by Rebecca Schlofner

Created on: June 11, 2009

America's Great Lakes: Change is Coming

The Great Lakes Basin was formed over two billion years ago while volcanoes were erupting, tectonic plates were moving, and mountains were formed. Elsewhere in what would become the North American continent, as these shifts were occurring valleys were also formed where none had existed, and were filled with what had once been the great inland sea. The Great Lakes Basin is a result of the glacial retreat. These glaciers would be more than 6,500 feet thick and depressed the land, leaving behind the freshwater in what would become known as the Great Lakes. The remnants of the glacial age can also still be seen in the sand, silt and clay found in the area.

There is over 10,000 miles (16,000 km) of shoreline to the Great Lakes, extending throughout eight states and Ontario, Canada. The largest group of freshwater lakes in the world is also the key route of the early American explorers that is still in use today as a major transportation byway with over 90,000 square miles of water. Industry was able to grow quickly as more people settled in the Basin and today over 200 million tons a year are transported through the waterways. Mining products, iron, steel, agriculture and manufactured products are shipped through a system of canals and locks between Lake Superior, Lake Michigan, Lake Huron, Lake Erie and Lake Ontario and rivers. Two major locks and canals are the Great Lakes Seaway and St. Lawrence Seaway with sixty-five ports in the States and Canada.

With the huge expanse of the Great Lakes Basin, many recreational activities take place. These include sport fishing, pleasure boating, camping, hiking and wildlife observation. How can something as beautiful, diverse and serene get to the point where huge amounts of pollution and invasive species are destroying the ecosystems? How can we keep it balanced for future generations?

The water of the Great Lakes has been pummeled with an onslaught of industrial waste and sewage. This comes to us in the form of phosphorus, fertilizers and toxic chemicals. With a treaty signed between the United States and Canada in 1972 to control the freshness of the freshwater, progress has seen improvement, but not the total annihilation of pollutants. Much is still present due to runoff from the agricultural fields. The Great Lakes contains 18% of the world's fresh surface water supply, so it's extremely important to keep it clean and healthy. Nearly 200 billion gallons of water

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