What happened in 1972 that helped protect the Great Lakes?

1972 Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement On April 15, 1972, Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau and President Richard Nixon signed the Canada-US Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement ( GLWQA ) in recognition of the urgent need to improve environmental conditions in the Great Lakes.



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With minimal government oversight, waste from surrounding city sewers made its way into the lake, along with fertilizer and pesticides from agricultural runoff. The pollutants contained high levels of phosphorus and nitrogen, two chemicals that contribute to the eutrophication, or premature aging, of the Lake.

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Significant progress has been made in reducing toxic chemicals in the Great Lakes, but some chemicals, such as PCBs, still pose a threat to human health and the environment. polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), are higher in the waters of lakes Erie and Ontario than in other lakes.

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Although small in volume, Lake Erie is a thriving, productive environment.

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These lakes are the perfect backdrop for swimming, boating, and other water-related activities. But there can be more danger in these Great Lakes waves than what you'd find in the ocean. The Great Lakes are more than capable of generating waves over 10 feet high, despite being smaller than our oceans.

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Drinking Water - State of the Great Lakes. The 2012 Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement states that “the Waters of the Great Lakes should be a source of safe, high quality drinking water”. Approximately 8.5 million Canadians and 19.5 million Americans get their drinking water from the surface waters of the Great Lakes.

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The average underwater visibility of Lake Superior is about 8 metres or 27 feet, making it the cleanest and clearest of the Great Lakes.

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