Water Quality of the Great Lakes A look at the largest fresh surface water system on Earth using GIS Leah Shimko

Environmental Issues PCBs, DDT, fertilizers, untreated human waste, phosphate detergents PCBs, DDT, fertilizers, untreated human waste, phosphate detergents Accelerated eutrophication Accelerated eutrophication –Low DO –Low biodiversity Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement between Canada and the U.S Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement between Canada and the U.S

Project Goals Basic Data Basic Data –Watershed Boundaries –Political Boundaries Maps of Pollution Levels Maps of Pollution Levels –Select Contaminants –Try to show change in quality pre-1972 to post-1972

Major Data Sources GLENDA – Great Lakes Environmental Database, EPA (tables) GLENDA – Great Lakes Environmental Database, EPA (tables) GLIN – Great Lakes Information Network (shapefiles) GLIN – Great Lakes Information Network (shapefiles) Canada (.e00 interchange files) Canada (.e00 interchange files) P, Cl, N, Si, K, Ca, Alkalinity, Temp., Turbidity, pH, DO … P, Cl, N, Si, K, Ca, Alkalinity, Temp., Turbidity, pH, DO …

Is Ontario the best or is another lake Superior?

Na+ TDS

Work Remaining Compare data to acceptable levels Compare data to acceptable levels Effects Effects Pre-1972 data – there’s still a chance Pre-1972 data – there’s still a chance Organization Organization

Conclusions Levels of pretty much everything are higher in Lake Ontario in comparison to Lake Superior, Levels of pretty much everything are higher in Lake Ontario in comparison to Lake Superior, …but at least Lake Erie appears to be more of a dump than Lake Ontario. …but at least Lake Erie appears to be more of a dump than Lake Ontario.

Lake “Less of a dump than Erie” Ontario