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YEARS OF ACCOMPLISHMENT .. ... . . . . . . REPORT V7 INTERNATIONAL JOINT COMMISSION, r YEARS OF ACCOMPLISHMENT U S DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE NOA@ COASTAL SERVICES CENTER 2234 SOUTH HOBSON AVENUE CHARLESTON SC 29405-24 13 PrOPertY Of CSC Library Report For Years 1978-1979 Canada United States C@ International Joint Commission International Joint Commission Canadian Section U.S. Section 100 Metcalfe St., 18th Floor 1717 "H" St., N.W. Ottawa, Ontario KIP 5M1 Washington, D.C. 20440 Stop 86 V7 a Contents Dedication 2 International Joint Commission 5 Members of the Commission 8 70 Years of Accomplishment 10 Commission Activities in 1978-1979 14 Water Quality: 19 Great Lakes 21 Pollution From Land Use Activities 25 Upper Great Lakes 27 Poplar River 29 Red River 30 Rainy River 36 St. Croix River 31 Water Levels and Flows: 3i Great Lakes Levels Advisory Board 34 Great Lakes 35 Lake Superior 36 Lake Erie 3@ Niagara River 39 Lake Ontario & St Lawrence River T9 Diversions and Consumptive Uses 45 OsoyoosLake 41 Richelieu River - Lake Champlain 42 Air Quality 43 70 Years Later 47 "PENDICES 1. IJC Organizational Structure and Boards 5j 2. International Projects 1912-1979 54 3. Fiscal Support Data 60 4. IJC Documents 1978-1979 61 5. IJC International Boards 0 6. Commissioners and Staff 6j he Founders This report is dedicated to those pioneers in international relations who conceived the concept and brought into being the Boundary Waters Treaty of 1909.' A, 0", A V"A IC7 All James Bryce, Ambassador in Washingtonfor Great Britain. Treaty between the United States and Great Britain relating to boundary waters, and questions arising between the United States and Canada. The Treaty is unique in relations between two independent states. The drafters of the treaty developed an organization to solve problems between two countries through the unitary deliberations of a permanent body composed equally of Canadians and Americans, rather than the usual bilateral negotiations. The institution, the International Joint Commission, has operated since 1912 in this spirit of trust and cooperation. The Commission's positive record in resolving trans- boundary disputes paved the way for the signing of another significant agreement by the United States and Canada 61 years later, the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement of 1972. Elihu Root, United States Secretary of State. 3 t -'K JJI@ 'Oe AA* je, 4 Pierre Elliott Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada and Jimmy Carter, President of the United States. International Joint Commission The International Joint Commission is composed of six members, three from the United States and three from Canada. The United States members are appointed by the President with the advice and consent of the U.S. Senate. The Canadian members are appointed bythe Governor in Council of Canada. The Commission is directed by U.S. and Canadian co-chairmen who serve in their positions on a full-time basis while the other Commissioners serve part-time. The Commissioners conduct their business as a single body, not as separate national delegations representing their respective governments, but effectively seeking com- mon impartial solutions in the mutual in- terest of both countries. a Internatimonal J01 One of the earliest References referred to the International Joint Commission was an investigation of the water quality of the Great Lakes. 4,; XV A;* When reporting to governments, The Commission has three principal func- Surveiflance/Coordination the Commission takes into account tions: Monitors compliance with the terms and the report of its board along with Regulatory - Approves or disapproves conditions set forth in Orders of Approval it the information gathered at public hearings and any other information APPLICATIONS from government, has issued. When requested by the two it Is able to compille on the subject. companies or individuals for obstruc- governments, the IJC monitors and co- tions, uses or diversions of water which ordinates actions or programs that result affect the natural level or flow of from governmental acceptance of recom- boundary water on the other side of the mendations made by the Commission. international boundary or raise the level (A fourth function has never been utilized. It of transbounidary rivers at the boundary. permits the Governments to refer any issues Investigative -Investigates questions to the Commission for binding decision or matters of difference along the com- rather than only for a report and recom- mon frontier. These investigations and mendations.) studies which are referred to the Com- mission by the two Governments are The technical studies and field work re- called REFERENCES. In such cases the quired by the Commission to carry out these Commission reports the facts and cir- functions is performed by 28 bi-national cumstances to the Governments of advisory boards appointed by the Commis- Canada and the United States and sion. These boards include engineers, recommends appropriate action by scientists and other experts, most of them them. The Governments decide whether public servants whose services are support- or not the Commission's recommenda- ed by their agencies. tions will be accepted or acted upon. 6 M M It Co Ission Annual surveillance programs are per- formed on Lake Ontario because its position at the downstream end of the makes it more Great Lakes system susceptible to eutrophication and con- g a tamination. 9 ARM ;7o 77 77,777777 T' 7 Board reports are released to the public and The lJC has separate headquarters in The Great Lakes Water Quality the Commission holds public hearings to Ottawa and Washington, each staffed with Agreement is an example of the collect comments on the Board's findings a small group of advisors and a secretary for Governments formally conferring and recommendations. The 1909 Treaty each section. A permanent binational staff additional responsibilities on the Commission by requesting the requires that all parties interested in a is located in Windsor, Ontario to assist the Commission to monitor the imple- matter before the Commission "shall be Commission in its responsibilities under the mentation of the Agreement and to given convenient opportunity to be heard" Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement. advise Governments on the ade- and, to that end, the Commission initiated The Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement quacy of programs specified in it. early in its history, public hearing pro- is an example of the Governments formally cedures to obtain input to Commission conferring additional responsibilities on the decisions. When reporting to governments, Commission by requesting the Commission the Commission takes into account the to monitor the implementation of the report of its board along with the informa- Agreement and to advise Governments on tion gathered at public hearings and any the adequacy of programs specified in it. other information it is able to compile on the The Agreement also provides for the subject. establishment of two international boards, The Commission is continuing to consider the Great Lakes Water Quality Board and how best to obtain public input and has the Science Advisory Board, to assist and conducted public workshops and seminars advise the Commission. and will continue to make its activities more open to the public. 7 The Co Issior COMMISSIONERS UNITED STATES W, 71 Robert J. Sugarman Charles R. Ross, Commissioner, Jean L. Hennessey, Commissioner Chairman, Lawyer/Farmer, Hanover, New Hampshire United States Section Hinesburg, Vermont CANADA -'d Stuart M. Hodgson Bernard Beaupr6, Commissioner, Jean R. Roy, Commissioner, Chairman, Canadian Section Public Health Engineer Businessman, Richelieu, Quf!bec Timmins, Ontario .. 4t, The six Commissioners in office as of December 31, 1979 were responsible for this report. 8 and Its oards 1JC Organizational Arrangement and Boards St. Croix River Great Lakes Levels St. Croix River Lake Champlain Souris-Red Rivers Red River St. Lawrence River Point Roberts Rainy River Niagara River Richelieu River and Air Pollution along Lake Superior Lake Champlain the Boundary Rainy & Namakan Lakes Air Quality Souris River Michigan/Ontario St. Mary & Milk Rivers Garrison Diversion Kootenay Lake Technical Information Columbia River Network Osoyoos Lake Skagit River Lake of the Woods F- 70 Years of Accc' First meeting of the Internationai Joint Commission in 1912. .......... M, V - A role, a Z.9a. The genesis of the Boundary Waters Treaty to study and regulate the use of these and the International Joint Commission is waters. generally attributed to resolutions introduc- ed by the Canadian delegate to the Inter- Two lawyers, George Gibbons from London, national Irrigation Congresses held at Ontario and George Clinton, from Buffalo, Denver, Colorado and Albuquerque, New New York, both members of the Waterways Mexico in 1894 and 1895. The resolutions, Commission, were instructed to informally adopted unanimously by the United States, negotiate formation of a special commis- Mexican and Canadian delegations on both sion. In August, 1907 they completed a draft occasions, recommended to the United treaty, having decided that a treaty was the States "the appointment of an international best way in which to proceed. commission to act in conjunction with the After much drafting and a great deal of authorities of Mexico and Canada in ad- negotiating, the Boundary Waters Treaty judicating the conflicting rights which have was signed January 11, 1909 by the United arisen, or may hereafter arise, on streams of States secretary of State Elihu Root and an international character." Britain's Ambassador in Washington As a result, an International Waterways James Bryce, on behalf of their govern- Commission was formed in 1903, between ments. Canada and the United States. This com- "We have undertaken in this Treaty, with mission functioned officially from 1905 to 1913 although some of its work continued the consent of Great Britain, to create a until 1919. In 1906 and 1907 the commis- commission which will enable Canada and sion made a series of recommendations to ourselves to settle our own affairs to a very the Canadian and United States govern- great degree without going through the ments calling for negotiations to be under- long and serious circumlocution," said Root taken to adopt principles of law governing when supporting the Treaty before the uses of all international waters between Senate's Foreign Relations Committee. Canada and the United States; the recom- Both countries appointed Commissioners mendations also called for creation of an in late 1911 and the first meeting was held international body endowed with authority January 10, 1912 at Washington, D.C. 10 Plimsh ent The bulk of Commission activities in recent years has been concerned with the use of the great common water resources shared by Canada and the UnitedStates. > A% Seventy years later the Treaty remains a The Treaty provides that the Commission is The Treaty provides that the Com. unique document and a tribute to the to act as a unit in all matters coming before mission Is to act as a unit In all Governments of two countries who dis- it. Decisions are made by a majority of the matters coming before it. played a willingness to cast aside parochial Commissioners, irrespective of their na- jealousies and give to an international body tionality. Though allowance was made in such unheard of, at that time, responsibi- the Treaty for separate reports to each lities and authority. Government, the authors of the Treaty be- The conviction of those who negotiated the lieved - and the governments intended - Boundary Waters Treaty between Canada that resort to this provision would be infre- and the United States was that solutions to quent and that the Commission would boundary problems should be sought, not in normally be able to function in unison to the normal bilateral negotiations of di- achieve equitable solutions in the common plomacy, but in the deliberations of a interest of both countries. permanent institution composed equally of Over the years there has been striking Canadians and Americans. The Treaty evidence of the Commission's attachment sanctioned this principle and so was born to this basic philosophy of impartiality. In the International Joint Commission. only three of more than 100 cases with The search for the common interest as a which the Commission has dealt have the basis for settlement has marked the ac- Commissioners divided on national lines or tivities of the Commission over 70 years. failed to reach agreement. Dealing as they Not only the proceedings of the IJC but also do, with more than 5,000 miles of boundary, those of the joint technical boards created this is truly a remarkable record. by the Commission to assist its investiga- tions are based upon this principle of mutual cooperation for the common good. 11 Problems have touched closely on Predictions were made at the time the Problems have touched closely on the lives the lives of a few citizens living in Treaty was signed that this unique ap- of a few citizens living in remote areas to remote areas to many minions of proach to international problems would many millions of citizens living on both citizens living on both sides of the boundary in the industrial heart- prove to be a short-lived experiment. sides of the boundary in the industrial land of the Great Lakes area. However, events have