by Tres Mali Scott

Created on: June 04, 2009   Last Updated: June 05, 2009

The Great Lakes include the United States of America and Canada. According to the Union of Concerned Scientists, the five Great Lakes are: Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie and Ontario. The Union of Concerned Scientists also state that there are 12 cities that lie along the rim of the Great Lakes: Buffalo, Chicago, Cleveland, Detroit, Duluth, Erie, Gary, Hamilton, Milwaukee, Toledo, Toronto and Windsor.

Great Lakes Regional Assessment (GLRA) discusses how the ecosystem and natural resources could change. This includes: agriculture, climate, land ecology, water resources, water ecology and quality of life. If the Great Lake water levels lower, it would impact shipping and recreational boating. Global warming lessens snow fall and could also lower water levels. The changes in the lakes temperatures alter the food web make-up of lake algae, which is a major source of food for fish.

The GLIN outlines the importance of: air quality, coastal management, habitat, levels of hydrology, wild life, air toxins, soil erosion and toxic contamination. The climate changes are not the only threat to the Great Lakes, our human impact on the environment is also seen. Air toxins, toxic contamination and air quality, are from human interaction with the environment.

Climate changes could drain the Great Lakes with migrating climates, water changes and water cycles. Thirty-three mllion people depend on Great Lakes for water. Past climate changes reduced water levels and this could happen again. Reminding me of the Panama Canal issues of the 1980s, water levels effect the transporting from the Great Lakes to the Atlantic.

The Great Lakes area with five lakes and twelve cities along the rim, makes up a very powerful financial system. Changes in the ecosystem, climate, and water levels; change the economy. When an economy downturns, travel and tourism is effected. One of the five Great Lakes has a Canadian name "Ontario". Sea food is a major contributing factor to the economy and would effect quality of life, considering fish is a healthy food. Other food resources, water transportation and the ablity to fund coastal management employees.

In conclusion, the changes occuring in the Great Lakes area include: lowering water levels, reduced snow fall, temperature changes that effect the fishes feeding, and our human toxic contamination of the water and air. Changes in the climate, global warming, relaxed enforcement of toxic dumping, and difficulty transporting from the Great Lakes to the Atlantic, cause the aforementioned changes. These changes and causes matter because they effect our economy, quality of life, and health.

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