Managing water levels in the Saint Lawrence . . . Learn more:
St. Lawrence River (via Wikimedia / Matthew Trump)
The water levels in Lake Ontario and the Saint Lawrence River have been tightly constrained since the fifties. Lee Willbanks of the nonprofit Save The River says the lack of occasional highs and lows is one reason invasive species have proliferated.
“And so you didn’t have the occasional highs that would go in and allow muskrat and other species to sort of clear out the wetlands,” says Willbanks.
Now, many Saint Lawrence wetlands are clogged with cattails, and species like the black tern and northern pike have declined.
A new plan for managing water levels was recently put in place. ‘Plan 2014’ is an attempt to balance the needs of property owners and the environment.
Get Schooled:
- Study up on the St. Lawrence River Ecosystem.
- Delve into the Saint Lawrence River issues.
- Read more about Plan 2014 from the International Joint Commission
Hear More:
Lee Willbanks discusses the environmental impacts of the 1950s water levels management plan.
Watch More:
Check out this video from the International Joint Commission discussing the need for Plan 2014:
The fine print:
- CurrentCast is produced in partnership with Cornell University’s Atkinson Center for a Sustainable Future. Learn more at http://www.currentcast.org.
