I can't throw a rock 1,250 fps

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      • #4
        And LOTS of snow
        Chuck
        秋音的爸爸

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        • #5
          Originally posted by Dr Mordrid View Post
          The real pleasure of the Great Lakes is living among them. More lighthouses than any ocean state, coastlines you wouldn't believe, the North Shore of Superior, Sleeping Bear Dunes etc. etc. For nature freaks it's one humongous theme park.
          I'm sorry but I was born and raised in MI.

          Doc, you're old enough to maybe remember HBI (Husak Brother, Inc.)...AKA Husak Dodge in Detriot, back in the 60s and 70s (an H and a K, with a USA)...that was gramps and his bro, and all the uncles, cousins and such...

          Anyway, MI has an occasional pretty spot here and there.
          But overall, it's a toilet compaired to Colorado
          Core2 Duo E7500 2.93, Asus P5Q Pro Turbo, 4gig 1066 DDR2, 1gig Asus ENGTS250, SB X-Fi Gamer ,WD Caviar Black 1tb, Plextor PX-880SA, Dual Samsung 2494s

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          • #6
            Remember Husak Dodge very well.

            Yes, the mountains are pretty. Yes, the lowlands are likewise what with the mountains dominating the skyline. Hunting is also good.

            Problem is the last time I was there and returned to nearby civilization the highly polluted air in Denver gave me an asthma attack.

            No thanks

            Besides that I don't think Colorado has many shorelines, lighthouses or deep water lakes where you can crank up a speedboat or sailcat for hours at a time.
            Last edited by Dr Mordrid; 5 October 2008, 23:02.
            Dr. Mordrid
            ----------------------------
            An elephant is a mouse built to government specifications.

            I carry a gun because I can't throw a rock 1,250 fps

            Comment


            • #7
              2 little known FACTS....
              Colorado has the highest number per capitum of certified scuba divers in the states. Surprising for a land-locked state, but true.
              We also have have more days of sun than any other place in the country. Yes, we get more sun than Palm Beach (CA or FL). Not only are we the ski capitol of the nation, we're the sun capitol too
              Here, you can ski in December, while getting snowed on IN THE SUN.

              And we are within a days drive of Lake Powell (where pops has a houseboat and ski boat docked at Bullfrog Marina), giving us easy access to as much freshwater shore as we'll ever need, when we feel the need to fish or water ski.
              And MI's "mountains" barely even qualify as bunny slopes here.

              I don't miss MI in the least bit :P
              I still have much family there, and it's a nice place to visit....but I am SO glad not to live there any more....
              Core2 Duo E7500 2.93, Asus P5Q Pro Turbo, 4gig 1066 DDR2, 1gig Asus ENGTS250, SB X-Fi Gamer ,WD Caviar Black 1tb, Plextor PX-880SA, Dual Samsung 2494s

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              • #8
                Oh yea... and the 4-wheeling....forgot to mention my latest hobby, building up my Jeep.
                MI has nothing to even compare to CO's off-roading.

                The Best thing about MI....it's a ferry ride away from Candian gambling
                Core2 Duo E7500 2.93, Asus P5Q Pro Turbo, 4gig 1066 DDR2, 1gig Asus ENGTS250, SB X-Fi Gamer ,WD Caviar Black 1tb, Plextor PX-880SA, Dual Samsung 2494s

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                • #9
                  Well, having seen a lot of the USA as a visitor, I must admit that most States have their good points and their bad points. The question is the balance. Of the large cities (and I really dislike large cities, being a bit of a hick), I think the crown must go to Seattle, but there's a bit too much water there. If I had to choose a place to live and work in a city, I would possibly choose W side of the Cascades and Seattle resp. OTOH, if it were a place to retire to, my choice would perhaps not be CO, but more perhaps S. Utah, E. CA or N. AZ. I also like VT, except for the winters. That's it! VT in the summer and UT in the winter!!!! Places I would avoid (for living in): S. CA, FL, TX, IL, NY (OK upstate). However, this kind of thing is so personal. As for the Great Lakes, I've only stayed close to two of them, so there is a lot of them I missed: the 100 miles N of Chicago and the stretch between Toronto and Burlington. In both cases, too built up for my liking, but there are not many business trips needed in the wilderness and my leisure trips have been more to the E and W!
                  Brian (the devil incarnate)

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