Water resources issues of the Laurentian Great Lakes

The Great Lakes of North America hold nearly 20% of the freshwater resource of the earth. Because of their size and also because of the large populations they serve, these lakes are a sort of living laboratory, illustrating the effects of interactions between anthropogenic activities and natural ecosystems. Management of the Great Lakes also is complicated because they are part of an international border, and effective management requires binational cooperation, in terms of both water quality and quantity. The present chapter provides an overview of the main issues concerning management of the Great Lakes, as well as current research initiatives and programs designed to address these issues. Particular emphasis is placed on the issue of contaminated sediments, which poses one of the most difficult problems, With regard to restoration of beneficial uses of the lake waters. Specifically, it is shown that traditional approaches may overestimate the export of contaminants from tributaries out to the lakes.