vindicated the faith of heartland of the Great Lakes area. those who wrote the Boundary Waters Article IV of the Boundary Waters Treaty Treaty and created the International Joint prohibits the pollution of boundary and Commission. The philosophy which con- transboundary waters on either side of the tinues to guide IJC Commissioners today border "to the injury of health or property was well expressed by an early U.S. Chair- on the other side." Under this provision, the man, James A. Tawney, when speaking not International Joint Commission has been only of the Commission but also of the many increasingly drawn into the battle against boards which assist it with its technical work, who said, "We are neither Canadians water pollution. nor Americans but we are each and all re- The Commission was first engaged in a presentatives of all the people on both study of water pollution as early as 1912 and sides." in 1918 the Commission found the situation President John F. Kennedy also spoke of the in parts of the Great Lakes "generally unique relationship shared by Canada and chaotic, everywhere perilous and in some the United States, as manifested in the iic, cases disgraceful". But even such forceful when he told members of the two Houses of language failed to produce any positive Parliament in 1961, "Geography has made results and the Commission's warnings of us neighbours. History has made us friends. things to come were ignored. Economics has made us partners. And The Governments took up the problem necessity has made us allies ... Ours is a again after the Second World War. There unity of equal and independent nations, co- were several References and investigations tenants of the same continent, heirs of the on aspects of pollution involving principally same legacy, and fully sovereign associates the "connecting channels" of the Great in the same historic endeavour." Lakes, the St. Croix River, the Rainy River- Throughout its history, the International Lake of the Woods area, the Red River (of Joint Commission has endeavored to carry the North) and the Great Lakes themselves. out its responsibilities to reflect this spirit of In most cases where the IJC has completed cooperation between sovereign nations. its investigations and submitted recom- The problems have been and are complex mendations to governments, the results and difficult at times but the history of the have been constructive and the situation Commission shows that the principles upon has been improved. Local authorities have which the IJC is based are still sound and in several instances accepted the Commis- workable. sion's objectives for water quality and taken Commission activities have touched on action accordingly. Unfortunately, in some cases, progress has been disappointingly problems of air pollution and because of the slow. growing awareness of the inter- relationships between air and water pollu- One of the major achievements of the tion, this aspect of its work may well in- Commission during its first 70 years was the crease in importance in the years ahead. work carried out which led to the signing in However, the bulk of Commission activities 1972 and again in 1978 of the Great Lakes has been concerned with the use of the great Water Quality Agreement. common water resources shared by Canada In 1964 the Governments of Canada and the and the United States, from the Atlantic to United States asked the International Joint the Pacific. Commission to study pollution problems in IJC "business" has involved boundary area the lower Great Lakes and the International questions of domestic and sanitary water Section of the St. Lawrence River, and to supply, navigation, power development, recommend measures to restore and irrigation and pollution. It has varied in protect the quality of these waters. The nature and extent from the extraction of Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement was maximum benefit from small prairie based on the Commission's findings and streams to multi-million dollar develop- recommendations, reported in 1970. ments in our great rivers. 12 Constant monitoring of water quality is 40 -Vq required to detemirie the effectiveness At of water quality control programs. F 'r"w 4 Industry has a vital role to play in efforts to restore and protect Great Lakes water quality. The Agreement gave the International Joint More and more, environmental considera- Commission a number of specific responSi- tions have touched upon the work of the bilities and functions for overseeing Commission, not only when considering government and industry action in the such things as water quality but also when implementation of the accord and to assist considering applications for construction the two countries in their efforts to restore which will affect levels and flows. and protect Great Lakes water quality. The world has grown more complex since These responsibilities were renewed and the Boundary Waters Treaty was signed in expanded when a new Agreement was signed in 1978. 1909 and this complexity has been reflected in the problems handled by the Inter- Activities of the Commission concerned national Joint Commission. The basic with the Great Lakes Water Quality Agree- philosophy of working in the common in- ment now make up a very important part of terest, espoused by the creators of the the ongoing agenda of the Commission. Boundary Waters Treaty, continues to guide Over the past decade, the growing public the Commission as it enters the 80s. interest in the environment has been re- flected in the work of the Commission. More and more, the Commission has been called upon to study and report on ways and means of protecting the natural environment shared by Canada and the United States. 13 I.J.C. imn 1978 = 19 When schedules permit, Commis- The years 1978-1979 were ones of change The St. Croix River is of particular interest sioners make themselves familiar with the areas of Canada and the for the International Joint Commission. to the Commission since the IJC in late United States touched by 1JC acti. Two Canadian and three American Com- 1977 reported to the Governments of vities. missioners left the Commission in this Canada and the United States that the period. water quality of this river which flows through Maine and New Brunswick is now The term of Canadian Commissioner Keith capable of supporting a rehabilitated Henry expired in September, 1978 and he anadromous (e.g. salmon) fishery. was replaced by Jean R. Roy in March, 1979. Mr. Roy was a Member of Parliament Zosel Dam controls the levels of Osoyoos for 11 years. The term of Maxwell Cohen, Lake which straddles the border of British who served as Chairman of the Canadian Columbia and the state of Washington. The section since January, 1974 expired in mid- dam, operated pursuant to an IJC Order of April 1979 and he was replaced by Stuart M. Approval;'has deteriorated in recent years, Hodgson. Mr. Hodgson, former Commis- making corrective repairs necessary. sioner of the Northwest Territories, became Canadian Chairman Hodgson also inspect- Chairman of the Canadian section on April ed this facility after joining the Commission 15. in 1979. Robert J. Sugarman became United States Another such trip in 1979 saw co-chairmen section chairman on April 26, 1978 follow- Hodgson and Sugarman, along with ing the resignation of Henry P. Smith III. Commissioners Beauprg and Roy inspect Mr. Sugarman is a lawyer who has the Rainy-Namakan chain of lakes in specialized in environmental and land use northern Minnesota and northwestern law. Kenneth Curtis replaced Victor L. Ontario where the Commission has both Smith as U.S. Commissioner in May, 1978. water quality and water levels and flows Mr. Curtis, a lawyer and former governor of responsibilities. Maine, was named United States Ambas- Levels and flows, in particular, present sador to Canada in September, 1979. Mrs. special problems in this region between Jean L. Hennessey replaced Mr. Curtis on Thunder Bay and Winnipeg. The Commis- the Commission on September 5, 1979. sion and its regulation board must operate Mrs. Hennessey is the former Director, New with severe limitations imposed by relative- Hampshire Council of Management and ly old control structures (built priorto 1910) Budget in the office of the governor. which limit the degree to which water levels Travel and meetings continued to demand a and flows can be regulated. The desires of great deal of the Commission's time. In various interest groups are often in conflict 1978 the Commissioners devoted about 110 when considering water levels and these travel days to executive meetings, public conflicts are exacerbated by extreme condi- hearings and various other meetings neces- tions of wet and dry weather. On-site in- sary to carry out their duties. About 125 spection trips enable Commissioners to days were required for similar purposes in gain a better insight into problems faced by 1979. Boards and citizens alike and such visits When schedules permit, Commissioners also enable Commissioners to talk with make themselves familiar with the areas of those people directly concerned with such Canada and the United States touched by problems on a day-to-day basis. IJC activities. They are usually accom- During 1979 both Commission chairmen panied by IJC Board members with endeavoured to visit as many government responsibilities in the area, and other leaders as possible in provinces and states qualified experts. The Commissioners along the Canada-United States boundary. carried out two field trips in 1978, one to As Commission activities affect these states inspect engineering and pollution control and provinces it is imperative that mutual projects in the St. Croix River basin in understanding and cooperation be fostered Maine and New Brunswick, and another to wherever and whenever possible. the state of Washington and province of British Columbia to inspect Zosel Dam on the Okanagan River, for regulation and safety at the dam. 14 @79 Other major projects included approval in A new exhibit telling the International Joint 1978 of the redevelopment of Great Lakes Commission story was displayed for the first Power Corporation's hydroelectric gene- time in 1979 at the annual meeting of the .rating plant at Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canadian Water Resources Association and a supplementary Order of Approval in meeting in Ottawa. It was also used at the 1979 for the regulation of Lake Superior annual meeting of the Commission with the outflows and consequently a new plan of Water Quality Agreement institutions in regulation for Lake Superior. This new plan Detroit and was part of the Our Canada of regulation is based upon systemic regu- exhibit viewed by about 3,000,000 visitors lation under which the protection of both at the Canadian National Exhibition in upstream and downstream power, riparian, Toronto, Ontario. Following the CNE, it navigational and environmental interests is was mounted at the Ontario Science Centre provided. A study of Great Lakes diversions for the last three-and-a-half months of and consumptive uses, and a study of the 1979. feasibility of regulating the levels in Lake Erie continued pursuant to References from the Governments of Canada and the United States which had been received in 1977. The signing of a new Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement by Canada and the United States in November, 1978 created new duties and responsibilities for the Commission. The new Agreement provides for review of various provisions in the Agreement within specified time frames. This necessitated several meetings to deal with this aspect alone. Chief of these was a two-day meeting of the Commissioners and selected staff members in Virginia, in April, 1979. Commissioners reviewed the Agree- ment, received briefings on selected items and delegated a variety of tasks to be shared In a world grown more complex since the signing of the Boundary Waters by Commissioners and staff in meeting the Treaty in 1909, constant vigilance is obligations of the Agreement. necessary to protect the waters shared The International Joint Commission con- by the United States and Canada, tinues its efforts to inform the public about its activities affecting citizens in Canada 4i and the United States. The Commission has a long history of citizen involvement through its public hearings process but is aware that in today's complex society addi- 7@ tional efforts are required. The Commission is committed to informing the citizens of Canada and the United States about its activities so that the public may more actively participate in the numerous decisions which affect the people of both countries. Exhibits have become a part of the public affairs effort and displays were used during 1979 to inform and educate the public about IJC activities. 