The Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River Basin Water Resources Compact - Summer

Advisor: Tanya Heikkila 

This report analyzes the Great Lakes–St. Lawrence River Basin Water Resources Compact, an agreement designed to improve water management across the Great Lakes region. The Great Lakes represent one of the world’s most significant freshwater systems, containing approximately 20 percent of the planet’s surface freshwater and 95 percent of the United States’ supply. Increasing global water scarcity and rising demand for freshwater have raised concerns about potential water diversions and unsustainable withdrawals from the basin. Water in the region is used for municipal supply, agriculture, industrial production, and energy generation. The report identifies growing pressures on this resource, including population growth, increased consumption, and climate change, which could alter lake levels and ecosystem conditions in the future.

The Compact establishes a regional governance framework that emphasizes sustainable water management through monitoring, conservation, and regulatory restrictions. Key provisions include the development of water resource inventories, mandatory registration of large water withdrawals, and the implementation of conservation and efficiency programs across participating states. The agreement also restricts most new water diversions outside the basin in order to protect long-term water availability. The report highlights the precautionary nature of the Compact, which encourages action despite scientific uncertainty regarding future water availability and climate impacts. While the agreement represents a major step toward coordinated freshwater governance, the report notes ongoing debates surrounding indirect water exports embedded in agricultural products and manufactured goods. Overall, the Compact is presented as an important framework for protecting the ecological and economic sustainability of the Great Lakes system.

Learn more about the MPA-ESP Workshop in Applied Earth Systems Management.