The bioregional approach to freshwater policy : the Great Lakes basin and beyond
(Book - Regular Print)

Thesis,MSES,Green Mountain College,2012

Includes bibliographical references.

With regions of the world experiencing water scarcity / water stress, and current impending impacts of climate change affecting the world's hydrologic cycle in various ways, resource managers are forced to examine the best way in which to manage the world's fresh water supply. Consequently, it is vital that fresh water management and policy to [sic] be both bioregional and sustainable in order to preserve fresh water resources for future human and non-human inhabitants. After a long history of trial and error, stakeholders of the Great Lakes Basin have created and are working to implement sustainable bioregional fresh water policy known as the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River Basin Sustainable Water Resource Agreement between the Great Lakes States and Provinces as well as the U.S. law known as the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River Basin Water Resource Compact. These trans-boundary policies would not have been possible without international cooperation on many levels in both the United States and Canada. The founding political doctrine behind these policies promotes sustainability. Moreover, current Great Lakes policy incorporates the ideals of the ecosystem approach to conservation, further demonstrating this region's commitment to sustainability. Fresh water policies addressing the unique needs of a bioregion such as those employed in the Great Lakes Basin are essential for the ecological, and ultimately societal, health of a bioregion. However, sustainable bioregional policy is not without its flaws. With global fresh water scarcity continuing to intensify, the holes in Great Lakes water policy must be plugged and legally strengthened in order to preserve the Great Lakes ecosystem in perpetuity. Namely bottled water withdrawals must remain in the Great Lakes Basin and the large scale diversion occurring in the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal must be addressed to ensure a sustainable use of Great Lakes water.