15 Travel and meetings in such border loca- ------ - tions as Buffalo, N.Y. continue to de- mand a great deal of the Commission's time. 77 1 4 The Commission Is committed to The Commission also played a part in a The year 1979 saw the formation of a new informing the citizens of Canada Year-of-the-Child project involving Cana- Great Lakes Levels Advisory Board to assist and the United States about its ac- dian and United States students. The the Commission. Half the membership of tivities so that the public may more actively participate in the nume. students, from Lisgar Collegiate in Ottawa, this Board consists of members of the public rous decisions which affect the Ontario and Canton Central School in with the other half coming from govern- people of both countries. Canton, New York joined together to con- ment agencies. The Commission also duct a "mini IJC" in Ottawa and Canton. established the International Great Lakes The Commission provided resource assist- Technical Information Network Board to ant in the form of literature and personnel. examine into and advise the Commission on In June 1979, at the special invitation of the water levels and flows data needs and col- Trans-Frontier Pollution Study Group of the lection in the Basin. Establishmentof these Organization for Economic Cooperation Boards was authorized by the Governments and Development, (OECD), Chairman of Canada and the United States after the Sugarman and Commissioner Beaupre-, ac- Commission suggested the need for such companied by the Canadian Secretary, panels in its 1976 report on Further Regula- David Chance, attended a special meeting tion of the Great Lakes. of the Group in Paris. Commissioner Beauprii addressed the Group on public participation in trans-frontier pollution problems, with Chairman Sugarman com- menting on certain aspects of Mr. Beaupr6's paper. The participation by the Commis- sion was well received by the Group. Chairman Sugarman and Commissioner Beauprd also attended a European Inter- parliamentary Symposium on the Environment in Europe held in Geneva in October. 16 "M 4, The Kettle Falls dam was one of the sites inspected by Commissioners during a working tour of the Rainy-Namakon chain of lakes in 1979. A, W The Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement Even such things as farm harvests can tend Many people and many agencies at directs the Commission to carry out a public to delay holding of public hearings and the various governmental levels are information service for the Agreement reports that follow. usually involved with studies and reports, in addition to the Commis- programs. In compliance with this As the 70s drew to a close the Commission sioners and staff in the two sec. responsibility, the Commission in 1979 was devoting an all-out effort to complete tions. undertook to expand its public information reports on difficult issues which had program for the Regional Office at Windsor, demanded a great deal of its time through- Ontario. out 1978-79. At the same time, procedures The Commission continues to strive to were being modified and streamlined to shorten the time required to c9mplete enable the Commission to better meet its reports to Governments. This ,has been a responsibilities in the 80s. matter of serious concern to the Commis- sion. Many people and many agencies at various governmental levels are usually involved with studies and reports, in addi- tion to the Commissioners and staff in the two sections. Sometimes, the seasons and the weather can play a role in delaying reports, since certain environmental data can only be gathered in a specific season under a specific weather condition. IJC rules of procedure call for the holding of public hearings before reports are written to governments; adequate time must be given to the public and every effort is made to encourage active participation in hearings. 17 r74 RF75k WC l also ooki I A-Mmlm..- 18 Protection of water quality in the boundary and transboundary waters has been a major concern of the Commission since its founding. f Water Quality 19 Water Quality The Commission is striving through an "'A expanded public information program to inform the public about the value Of the water resources shared by Canada All. and the United States. Today, the Commission Is working Protection of water quality in the boundary Today, the Commission has 5 active water to evolve recommendations for the and transboundary waters has been a major quality references. In examining and re- control of toxic substances as they concern of the Commission since its found- porting on these and previous References affect water quality, while simul. taneously seeking to learn the ex- ing. Although the Treaty assigned the the Commission has had to become fami- tent of the impact of both chemical Commission no role in enforcing the provi- liar with many esoteric pollutants unheard discharges and acid rain. sion of Article TV regarding transboundary of seventy years ago, and to keep abreast of water pollution, the United States and the evolving awareness and scientific know- Canada immediately requested the Com- ledge of harmful pollutants, and to make mission in a Reference in 1912 to identify recommendations for their control or the extent and source of pollution of the elimination. Such major problems as acid Detroit and Niagara Rivers and to make rain and toxics are the most recent and recommendations for improvements in dramatic examples. Today, the Commis- affected waters. Over the years, as the sion is working to evolve recommendations Commission has submitted its reports on for the control of toxic substances as they various investigations, the Governments affect water quality, while simultaneously increasingly made mutual commitments seeking to learn the extent of the impact of and have employed the Commission to both chemical discharges and acid rain. monitor progress and problems and to These matters are both being accorded m 'ake recommendations for improving urgent attention by the Commission and its programs. appropriate Boards. 20 Great Lakes GREAT LAKES WATER QUALITY BOARD Canadian Chairman U.S. Chairman Dr. R.W. Slater Mr. John C. McGuire Environment Canada Environmental Protection Agency SCIENCE ADVISORY BOARD U.S. Chairman Canadian Chairman Dr. Donald I. Mount Dr. G.K. Rodgers Environmental Protection Agency Environment Canada A new Water Quality Agreement for the Recommendations for measures required to Great Lakes, signed November 22, 1978 meet the water quality objectives of the called for increased efforts and tougher Agreement are developed by two advisory goals for the clean-up of the Great Lakes. boards to the Commission. The boards, The 1978 Agreement replaced the 1972 established by the Agreement, are the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement Great Lakes Water Quality Board and the which had been entered into following the Great Lakes Science Advisory Board Commission's earlier study of the Lower (formerly the Research Advisory Board). Lakes. The Water Quality Board has 18 members Under the new Agreement, as in the old one, with nine from each country. The 18- the IJC is responsible for analyzing and dis- member Science Advisory Board, with seminating information on water quality eight from each country plus ex-officio and the effectiveness of government pollu- members from the International Associa- tion control programs, advising the Govern- tion for the Great Lakes Research and the ments of the United States and Canada on Great Lakes Fishery Commission, is pri- Great Lakes water quality problems and marily responsible for evaluating the water making recommendations. quality research activities in the Great The new Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement signed in 1978 calls for in- creased efforts and tougher goals for clean-up of the Great Lakes. "A" 21 Industrial waste sites must be closely monitored if the waters of the Great Studies reported during 1978 show that the Lakes are to be protected from problem of toxic substances is larger and hazardous materials. more complex than previously realized. The Commission's Science Advisory Board completed an inventory of known chemicals being manufactured, used or imported into the United States portion of the Great Lakes Basin. The Commission recommended that legislation be enacted to require industry to provide appropriate information so that a similar inventory can be developed for ACM i Canada. In addition, Governments should develop an accurate inventory of chemical dumps and toxic waste disposal sites so that adequate control programs can be imple- mented. Remedial programs have begun to show limited results in the reduction of levels of X PCBs, DDT, DDE, mercury and Mirex in some parts of the Lakes. Significant de- creases reported included levels of DDT in W1, eastern Lake Michigan, mercury levels in L V western Lake Erie and levels of PCBs, DDE and Mirex in Lake Ontario. The Commis- N V_ sion is aware, however, that these im A- provements have not yet reached sub stantial proportions nor are they basin wide. Furthermore, the Water Quality Board reported to the Commission that a number Progress has been made on reduc. Lakes, recommending additional research of additional compounds have been ing eutropbication although eutro. for achieving the Agreement's water quality identified in the Lakes as potential phication of Lakes Erie and Ontario goals and advising on all scientific matters. problems. and Saginaw Bay in Lake Huron remains a major problem. The Commission reported in 1978 that Measurements of water quality to assess progress has been slow in cleaning up the compliance with the objectives of the lower Great Lakes since 1972, although Agreement show that there are 48 problem public surveys show that those who use the areas - most located near highly populat- Great Lakes see overall improvements in ed areas - where water quality continuesto water quality. be degraded by industrial, municipal and Major problems identified by the IJC which non-point sources. Although progress was must be dealt with to achieve goals of the noted in the control of industrial sources of Agreement include the presence of per- pollution, particularly in the U.S., 42 sistent toxic substances, concentrations of percent of the industries reported in the U.S. phosphorus and heavy metals and the dis- and 59 percent reported in Canada failed to posal of hazardous industrial wastes. meet their pollution control requirements. The Commission restated its concern about Progress has been made on reducing eutro- the critical problem of toxic substances phication although eutrophicati('?n of Lakes which remains to be solved. The full scope Erie and Ontario and Saginaw Bay in Lake of the threat to human health and the en- Huron remains a major problem. Signi- vironment has yet to be defined and effective ficant decreases in phosphorus concentra- controls are needed promptly. tions and reductions in algae growth were found in nearshore locations of western Lake Erie and Lakes Ontario and Michigan. 22 Phosphorus pollution continues at unac- tion problems. The Commission strongly ceptable levels in Lakes Erie and Ontario recommends a comprehensive ecosystem and local areas of the Upper Lakes, despite approach to water quality management extensive construction of municipal sewage which considers the interaction of air, treatment facilities, particularly in Canada. water, minerals and living organisms - In Canada, in 1978, 78 percent of the muni- including man - within the Great Lakes cipalities met their negotiated loading re- Basin. quirement while 41 percent of those in the Pollution problems remain in the Great United States met theirs. Further limitation Lakes but certainly in 1979, the Interna- of phosphorus in detergents and the imple- tional Joint Commission did not have to mentation of sewage treatment methods, report conditions "chaotic ... such as land application to drastically re- perilous ... and disgraceful" as it did in duce phosphorus, have also been recom- 1918 in its first report on those lakes. mended for consideration by governments. Some areas of the Lakes are showing a There was reason for some satisfaction decline in total phosphorus concentrations, when surveying the water quality of the with Lake Ontario indicating a significant Great Lakes at the end of 1979 but the downward trend. This was matched with satisfaction was balanced by the realization the knowledge that there are still numerous that the problems which remain are serious problem areas where water quality ob- and will be difficult to overcome. jectives or standards were exceeded and the Similarly, evidence of improvement in the battle to control pollution in the Great Lakes return of fish resources of the lakes was a is far from over. cause for cautious optimism. Although It is becoming apparent that water quality of such improvement was not reflected in the Great Lakes can not be improved signi- markedly better water quality, the evidence ficantly unless such factors as long-range of more stable and more productive fish transport of airborne pollutants and non- populations now existing in parts of the point land use sources are dealt with along Great Lakes than existed a decade ago gave with the more obvious point-source pollu- a positive sense of general improvement. An ecosystem approach which con- siders the interaction of air, water, minerals and living organisms, includ- ing man, is recommended by the Commission to protect the Great Lakes. *2 23 WNINIff, The transport of pollutants to the 10. waterways through the air is a major problem in thefight to protect the water quality of the Great Lakes. The study of acid rain is important to the Commission as its Science Advisory Board has warned that this problem may indirectly result in transboundary injury to health and property. -__.