Author's Note
WHAT IS A WAR? This book does not allege that warships will once again ply the lower Great Lakes as they did during the War of 1812. Rather, it argues that the Great Lakes region is entering an era of unparalleled water tension. During the last half century, water quality has been the chief environmental obsession in the Great Lakes, including the “biological pollution” caused by exotic invasive species like the sea lamprey and zebra mussel. While water quality and exotics will continue to be serious and pressing regional concerns, increasing attention will focus on water quantity and availability. Water scarcity throughout the world— and even in parts of the Great Lakes region—will put mounting pressure on one of the most abundant freshwater ecosystems on earth. One could argue that the era of Great Lakes water tension has already begun. The question is, are the forty million Canadians and Americans who live in the Great Lakes Basin prepared for it? The Great Lakes governors and premiers have recently unveiled a plan designed to protect the waters of the Great Lakes from diversions and overuse. But water is an emotional issue in the region, and the proposal has caused confusion in many quarters. Much of the debate has been marked by more heat than light, and the discourse about this latest Great Lakes water-management plan is bound to drag on for years.
That plan—and the colorful history that brought it about, as well as the uncertainty of the region’s water future—is the focus of this book. Though water issues are sometimes vexing, the public is obligated to understand them because water is the foundation of the ecosystem that keeps humans alive. An abundance of freshwater is the hallmark of the Great Lakes Basin. The lakes are the region’s most important and precious natural resource—they definethe area’s economy, culture, and environment. This book—and its associated website, www.greatlakeswaterwars.com—is designed to help the general public bring the regional water debate into focus. It attempts to engage the citizen in one of the most important environmental issues of our time: the effort to protect the globally significant waters of the Great Lakes for the next one hundred years and beyond.
Peter Annin
Madison, Wisconsin
January, 2006
