We can restore the water levels but we must act now
hose of us, who live near the clear blue waters of Georgian Bay, look at it lovingly every day. It’s our horizon and our calm.
But day by day, year by year, we are losing the water we love. And so far, no one is prepared to do anything about it. The International Joint Commission, a body created to monitor Canada-US agreements, has issued a report that essentially says “do nothing” to limit the outflow of water from Lake Huron and Georgian Bay.
Today, water levels are almost two and a half feet below the historic average for Georgian Bay. Experts predict levels could drop another three feet. The Commission says that climate change and seismic shifting are two of the culprits but they also admit that the widening and deepening of the St Clair River is a real and contributing factor to this major loss of water.
So “do nothing” is not an option. We must “do something” to put the cork back in the bottom of Lake Huron. Engineers have designed a solution for the St Clair river bed that will slow the water flow and will gradually restore the water we have lost, with minimal effect on the lower lakes.
If we do nothing we can expect declines in tourism and boating, large losses in values to lakeside homes and businesses and a major hit to the tax base of our communities. Add to the list, permanent damage to our wetlands and fish habitat and we begin to see the impact on all of us!
What can we do? We must get angry and we must get organized. We must write letters to our mayors, MP’s and MPP’s and ask them to get directly involved. And be sure to copy every letter you send to your local media. But it can’t stop there.
We need to act now to stem the tide of lost waters from the bay we love.