=%M - - - - - - - - Perhaps the two biggest problems confront- The other major problem confronting the ing the water quality of the Great Lakes as lakes, that of toxics and hazardous wastes, 1979 drew to a close were (1) those involv- presents a serious hazard to human health ing pollutants distributed by long-range air and the environment. Many species of fish transport and (2) toxic and hazardous are already subject to bans or warnings materials which find their way into the regarding human consumption and there is lakes. a significant threat of further worsening for The most dramatic evidence of the long- fishing and drinking. Many agencies in both range transport problem is that of acid rain countries are attempting to come to grips and this subject dominated the headlines with the issue but these efforts have only during the Commission's meeting in Detroit recently begun to produce solid results. In with the Great Lakes Water Quality Board the United States, biomonitoring is being and the Science Advisory Board. Both instituted to verify short and long term toxic discharges; in Canada new legislation has Boards reported on this subject and the been tabled for discussion. Every effort must news was not good. be made in both countries to prevent Parts of the Great Lakes Basin, including hazardous chemicals from entering the the Sudbury, Muskoka and Haliburton waterways. Chemicals whose use implies areas of Ontario and the Adirondacks of environmental threats should be banned. northern New York are now recognized as The disposal of hazardous wastes is a among some of the most heavily impacted serious problem in the Great Lakes Basin. areas in the world. These areas have Both Canada and the United States are already been subjected to precipitation faced with the task of locating abandoned which is more than twice as acidic as that sites scattered throughout the Basin and which caused losses of major fish stocks implementing clean-up and control pro- from thousands of Scandinavian lakes and grams. In addition, new ways and means streams. must be found to handle, store and dispose Since the Great Lakes are large in volume of hazardous wastes as they are generated and relatively well buffered, acid rain in the and indeed, to prevent their production at open waters is not expected to be a problem. the source. Resistance of citizens to locating However, it is possible that the presence of sites for disposal in their communities is a acid rain in the Basin will create other major factor in the denial of site approval. It pollution problems such as increased heavy is apparent that safe, acceptable sites and metals in these lakes and this calls for methods of disposal and control must be further study and investigation. The Science found. Meanwhile, hazardous wastes con- Advisory Board has warned that acid rain tinue to accumulate and present a growing may indirectly result in transboundary menace to the water quality of the world's injury to health and property. The Commis- richest fresh-water supply. sion is aware that the subject is receiving the attention of the Governments of Canada and the United States, and stands ready to assist in any way the Governments may decide. 24 Pollution From Land Use Activities INTERNATIONAL REFERENCE GROUP ON LAND USE ACTIVITIES Canadian Chairman United States Chairman Dr. Murray G. Johnson Mr. Norman A. Berg Environment Canada U.S. Dept. of Agriculture The Commission in 1978 received the final PLUARG found that the Great Lakes are report of its Pollution from Land Use being polluted from non-point sources by Activities Reference Group (PLUARG). The phosphorus, sediments, some industrial report was the culmination of a five-year organic compounds, some previously-used comprehensive study of non-point source pesticides and potentially, some heavy pollution of the Great Lakes. Supplemental metals. Atmospheric deposition was deter- reports were submitted by the Reference mined to be a significant source of pollution Group in March and June 1979. The IJC to the Great Lakes Basin ecosystem. report to Governments was scheduled for PLUARG found that Lakes Erie and Ontario early 1980. were most affected by non-point phos- The PLUARG study began in late 1972 as a phorus and toxic substances pollution. result of a Reference to the Commission Green Bay, Saginaw Bay, Southern appended to the Canada-United States Georgian Bay, Lake St. Clair, and the Bay Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement of of Quinte were identified as having local the same year. The Reference requested the problems with phosphorus, sediment or Commission to enquire into and report micro-organism pollution. upon: whether the Great Lakes were being Intensive agricultural activities were polluted by land drainage from various land identified as the major non-point contri- use activities; if so, the extent, causes and butors of phosphorus. Such agricultural locations of such pollution; and to recom- activities as the cultivation of row crops or mend practicable remedial measures and to the maintenance of feed lots on fine- report on the costs. textured soils were major non-point con- The value of preserving prime agricultur- al lands in the Great Lakes ecosystem has been stressed by the Commission in a report to Governments. P.M N; IRV" zi, z' I @ wp! @@71 @Z 25 Erosion of fine-textured soils from tributors of phosphorus to the Great Lakes. The phosphorus target loadings recom- agricultural areas and construction Southwestern Ontario and northwestern mended by PLUARG for the Upper Lakes activities In urban areas were Ohio were identified as important contri- differed from those presented in the 1978 identified as the main non-point buting areas. Overall it was found that soil Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement. In sources of sediment. type, land use intensity and materials usage addition, the phosphorus load estimates for were the most important land-related 1976 (the base year for determining the factors affecting the magnitude of non-point target loads) differed between PLUARG and pollution in the Basin. the Water Quality Board. A Phosphorus Erosion of fine-textured soils from agricul- Management Strategies Task Force, tural areas and construction activities in established to study the problem, is ex- urban areas were identified as the main non- pected to resolve these differences. The point sources of sediment. Urban runoff and findings of the Task Force will be considered atmospheric deposition were the major by the Commission in preparing its report to non-point sources of toxic substances. Governments. For the first time, citizen participants were The Water Quality Board recommended given the opportunity to review a study that the Commission delay acting on phos- report prior to submission to the Commis- phorus levels until the Task Force com pleted its work and the Board could com- sion. Comments and suggestions made by ment to the Commi 'ssidn. The control of 17 public panels were incorporated into the phosphorus inputs to the Lakes is regarded PLUARG report to the IJC. as critical to water quality improvement and Public hearings were held in 11 cities the Commission wishes to provide Govern- around the Basin during 1978 and many ments with the most accurate and up-to- topics were of special interest to hearing date information possible. participants. Suggestions relating to in- formation/education recommendations The problem of pollution from non-point were extensive. Frequently, those giving sources is a pressing one for Governments statements expressed willingness to assist since the Water Quality Agreement com- mits the parties to consider recommenda- in informing people of PLUARG's findings tions based on the PLUARG study. and in local implementation of recom- mendations, particularly those on phos- phorus control and toxic substances. 26 Water Quality of the Upper Great Lakes UPPER LAKES REFERENCE GROUP United States Chairman Canadian Chairman Mr. Christopher M. Timm Dr. G.K. Rodgers Environmental Protection Agency Environment Canada Controls on growth and development and The report on the Water Quality of the on phosphorus and toxic substances around Upper Great Lakes followed a comprehen- Lakes Superior and Huron are required to sive five-year study launched after the protect the excellent water quality of these Commission received a Reference from the lakes, the Commission reported to the Governments of Canada and the United Governments of Canada and the United States in 1972. The Commission was asked States in May, 1979. to enquire into and report on pollution in the Proponents of development should be re- Upper Lakes; the extent, causes and loca- quired to assure Governments, before they tions of such pollution; the remedial are given approval to proceed with such measures necessary to restore and protect development, that water quality degrada- water quality and the preventive measures tion will not occur. The "news" contained in needed to protect high-quality waters from this 1979 report on the water quality of the pollution in the future. upper lakes was certainly brighter and more The Commission recommended that the encouraging than reports the Commission Governments adopt as policy for those made in years gone by about the lower waters of Lake Huron and Lake Superior lakes. Notwithstanding some instances of which are better than the water quality pollution, the overall water quality of the objectives the philosophy of non- main bodies of the Upper Lakes is much degradation as proposed by the Commis- better than both the Great Lakes Water sion. Inherent in the adoption of such a Quality Agreement objectives and the policy is the obligation to develop the federal, state and provincial standards. The scientific and technical information base Commission told Governments that it con- required for proper management; encou- siders it imperative that the Upper Lakes be rage development of new and innovative maintained at their present high quality if manufacturing and waste treatment tech- existing and future uses are to be maintain- nology; encourage public education and ed. involvement in long-range planning and in the decision-making process; and encou- The Commission reported that growth and rage industrial participation. development could be accommodated in the area but stringent point source control Although the overall water quality of the should be applied as part of an offset policy Upper Lakes is excellent, there are many to ensure that overall loadings from point localized sources of pollution which should sources do not increase with growth. be reduced or eliminated if the existing high Sediments, water and fish in many near- quality is to be maintained. shore areas of both lakes exhibit unaccept- In the report to Governments, the Commis- ably high concentrations of heavy metals sion pointed out that transboundary pollu- and toxic organic substances as a result of tion was occurring in the St. Marys River their discharge, both intentionally and in- because of the discharge of phenolic sub- advertantly, into the environment. stances from the Algoma Steel Corporation For the particular metals in the locations at Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. The major cited in the Commission report as exhibit- adverse influence on the western arm of ing high concentrations in either the water, Lake Superior was the discharge of taconite sediment or fish, no further inputs should be tailings waste from Reserve Mining allowed to those areas unless the dis- Company which results in deposits of charger can show no injury to health and tailings on the Lake bottom and dispersal of property. asbestiform fibres. As a result of recent 27 Growth and development can be ac- j> commodated in the Upper Lakes region but stringent controls on growth and development and on phosphorus and toxic substances should be applied to protect the generally high quality of the waters of Lakes Superior and Huron. W". 