Water Quality of Water Quality of thethe Great Great LakesLakes

A look at the largest fresh surface A look at the largest fresh surface water system on Earth using GISwater system on Earth using GIS

Leah ShimkoLeah Shimko

Environmental IssuesEnvironmental Issues

• PCBs, DDT, fertilizers, untreated PCBs, DDT, fertilizers, untreated human waste, phosphate detergentshuman waste, phosphate detergents

• Accelerated eutrophicationAccelerated eutrophication– Low DOLow DO– Low biodiversityLow biodiversity

• Great Lakes Water Quality Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement between Canada and the Agreement between Canada and the U.S. - 1972U.S. - 1972

Project GoalsProject Goals

• Basic DataBasic Data– Watershed BoundariesWatershed Boundaries– Political BoundariesPolitical Boundaries

• Maps of Pollution Levels Maps of Pollution Levels – Select ContaminantsSelect Contaminants– Try to show change in quality pre-1972 Try to show change in quality pre-1972

to post-1972to post-1972

Major Data SourcesMajor Data Sources• GLENDAGLENDA – Great Lakes Environmental – Great Lakes Environmental

Database, EPA (tables)Database, EPA (tables)

• GLINGLIN – Great Lakes Information – Great Lakes Information Network (shapefiles)Network (shapefiles)

• CanadaCanada (.e00 interchange files) (.e00 interchange files)

• 1996-20031996-2003

• P, Cl, N, Si, K, Ca, Alkalinity, Temp., P, Cl, N, Si, K, Ca, Alkalinity, Temp., Turbidity, pH, DO …Turbidity, pH, DO …

Is Ontario the best or is Is Ontario the best or is another lake Superior?another lake Superior?

Na+TDS

Seasonal Lake Temperatures

0

5

10

15

20

25

10/28/1995

5/15/1996

12/1/1996

6/19/1997

1/5/1998

7/24/1998

2/9/1999

8/28/1999

3/15/2000

10/1/2000

4/19/2001

11/5/2001

5/24/2002

12/10/2002

6/28/2003

1/14/2004

Date

Te

mp

era

ture

(

oC

)

Ontario at Depth = 20 m

Superior at Depth = 20 m

Ontario at Depth = 5 m

Superior at Depth = 5 m

Work RemainingWork Remaining• Compare data to acceptable levelsCompare data to acceptable levels

• EffectsEffects

• Pre-1972 data – there’s still a chancePre-1972 data – there’s still a chance

• OrganizationOrganization

ConclusionsConclusions

• Levels of pretty much everything are Levels of pretty much everything are higher in Lake Ontario in comparison higher in Lake Ontario in comparison to Lake Superior, to Lake Superior,

• ……but at least Lake Erie appears to be but at least Lake Erie appears to be more of a dump than Lake Ontario. more of a dump than Lake Ontario.

Lake “Less of a dump than Erie” Ontario