Determining the Causes of Declining Upper Great Lakes Levels—Phase I of the International Upper Great Lakes Study by the St. Clair River Task Team

The purpose of the International Upper Great Lakes Study (IUGLS) is to investigate improvements to the regulation of the outflow of Lake Superior given the impacts regulation may have on water levels, flows, and consequently affected resources throughout the upper Great Lakes system. It also is closely examining the physical processes driving current Great Lakes water level conditions, and possible ongoing changes in the St. Clair River and their impacts on river flow and Lakes Michigan and Huron levels (Phase I). The issues are being investigated by two Task Teams (TTs): the Lake Huron Outflow/ St. Clair River Task Team (SCR TT) and the Lake Superior Regulation Task Team (LSR TT). This paper describes the investigations being conducted by the SCR TT for Phase I of the Study which is scheduled for completion in October 2009. The entire Study will be completed in April 2012.