0:1 Studies have shown that atmospheric inputs may be responsiblefor up to 40 per cent of the loadings of certain pol- r lutants to the Upper Great Lakes. court action, the company is scheduled to The Commission identified for future action start using a land disposal system in 1980. new concerns which have arisen from the The Commission asked the Governments to study by its Upper Lakes Reference Group. establish as soon as possible a drinking The Group's study indicated that atmo- water standard for asbestos. It urged spheric inputs may be responsible for up to governments to complete research into the 40 percent of the loadings of certain pol- effects of asbestos fibre size, shape and Rutants to the lakes. The Commission has concentration on all biological forms in the asked the Governments to address this Upper Lakes, especially when ingested by problem on a scale broad enough to permit man. the tracing of significant sources of input to the lakes, especially as many of the sources Water use problems occur in several areas, may be located outside the Great Lakes particularly Saginaw Bay on Lake Huron Basin. and Duluth-Superior Harbor on Lake It is evident that if the goals of nondegrada- Superior, as a result of inputs of nutrients tion and restoration of water quality in the and organic substances. The nutrient inputs Upper Lakes are to be met, society must to Saginaw Bay are also degrading the open develop new and innovative technologies. waters of southern Lake Huron. These must include resource conservation methods as well as new treatment pro- cesses. The Commission perceives the ToRe of Governments to be one of encouraging and coordinating development and im- plementation of these measures and of pro- viding incentives toward this end. 28 Poplar River INTERNATIONAL POPLAR RIVER WATER QUALITY BOARD U.S. Chairman Canadian Chairman Dr. Robert C. AveTett Dr. Robert K. Lane U.S. Geological Survey Canada West Foundation The Reference on the water quality of the addition to the general public. Future water quantity and quality Poplar River in Saskatchewan and considerations of boundary waters Montana occupied an important position on The Board reported that the proposed should be examined simultaneous- the Commission's agenda throughout developments will not present new pro- ly, the Board said. 1978-1979; at the end of 1979, the IJC was blems but will aggravate existing ones. A preparing its report to Governments for number of alternatives are possible for submission in 1980. mitigation of all expected adverse water quality effects of SPC development. The The Commission was requested in August, Board cautioned, however, that informa- 1977 to undertake a water quality study of tion available to it was inadequate in many the River and to include in the study the important aspects. Future water quantity transboundary water quality implications of and quality considerations of boundary the Saskatchewan Power Corporation's waters should be examined simultaneously, thermal power plant and ancillary works the Board said. including coal mining at Coronach, The Commission held public hearings in Saskatchewan. Construction of the project Scobey, Montana, and COTonach, was started before the Governments issued Saskatchewan, in September to receive the Reference to the lJC. testimony and evidence related to the In early March, 1979 the Commission Board's report. Because many citizens and submitted an interim report to the Govern- interest groups advised the Commission ments of Canada and the United States. The that they had not had sufficient time to fiAly Commission recommended that assess the report and to prepare submis- Saskatchewan Power Corporation be sions to the Commission prior to the formally advised that mitigation of the hearings, a second round of hearings was discharge of boron, and possibly total scheduled. dissolved solids and other substances, will Additional hearings were held in mid- be required to assure that the concentra- October at Regina, Saskatchewan and tions of boron and other substances in the again in Scobey. In mid-November the East Poplar do not exceed the objectives to Government of Saskatchewan announced be proposed for application at the inter- that it had approved construction of the national boundary, such objectives to be second unit (unit one was almost com- based upon a level which will provide pleted). The province indicated that it will adequate protection for water uses down- consider the recommendations of the stream of the boundary. The Commission Commission in the Commission's report to has further recommended that the respon- sibility for implementing adequate mitiga- Governments. tion should rest with the Corporation and that it should bear full technical and finan- 4 The Commission's study of Poplar River water quality was initiated in 1978 to cial responsibility for it. consider the transboundary implications The Commission recommended that of various proposed uses and develop- ments. Governments withhold approval of opera- tion of the power facility until they are satis- A fied that adequate mitigation has been provided. The Commission received the report of its International Poplar River Water Quality Board in July 1979. Copies were forwarded to the Governments of Canada, the United States, Montana and Saskatchewan, in 29 Red River INTERNATIONAL RED RIVER POLLUTION BOARD Canadian Chairman United States Chairman Mr. Denis A. Davis Mr. Irwin L. Dickstein Environment Canada U.S. Environmental Protection During 1978 there were several The Commission's Red River Pollution During 1978 there were several large spills large spills of wastewater to the Board reported in 1979 that the issue of dike of wastewater to the river but no serious river but no serious adverse trans- stability of the waste treatment ponds of all adverse transboundary environmental boundary environmental Impacts were reported. Red River Valley sugar beet mills is of great impacts were reported. A spill in the spring concern. Dike failures and/or leaks have of 1979 caused no severe water quality occurred from five of the six sugar beet impacts. plants in the valley during the past five North Dakota carried out enforcement years, resulting in the discharge of sub- action against the sugar beet plant respon- stantial amounts of de-oxygenating waste to sible for the 1979 spill and obtained mone- the river. tary damages. The state also planned Better maintenance and inspection pro- further dike inspections to determine grams must be instigated by all sugar beet maintenance needs at the other two North processing plants in the Red River Valley to Dakota sugar mills in the Valley. Minnesota provide better protection for the water undertook an investigation of the main- quality of the Red River. tenance status of the dikes at the three A work group representing federal, state Minnesota sugar mills in the Valley. and provincial regulatory agencies has been Fecal coliform concentrations have con- formalized to address monitoring needs and sistently exceeded the IJC objective of 200 to exchange technical information relating organisms per 100 millilitres. Land runoff to river flows and velocities. This group will appears to be the main source. The Board is develop a coordinated monitoring plan reviewing the data gathered over the last 10 which can be used to evaluate the effects on years to examine trends. Red River water quality when accidental spills occur. Rainy River INTERNATIONAL RAINY RIVER WATER POLLUTION BOARD Canadian Chairman U.S. Chairman Mr. Kim Shikaze Mr. David Wagner Environment Canada Environmental Protection Agency No new major water quality pro- The Commission has monitored pollution of decrease in 5-day Biochemical Oxygen blems were evident in the Rainy the Rainy River since 1959. No new major Demand (BOD 5) and suspended solids River during 1978-79. water quality problems were evident in the loadings in comparison to previous years. A Rainy River during 1978-79. The Inter- significant decline in phosphorus loadings national Rainy River Water Pollution Board was also noted. reported to the Commission that dissolved In the meantime, the Boise-Cascade pulp oxygen levels were above (better than) the and paper mills at International Falls, IJC objective of 5 milligrams per liter during Minnesota, and at Fort Francis, Ontario, 1978 and 1979. However, total coliform were at varying stages in constructing new bacteria remained higher than the objec- waste treatment plants. The company on tives as they have for a number of years and r the U.S. side had received a permit to begin while this was of some concern the cause tor construction of a new oxygen activated the high counts was unknown. sludge system to replace another recently In 1979, utilization of the new seasonal installed system that had failed to provide discharge waste stabilization pond serving an acceptable effluent. This new facility was the town of Rainy River led to a striking scheduled for completion by April 1, 1980. 30 On the Canadian side, the company had achieved maximum operating efficiency by completed and started up the major paper year's end. mill mechanical clarifier but it had not St. Croix River, ST. CROIX RIVER BOARD OF CONTROL U.S. Chairman Canadian Chairman Colonel Max B. Scheider Mr. John E. Peters U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Environment Canada During 1978 and 1979 the Commission The Commission recommended in its 1977 continued to monitor water quality in the Annual Report that Governments under- lower reaches of the St. Croix River to take steps to determine the feasibility of determine if previously reported improve- implementing a joint program for the ments in water quality were being main- rehabilitation of the salmon fishery in the tained. St. Croix River. The Commission has now The Commission had earlier reported to been advised that the New Brunswick governments in 1977 that water quality was Power Commission is expected to start adequate to again support the migration of construction of a new fish ladder at anadromous fish and particularly the Milltown, New Brunswick, in 1980 toward Atlantic Salmon. that end. Monitoring through 1978-79 indicated that water quality continued to be adequate and that the pollution control program under- taken at the Woodlands, Maine, mill of the Georgia Pacific Company was meeting with success. Spills of wastes were reported on five occasions throughout 1978-79 but these did not have a serious impact on water quality in the river. 31 Ai iti :14 In 1912, the Commission's first year of work on boundary problems, four out of the five dockets handled concerned levels and flows. Water Levels and Flows 33 Water Levels an( Only Lake Superior and Lake Since it was created 70 years ago the While the increased public interest in en- Ontario are regulated bV control International Joint Commission has been vironmental matters over the past decade structures and even on these lakes involved with the regulation of water levels or so has greatly influenced the work of the there are limitations to the amount and flows of water on the boundary or cros- Commission, the question of levels and of control which man can attain. sing it. Indeed, this aspect of the Commis- flows also continues to be important. The sion's responsibilities was the dominant one International Joint Commission receives forthe first 50 years of its existence. In 1912, reports at least once a year from its many the Commission's first year of work on international boards of control and ques- boundary problems, four out of the five tions of levels and flows still occupy the dockets handled concerned levels and attention of the Commissioners regularly. flows. Great Lakes Levels Advisory Board INTERNATIONAL GREAT LAKES LEVELS ADVISORY BOARD U.S. Chairman Canadian Chairman Mr. Robert C. Hansen Mr. N.H. James New York State Department Environment Canada of State The Commission recognized the need for It is responsible for advising the Commis- public input into the lake level decision sion on activities that might have a signi- making process in its 1976 report of ficant impact on water supplies, levels and "Further Regulation of the Great Lakes". flows on the Great lakes, connecting The report recommended the formation of a channels and the St. Lawrence River. The panel to advise the Commission of concerns Board also will study and make recom- by riparian and other citizen interests. mendations on practical methods of further In response, the Governments of Canada increasing public awareness of and in- and the United States provided the Com- volvement in all issues relating to Great mission with a Reference which asked the Lakes supplies, levels and flows. Commission to establish a new advisory The Board will keep informed and will ad- board to assist it in obtaining information vise the Commission on the effect of pro- regarding a number of matters which are grams such as new structures, structural related to the Commission's continuing alterations, landfill, shoreline develop- responsibilities concerning Great Lakes ment and dredging for navigation or other water supplies, levels and flows. purposes, proposed programs of winter ice In 1978 both the U.S. and Canadian sec- management for navigation or other pur- tions of the Commission began to enlist the poses, potentially significant weather aid of interested individuals and groups in modification activities, and other activities seeking nominations for the new Board. The affecting levels and flows. The Commission Commission established the Great Lakes is hopeful that this Board will assist it in Levels Advisory Board in 1979 and named advising the Governments on further steps eight persons from each country; four are to encourage public participation in all issues relating to Great Lakes water pro- private citizens and four are persons who blems. hold governmental positions with duties connected with levels and flows issues. All It is hoped that formation of this advisory members were appointed for two-year board will lead to the involvement of many terms. The Board held its first meeting in more citizens living around the lakes. The December, 1979. Board has been empowered to establish committees and task forces consisting of members from as wide a range of disciplines and public interest groups as may be re- quired. 34 Flows Great Lakes The year 1979 provided graphic evidence of Ontario. Despite this, levels of Lake Ontario the influence on lake water levels exerted by remained within the ranges specified by the changes in the weather. At the beginning of IJC order. the year, Lake Superior levels were slightly As 1979 drew to a close, all the lakes had lower than they had been at the same time a levels exceeding their long-term averages. year previous, Lakes Michigan-Huron were Given the most probable water supplies about the same level and Lakes Erie and over the first six months of 1980, Lake Ontario were just slightly higher. Ontario levels were expected to be ap- Precipitation over the Great Lakes Basin proximately the same at the end of March, during the first six months of the year 1980 as they had been a year earlier under averaged 20 percent higher than normal. similar conditions. Lake Superior levels This above-average condition was present were expected to be about four-and-a-half in all portions of the drainage basin but was inches above the long term average. How- most pronounced in the upper lakes. ever, even with extremely wet conditions At the end of July, Lake Superior levels were levels on all lakes would be expected to about six inches above those recorded at remain below their recorded extremes. the same time in 1978 while Michigan- Huron levels were about 11 inches higher. Lake Erie levels were about three inches above the previous year and Lake Ontario about six-and-a-half inches higher. Out- flows of Lake Superior were increased gradually from 70,000 cfs to 83,000 cfs (cubic feet per second) in May to 108,000 cfs in June, to maximum outflows in July of 116,000 cfs. Above normal precipitation over the Great Lakes Basin slowed the seasonal decline of water levels of the Great Lakes over the last few months of the year. At year's end, Lake Superior levels were about eight inches higher than they had been at the same time one year earlier; Huron and Ere were about 10 inches higher and Ontario about six inches higher than the previous year. Only Lake Superior and Lake Ontario are regulated by control structures and even on these lakes there are limitations to the amount of control which man can attain. Weather and the natural features of the system continue to play very important Water le els influenced by weather roles. changes can lead to erosion problemsfor those living on the shores of the Great On April 6, a severe wind storm (80 mph) hit Lakes. eastern Lake Erie causing extensive flood- ing and ice damage (estimated at $34 million). The water level rose more than seven feet above pre-storm level and there 7 was a 16-foot difference in elevation be- tween the west and east end of Lake Erie during the storm. In September, Hurricane Frederick brought near-record water about three inches on Lakes Erie and supplies and produced short term rises of 35 I Lake Supen'oor INTERNATIONAL LAKE SUPERIOR BOARD OF CONTROL Canadian Chairman U.S. Chairman Mr. David Witherspoon Major General Richard Harris Environment Canada U.S. Army Corps of Engineers In the past, the Commission has recom- maintenance of proper flows over the rapids mended to the Governments of Canada and section of the river to protect the fishery. the United States that the control works at The stage I cofferdam for the new the head of the St. Mary's River which help generating facilities was completed by the regulate Lake Superior levels be operated in end of 1978. Water quality monitoring a manner to suitably and adequately protect specified by the Commission began before all interests throughout the Great Lakes the start of construction and has continued system. in accordance with an approved program. Consequently, in 1978 the International All water quality data have been within Joint Commission held informal public in- recommended tolerance limits. formation meetings in seven cities to pro- The IJC's International Lake Superior vide information about possible changes to Board of Control prepared a plan for the its Orders of Approval for the regulation of monthly regulation of Lake Superior prior Lake Superior. Public hearings followed in to the closure of the Canadian power canal December 1978 and January 1979. In required for removal of the old Great Lakes October, 1979 the Commission amended power plant and the dredging of the channel its 1914 Orders of Approval to permit to the new plant. This predischarge plan regulating the levels of Lake Superior within was implemented in October, 1979. The a specified range so as to keep the levels of canal is slated for temporary closure in Lake Superior and Michigan/Huron at the October, 1981. Since closure of the power same relative position in relation to their canal will shut off an outlet from Lake mean levels. The Commission implemented Superior during construction of the hydro- Plan 77 to achieve these objectives in electric power project, it is necessary to October 1979. release extra water prior to the closure to Prior to the amendment, outflows from Lake compensate for the reduction in discharge Superior were based on the lake's levels and capacity following closure. The power canal the danger of flooding on the St. Mary's is scheduled to be reopened in 1982. River, without taking into consideration the Before amending the Orders, the Govern- levels of Lakes Michigan/Huron. ments of the United States and Canada In September, 1978, the Commission advised the Commission that pTeliminary issued two Supplementary Orders of Ap- work would be undertaken to construct proval. One permitted the Great Lakes remedial works in the rapids area at Sault Power Corporation to rebuild its hydro- Ste. Marie which would protect the fishery electric power facilities at Sault Ste. Marie, as had been recommended by the Commis- Ontario while the other provided for the sion in a 1975 report to Governments. Th United States carried out detailed The compensating wor*s (to the right of testing of its portion of the compensating the bridge) at the head of the St. Marys River are used to regulate the levels of works during 1979. The Commission has Lake Superior within a specified range. sted a report on the total condition of reque the control structure but work on the Canadian section has been delayed by a lack of funding. The Commission has stressed to Governments the importance of testing the works and is hopeful that action will be taken on the Canadian side in the near future. The Great Lakes Fishery Commission has also stated its support for such testing. 36 Lake Erie INTERNATIONAL LAKE ERIE REGULATION STUDY BOARD U.S. Chairman Canadian Chairman Maj. Gen. Richard L. Harris Mr. Derek M. Foulds U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Environment Canada The Governments of Canada and the United Navigation forecasts are being considered Navigation forecasts are being con. States asked the Commission to determine along with fleet compositions and vessel sidered along with fleet composi- the possibilities for limited regulation of characteristics. Evaluations for power tions and vessel characteristics. Lake Erie and the anticipated effects generating stations on the Niagara and St. throughout the Great Lakes Basin and the Lawrence rivers are being carried out as is a St. Lawrence River, taking into account the wide-reaching study of the environmental applicable Orders of Approval of the effects. These studies are necessary to de- ommission and the recommendations of ternflne the impacts of regulation, if any, on he Canada-Quebec study of flow regulation navigation, power and the environment. the St. Lawrence River in the Montreal Due to funding restraints, the environ- region. mental study will be confined to the Ontario The study also is reviewing St. Lawrence portion of the Great Lakes from Port Huron- River dredging and regulation plans to Sarnia to the Quebec border of the St. ascertain how any increased flow could be Lawrence River. Economic evaluations on handled without affecting Lake Ontario coastal zones, navigation and power will levels. cover the entire Great Lakes - St. Investigations of the works necessary to Lawrence River system. implement regulation as well as the effects The Board has prepared a public informa- of the regulation on the navigation and tion program and the first newsletter was power interests and on the environment are mailed to the public in both Canada and the underway by the Commission's gnter- United States in the fall of 1979. An interim national Lake Erie Regulation Study Board. report in the form of a briefing to the IJC was scheduled by the Board for early 1980. A study on the possibilities for limited regulation of Lake Erie will include an evaluation of the effects of such regula- r tion on power generating stations on the Niagara River along with environ- mental effects. W 17 000 ;al' C T, A F; 37 Niagara River INTERNATIONAL NIAGARA BOARD OF CONTROL Canadian Chairman U.S. Chairman Mr. E.T. Wagner Maj. General Richard L. Harris Environment Canada U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Low winter air temperatures were Since 1965 an ice boom has been installed Although Lake Erie was 100 percent ice not confined to this area as four of by power companies at the head of the covered in the winter of 1979 for the third the five Great Lakes were frozen Niagara River each winter to accelerate the consecutive year and numerous low over. formation of the natural ice arch and to temperature records were set in the eastern reduce ice runs into the river. The ice boom Lake Erie area, all spans of the ice boom helps to prevent excessive flows of ice from had been removed by April 17, 18 days entering the Niagara River and damaging earlier than the previous year. Low winter downstream shore property and hydro air temperatures were not confined to this power equipment. It has been alleged that area as four of the five Great Lakes were the ice boom causes longer, more severe frozen over. winters in the area. The Commission held a In mid-February, an ice jam consisting public hearing in Buffalo in March 1979 to entirely of river generated ice formed at the receive comment on operation of the boom. mouth of the lower Niagara River and The Order of Approval for the ice boom, extended upstream seven-and-a-half miles. which has been renewed from time to time, The ice jam, the first to occur in this location is scheduled to terminate in May 1980. In since 1964, resulted in as much as a three- late 1979 the power agencies asked the lJC foot head loss to the Robert Moses and Sir for an indefinite extension of permission to Adam Beck power plants. continue installing the boom each year. The Commission will hold public hearings in 1980 before deciding to terminate, extend or revise approval for the ice boom. The ice boom at the head of the Niagara River is installed each winter to ac- celerate the formation of the natural ice arch and to reduce ice runs into the river. Here, the boom is being removed at the end of the ice season. "'N 38 Lake Ontario and The St. Lawrence River INTERNATIONAL ST. LAWRENCE RIVER BOARD OF CONTROL U.S. Chairman Canadian Chairman Maj. General Richard L. Harris Mr. R.H. Smith U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Department of Transport Throughout the year, the Commission's vailed in the international section of the In each winter the Board used its International St. Lawrence River Board of river by March 22 and all ice boom sections winter operating discretion to Control continually monitors the outflows of were removed before the April 2 Seaway optimize winter flows. the river to assure that the Commission's opening. Order of Approval is followed. In each winter the Board used its winter In 1978 the Board initiated a study at the operating discretion to optimize winter request of the Commission to update a 1975 flows. report of its working committee on studies Water supplies to Lake Ontario from April to improve the regulation of Lake Ontario. through December, 1979 were well above The studies include an assessment of the normal. The supply for September was relative costs and benefits of alternative almost a record. As the year drew to a close, regulation plans, using the economic data Lake Ontario levels were about eight inches being developed by the Lake Erie Regula- above those recorded at the same time a tion Study Board. The study is expected to year previous; however, these levels were be completed in 1980. still well within the range provided for in the In 1978 water supplies to Lake Ontario were Plan of Regulation and were about one-and- considerably above normal but well within a-half feet below what would have prevailed the range of the historical supplies which in pre-St. Lawrence River Power Project the plan of regulation was designed to conditions. The Board released substantial accommodate. additional flows in December 1979 to create Numerous flow changes through the inter- an added safety factor. national section of the St. Lawrence River The St. Lawrence Seaway Authority for the were made in January 1979 to assist the first time in its history imposed surcharges formation of a stable ice cover. Ice booms on vessels which moved through the are used to assist this process. Seaway after the official closing date of December 18. Ice Booms are placed across Ice jams reduce the outlow from Lake the river at the beginning of the winter to Ontario and raise its level, cause problems assist the formation of a stable ice cover and with power generation and lead to the ex- prevent ice jams which can interfere with posure of drainage outlets and municipal water flows. water intakes. Open water conditions pre- Ice formation was in progress above the ice booms in the St. Lawrence River near Ogdensburg, N.Y. and Prescott, Ontario when this picture was taken in the winter of 1979. 39 Diversions and Coinsumptive Uses INTERNATIONAL GREAT LAKES DIVERSIONS & CONSUMPTIVE USES STUDY BOARD Canadian Chairman U.S. Chairman Mr. Ralph L. Pentland Maj. General Richard L. Harris Environment Canada U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Hydrologic effects of increased The International Great Lakes Diversions workshops which the Board will hold in the consumptive uses for the next 60 and Consumptive Uses Board was esta- spring of 1980. years are also being evaluated. blished by the Commission to investigate, in e evaluation will also include a study of accordance with a Reference from Govern- the impacts of consumptive uses on the ments February 21, 1977, the effects of current operating regulation plans for lakes existing and proposed diversions within, Superior and Ontario. into or out of the Great Lakes Basin, and the effects of consumptive uses on Great Lakes Among the five alternatives chosen by the water levels and flows. Board for detailed hydrologic and economic The study has three major components- evaluation on the diversions side of the diversion, consumptive uses and environ- study, is one which assumes no water would mental evaluations. go through the three principal diversions now existing (Long Lake/Ogoki, Chicago In 1978 basic water supply data for the and Welland Canal). This alternative was diversions studies were fully coordinated. included to determine present effect of the Work was completed on the projections of existing diversions on the Great Lakes. consumptive uses in the Great Lakes Hydrologic effects of increased consump- System to the year 2035. A preliminary tive uses for the next 60 years are also being determination of the effects of these in- evaluated. This will include an estimate of creased usages on the Great Lakes levels the time at which the diversion alternatives and flows has been made. The environ- would become totally impractical due to the mental evaluation studies have been lowered levels of the lakes caused by in- divided into three areas: 1) the Great Lakes - creasing consumptive uses. St. Lawrence River systems, 2) the Illinois Waterway (Lake Michigan Diversion at Chicago), and 3) Long Lac/Ogoki Diver- sions. A public involvement program has been developed and the first issue of a news- letter titled "Diversion" was distributed in November, 1978; a second issue followed in June, 1979. The third issue of the Board's newsletter, scheduled for early 1980 will publicize the dates and locations of public A study is underway on the effects of consumptive uses on Great Lakes water @7 levels andflows. One category of user on the lakes is that of power stations such as this nuclear powerplant on Lake Ontario. ALI pow F 4W 7- 40 Osoyoos Lake INTERNATIONAL OSOYOOS LAKE BOARD OF CONTROL Canadian Chairman U.S. Chairman Mr. Gordon Tofte Mr. Charles R. Collier Environment Canada Department of the Interior Osoyoos Lake is an expanse of the The International Joint Commission has The Commission has been encou- Okanagan River running from British deferred action in order to encourage con- raged by the cooperation exhibited Columbia into the state of Washington; the tinued cooperation and progress by those by the State of Washington and the international boundary intersects the lake. citizens in Canada and the United States Province of British Columbia. Zosel Dam, constructed at the lake's outlet directly concerned with the issues. in Washington in 1927 to create a pond for The Commission has been encouraged by log storage partially controls the water level the cooperation exhibited by the State of ofthelake. Washington and the Province of British The International Osoyoos Lake Board of Columbia. The State and the Province are Control was formed by the Commission to working within the terms of a Memorandum see that the Commission's 1946 Order of of Understanding to develop a long-term Approval for the dam is carried out. program which would satisfactorily deal The Zosel Dam was inspected by the United with the question of the best water levels for States Corps of Engineers for structural the citizens of both countries and to keep integrity in accordance with an A oril, 1978 the Commission informed of progress. At P the end of 1979 the Commission was await- request from IJC. The Corps reported that ing a report. the dam was in poor condition. Public hearings were held by the IJC in The United States Army Corps of Engineers September 1978, at Osoyoos, British has prepared a conceptual design and Columbia and Oroville, Washington. The estimate of construction costs for a struc- public was invited to comment on possible ture to replace Zosel Dam. Such a structure improvement of water levels on Osoyoos would permit more controlled regulation Lake and the Okanagan River above Zosel and the acceptance of a higher maximum Dam. Following the hearings, the State of water level than 911 feet, if it is decided that Washington made temporary repairs on this would be beneficial. Zosel Dam in early 1979. The Commission's International Osoyoos Lake Board of Control formed an Opera- tions Committee, consisting of one U.S. and one Canadian citizen, to channel concerns of recreational and riparian interests to the Board for consideration when making regu- lation decisions. In response to a request from the IJC, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in- 4 spected the Zosel Dam for structural integrity and reported that the dam was in poor condition. 41 Richelieu River-Lake Champlain Reference INTERNATIONAL CHAMPLAIN-RICHELIEU BOARD U.S. Chairman Canadian Chairman Mr. Terrence P. Curran Mr. Harry B. Rosenberg New York Department of Environment Canada Environmental Conservation The Commission is considering In 1975 the Commission reported to the In the spring of 1979 the Commission ways of providing relief from flood Governments of Canada and the United formed an ad hoc committee to observe damage while not harming the en- States that aside from the undetermined tests being conducted by Parks Canada to vironment in either country. environmental consequences, regulation to ascertain the effects of Canal bank widening control flooding of lands along the Richelieu and the feasibility of using the Canal to dis- River and Lake Champlain was desirable. charge flood waters and to monitor the The Commission formed an International hydraulic effects of the program. The tests Champlain-Richelieu Board to study the involved admitting water during flood con- environmental, physical and economic ditions into the Chambly Canal and return- effects of regulation in both countries. ing the water to the Richelieu River through Lake Champlain is located mostly in the a temporary breech in the Canal wall down- states of Vermont and New York. Its outlet, stream of the St. Jean rapids. the Richelieu River, flows northward The purpose of the tests was to determine through Quebec for 80 miles to the St. the structural and hydraulic competency of Lawrence River. Flooding and low water the canal to serve as a bypass channel conditions have caused considerable during flood conditions, thereby alleviating damage in both countries. The Commission high water conditions upstream. The com- is considering ways of providing relief from mittee concluded that the tests were too flood damage while not harming the en- limited to draw firm conclusions although vironment in either country. The lake and they did provide some indication of the the river support a great diversity of animal effects of the widening of the canal banks on and plant life, fish, fur-bearing animals and levels and flows. waterfowl. The shallows of the lake and This Reference has proven to be a parti- adjoining wetlands are important to the cularly difficult and complicated one. The lake's biotic diversity. Commission expects to report to govern- The Board submitted its report to the ments in 1980. Commission in January 1978 and the Commission held public hearings at Burlington, Vermont, Plattsburg, New York and St. Jean, Quebec in June. In response to a number of issues raised at the hearings, the Commission asked the Board to pre- pare a supplementary report. That report was the basis for additional hearings in Burlington and St. Jean in September. In January 1979 the Board submitted a sup- plemental report responding to additional issues raised during the public hearings. 42 Although most of the work International Joint Commission over) c- first 70 years of existence has involved A o'r,, waters on and flowing across the-TTMTt- problems of air pollution have also dealt with. And with --11 A i r -A Although most of the work of the International Joint Commission over its first 70 years of existence has involved the waters on and flowing across the boundary, problems of air pollution have also been dealt with. And with success. Air Quality M M 43 The question of air pollution in the Detroit-Windsor area has been the sub- ject of Commission study and report since the Commission was first asked in 1949 to report on the problem of smoke from area vessels using the Detroit River. MIA& 4@' F- -71 [email protected]_ Progress in the improvement of air quality The problem of pollution through the air- with respect to suspended particulates and ways sprang into the headlines in dramatic sulphur dioxide slowed considerably after fashion in 1979 when the two Boards advis- showing dramatic improvement from 1972 ing the IJC on the Great Lakes (Great Lakes to 1975. Water Quality Board and the Science So despite an emphasis on water quality Advisory Board) reported on the menace and water levels work, the Commission is presented by acid rain. Since aerial path- no stranger in the world of air pol!ution and ways followed by pollutants honor no its attendant problems. boundaries, this is very much an inter- national problem. The Commission was In recent years, the Commission has re- pleased to see the Governments of Canada ported to Governments about the threat and the United States recognize the posed to water quality by the long-range urgency and the need for joint action on the transport of pollutants through the air. This problem. The Commission will be following includes, but is not limited to, the problem of this matter with deep interest and stands acid rain. Clearly, the atmosphere provides ready to assist in any way the Governments an important source for a variety of pollu- may decide. tants which plague the Great Lakes, in- Whatever programs are adopted, it has cluding phosphorus, nitrogen, lead, copper other heavy metals, sulphates, PCBs and become very evident that there is a need to other substances. Studies have indicated closely control atmospheric emissions of that direct atmospheric deposition onto the oxides of nitrogen and sulphur in both surface of Lake Superior accounts for 37 per Canada and the United States. cent of the total phosphorus loading (ex- cluding shoreline erosion). 45 46 As the International Joint Commission approached its eighth decade, the matters which concerned it involved old issues of the past and new issues of the future. 70 Years Later 47 70 Years Later Water levels and flows are still very 10. much matters which Canada and the United States must deal with together. 7 The protection and maintenance of water quality is a year-roundjob. c-, As the International Joint Commission Public concern has also been noted that approached its eighth decade, the matters changes in levels and flows of the connec- which concerned it involved old issues of the ting channels could possibly result from past and new issues of the future. navigation season extension. The Commis- Water levels and flows are still very much sion has inforrned Governments that this matters which Canada and the United matter will be referred to the Great Lakes States must deal with together, just as they Levels Advisory Board for advice. were when the Commission was created 70 Problems of energy supply and economics years ago. The Osoyoos Lake matter dis- which occupy important priorities in the cussed in a previous section is an example. minds of many Canadians and Americans New problems and new approaches are also may have a growing role to play in the work touching on the work of the Commission. of the Commission in the future. Winter navigation on the Great Lakes has Both countries will have many anxieties as been the subject of study on the United to the impact of the energy crisis and States side of the boundary although it has economic problems on temptations to "go not been referred to the Commission. easy" on polluters and take other short-cuts In 1979 the Commission informed Govern- in the name of finding pragmatic answers. ments that public concern about environ- As industries expand and resources are mental effects of navigation season exten- exploited, it will become more important sion have been noted. At the Commission's than ever that both countries cooperate to request, its Great Lakes Water Quality protect the environment. Board reviewed the matter to determine if The environmental movement gained winter navigation could have significant momentum in the 60's as a "quality of life" adverse impacts on water quality. The concept but it has since been transformed Board concluded that there is insufficient into a much more serious debate because of material upon which to base a decision. the public health aspects of environmental The Governments were so informed by the contamination. Both Canada and the Commission and it was recommended that United States will increasingly be confront- ed by the dilemma of what will appear con- a thorough and timely background study flicting choices - protecting the environ- should be undertaken so that possible water ment or protecting the economy. The IJC quality impacts of winter navigation can be believes that the temptation to choose assessed. The Commission is aware that economic gains at the expense of a healthy major programs, once underway, are ex- environment should be resisted in both tremely difficult to stop if adverse envi- ronmental impacts are discovered later. countries. In the long term the maintenance of a healthy environment is not incom- patible with economic gain. 48 4 The Commission has advised the go- vernments of Canada and the United States that any study of extending winter navigation on the Great Lakes should consider any impacts on water quality. p wk@ Industrial wastes continue to pose water quality problems, 70 years after the signing of the Boundar y Waters Treaty. Especially necessary is a clear commitment The International Joint Commission has to control and eliminate toxic and met with the Great Lakes Fishery Commis- hazardous materials from the environment sion to discuss matters of mutual interest. before further and even more serious harm Such meetings assist in the effort to find an is caused to water resources. accurate understanding of the importance If coal replaces oil as a fuel on a major scale, of environmental quality to fishery manage- care will have to be taken to see that this ment and of what steps are being taken to does not produce additional air pollution; remedy problems. Contact with such such pollution could also have a major agencies and organizations as the Great impact on the quality of vital water re- Lakes Basin Commission and Great Lakes sources essential to the well-being of both Tomorrow serve to further the understand- countries. Similarly, nuclear facilities must ing of environmental problems - these not be permitted to have adverse environ- contacts will continue. mental impacts on water shared by Canada New problems or old, the International and the United States. Joint Commission after 70 years, will con- The development of a common resource- tinue to seek solutions in the manner fore- environmental protection policy along the seen by the creators of the Boundary Waters boundary and beyond is becoming increas- Treaty of 1909. That is, with the Commis- ingly important. The Commission is aware sion acting, not as separate national dele- of the need for cooperation amongst all gations under instruction from their respec- groups with an interest in preserving and tive governments, but as a single body protecting the environment shared by seeking common impartial solutions in the Canada and the United States. jointinterest. The Commission is aware that it will be of little use to Governments if it does not have wide public confidence and it will not be able to maintain that confidence without a public belief in both countries in the Commission's impartiality as well as its actual and legal autonomy. Seventy years after the signing of the Boundary Waters Treaty, the Com- mission remains determined to carry out the tasks assigned to it in the spirit envi- sioned by those who created the Treaty and the International Joint Commission. ", FZ 49 in. L 50 Ap pi@end ices 51 ppendices IJC ORGANIZATIONAL CHART lic U.S. STAFF THREE U.S. COMMISSIONERS CANADIAN STAFF THREE CANADIAN COMMISSIONERS i . ... .. ... .... . 1%78 CA"," Ti,-461 SCIENCE ADVISORY' WATER QUALITY BOARD BOARD UPPER LAKES REFERENCE GROUP PLUARG INVESTIGATIVE POLLUTION BOARDS BOARDS SURVEILLANCE OF BOARDS CONTROL 53 L@11 L- LL LIYLI_-@ nl Under the Boundary Waters Treaty and other international arrangements, the lJC generally receives its projects (1) by applications to it for approval of certain activities on boundary Or trans-boundary waters, or (2) by referral to it by the U.S. and/or Canadian Govenment to make investigations (references). - A or R on the chart indicates application or reference ............................................... - The year refers to the date the application of reference was submitted to the lJC. - The lJC Document number is the official identification number for the purpose of keeping track of the projects. Da::4`2, [.!!3. 7W.? 1A Rainy River Improvement Co. Dismissed as covered by a Kettle Falls Dam -special agreement." 2 A Watrous Island Boom Co. Approved.No Board. Boom in Rainy River 3 R Lake of the Woods Levels Completed. Resulted in the 1925 Convention. Active Board. 4 R Pollution of Boundary Waters Completed.Recommendations not implemented. 5 R Livingstone Channel Completed.Recommendations Detroit River implemented. 6A Michigan Northern Power Co. Approved.First Board of C_@ St. Mary's River Dam Control. Active board. (with No. 8) 7 A Greater Winnipeg Water District Approved. No board 100 mgd from Shoal Lake for Winnipeg water supply 8 A Algoma Steel Corporation Approved. Active board. St. Mary's River Dam (with No. 6) L 9 R St. Mary and Milk Rivers Issued Order in 1921 on method Article V1 of B.W. Treaty of water measurement and apportionment. 10A The St. Croix Water & Power Co. Same structure. Approved in 1915. Grand Falls Dam Amended in 1931 - Docket 28. (with no. 11) Active Board. 11A Sprague's Falls Mfg Co. Grand Falls Dam (with No. 10) 12 A International Lumber Co. Approved. No board. Boom in Rainy River 13 A St. Clair River Channel Approved dredging. No board. Compensating works not constructed. 54 0 NO. Title Action Decision postponed. Now inun- 14 A New York and Ontario dated by St. Lawrence Power. Weir. Waddington 15 A St Lawrence River & Power Co. Approved board was established. Massena Weir Works removed prior to St. Lawrence Power Project. 16 A Canadian Cottons Ltd. Withdrawn in 1919. Milltown Dam on St Croix River 17 R St. Lawrence River Navigation Completed. Treaty drafted in 1932. and Power U.S. Senate did not ratify it. Revived in Docket 6& 18A State of Maine Fishways Approved. No board. Fishway in St. Croix River 19A New Brunswick Electric Power Approved without passing on the Commission issue of downstream benefits. Grand Falls Dam on St John River No board. 20 R Rainy Lake Levels Completed Led to Convention of 1928. Active Board. See Docket 50. 21 A Sulfate and Fort Erie Public Approved. No board. Bridge -Co- . - Bridge over Niagara River 22 A Approved transfer of approval St. John River* Power Co Grand Falls Dam on' St. John Rim granted under Docket 19. 23-A Creston Reclamation CO. Ltd. Approved. No board. Dyking on Kootenay River in Canada and above the Lake 24A St. Lawrence River & Power Co. No action. Hearing adjourned Raise Massena Weir "sine die". Now inundated by St. Lawrence Power Project. 25 R Trail Smelter Fumes Completed. Report not accepted by U.S. The tribunal award similar to IJC. Roseau River Drainage Completed . Governments to respond A West Kootenay Power & Light Withdrawn in 1934, Co., Ltd. Kootenay, Lake Storage St Croix Water Power Co.. Approved raising forebay 1.5 feet. and Sprague Falls Mfg CO. Active board. Initial approval in Grand Falls Dam on St. Croix River Dockets 10 & 11. Approved. No board. A, Kootenay Valley Power and 29 Development Co. Dyking on Kootenay River in Canada near Creston 30 Docket number assigned in error same as above 31 A Madawaska Company Denied. Related to claims Grand falls Dam on, St. John River pursuant to operation under Dockets 10 & 22 32A Canadian Cottons Ltd. Approved. Active Board. Milltown Dam on St. Croix River 33A Jean Lariviere Approved. No board. John Lake 55 Docket f &. ACV= 34 A Bruner, P. C, Approved. No board. Dyking on Kootenay River in Canada 35 A Montana Conservation Board Approved. Dam not built. No 'Dam on Fast Fork of Poplar River board. 36 A Myrum, Gen. B. Approved. Repair work on existing Repair of Prairie Portage Dam timber dam not implemented. -37 R Champlain Waterway Completed. Recommended new Deep waterway from St. Lawrence Study after St. Lawrence Seaway to Hudson River built. 38 A Richelieu River Remedial Works Approved. Only control gates (U 7 installed. Dykes and excavation not implemented. Active board. Approved. Active board. 6-_') 1@'b 39 A West Kootenay Power & Light L Co., Ltd. Corra Linn Dam for Kootenay Lake Storage United States Forest Service Approval granted to reconstruct Prairie Portage Dam dam. Only cofferdam built. Active board. 41 R $ourisRiver Governments approved interim Water apportionment measures recommended by IJC. Active Board of Control. 42 A Creston Reclamation Co., Ltd. Approval settled outstanding 4@2 Dykes along Kootenay River in differences. No board. Initial Canada approval under Docket 23. 43 A West Kootenay Power & Light Approved for one year.Active board. Co@ Ud. Additional two feet of storage on Kootenay Lake 44 A Grand Coulee Dam & Reservoir Approved. Active board. CO Backwater raised water level in Canada 45 A West Kootenay Power & Light Informal request considered to be e. _J Co., Ltd. unnecessary application. Additional two feet of storage on Kootenay Lake 46 A City of Seattle Approved. Board established Ross Dam, Skagit River when Seattle & B.C. reached agreement in 1967. 47 A West Kootenay Power & Light Approved until end of the war. e L@@) Co., Ltd. Board active. Additional two feet of storage on Kootenay Lake 48 A Creston Reclamation Co., Ltd. Approved. No board. Reclamation of flooded lands in Duck Lake 49 A State of Washington Approved.Active board. Zosel Dam at outlet of Osoyoos Lake Rainy Lake Watershed Completed. Issued and subse- Emergency conditions in Rainy quently modified Orders specifying and Namakan Lakes, rule curves. Active board. Special jurisdiction under See Docket 20. Convention of 1928. 56 Docket No. Title Action )I IMPUICC 51 P. Columbia River Completed. Led to Columbia River Treaty. 52 A Ontario & Minnesota Pulp Approved but not built. Lake of &PaperCo. the Woods Board of Control to Ash Rapids Dam in Lake of the supervise. Woods 53, R $age Creek_ Completed. No action by Appropriation of waters Governments. 54 R Pollution of St. Clair River, Completed. Surveillance over Lake St. Clair and Detroit River water quality until Great Lakes and St. Mary's River Water Quality Agreement signed in 1972. 55 R Pollution of Niagara River Completed. Surveillance until Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement signed in 1972. 56 R Northern States Power Co. Was dealt with under Docket 41. Number assigned in error 57R Waterton & Belly Rivers Studies completed. lJC divided on Further uses and apportionment national lines. Only Canadians Of Waters reported. 58 R Souris & Red Rivers Completed. Board still reports on Further uses and apportionment its umbrella activities. of waters. 59 A West Kootenay Power Co., Ltd. Approved for four years.Board Additional two feet of storage active. on Kootenay Lake 60 R PassamaquoddyTidal Power Completed. Government accepted Apportionment of costs of further studies. 6 yl,, 20) 61 R Air Pollution in Windsor-Detroit Completed. Surveillance activities @, 1 area from vessels terminated in 1966. '11 5@@'N T 62 A Creston Reclamation, Co., Ltd. Approved. Board active. Levels of Duck Lake 63 R St. John River Completed. Water resources of the basin above Grand Falls 64 R Niagara Falls - Preservation and Completed and accepted by enhancement of their beauty Governments. Active Board. ibbst Dam and Reservoir 65 A Lt Withdrawn. aq@ Approved. No board. 66A Consolidated Mining & Smelting Co. Waneta, Dam on Pend'Oreffle River Completed. Studies concurrent 07,13 Lake,ork w with Application under Docket 68. 68 A St. Lawrence Power Approved. Very active board. 69 A Libby Dam and Reservoir No decision. Problem solved by Columbia River Treaty. 70 A CrestonReclamationCo., ltd, Approved. Board active. Modification of 1950 Order on Duck Lake Completed. Pollution aspect still 71 R St. Croix River Use, conservation and regulation under active surveillance. 57 Docket Mo. Title Action 72 R Passamaquoddy Tidal Power Completed. 73 R Rainy Rivet and Lake of the Completed. Rainy River still Woods Pollution under active surveillance. 74 R Additional Remedial Works above Completed. Studies led to applica- r- @ (T-) Z Niagara Falls tion under Docket 75. 75A' Hepco and Pasny Approved. Active board. Remedial Works above Niagara Falls tz, 76 R Pembina River Completed. Recommendations Cooperative development of water not acted upon. resources 77 R Champlain Waterway Completed. Negative report. Commercial navigation 78 A Approved. Active board. Power Authority@State of J j @ i New York Shoal Removal. Niagara Falls 79 A Lake Erie - Niagara River Ice Boom Approved. Active board. ICK @ Vwiceboro Dam Approved. Active board. 80 A 81 R Red River Pollution Completed. Active surveillance. 82 R Great Lakes Levels Completed. Governments acted on recommendations. 83 R ]Pollution of Lower Great Lakes Completed. Led to signing of Great Lakes Water Quality Agree- ment in 1972. 1-11 84 A Com'nco Approved for one season. Board Two feet additional storage on active. Kootenay Lake 85 R Air Pollution Completed. General Central In Detroit-St. Clair River areas observation along rest of boundary by the International Air Pollution Advisory Board. 86 R Am, erican Falls, Niagara River Completed. Governments yet to Act. (7V ( @ I T 87A Forest City Dam Approved. Order void because On St. ,Croix River applicant did not agree to conditions. 88 A Raisin River Approved. Board active. Diversion fixnn St. Lawrence River ou Metropolitan Corporation of IJC Action deferred at &I A U Greater Winnipeg applicant's request. Diversion from Shoal Lake of water for domestic purposes 90A Creston Valley Wildlife Approved. Active board. Management Area Duck Lake Levels Skagit River Completed. 91 R Environmental consequences of flooding 92 R Point Roberts IJC work under the Reference Social problems of residents officially terminated in 1977. 93A Cominco Withdrawn. Aootenay lake Storage Docket P40. Title Action @7 (51 94 R Pollution of Upper Great Lakes Studies completed. Commission reported to Governments. 95 R Pollution of Great Lakes from Studies completed. Land Use Activities Commission reported to Governments. % St. John River Water Quality Completed. Commission A CCMS Project reported to Governments in 1977. 17J 1@ 7 <5j@) 97A U.S. Dept of State Emergency Application in suspense. Dealt with on interim Regulation of Lake Superior emergency basis pending Governments' confirmation 9811 Richelleu-Champlain Board studies completed. Regulation Commission preparing to report to Governments. 99 R Air Quality Commission reports annually to Governments on Micbigan-Ontario Air Pollution. 100A Toussaint-Causeway Application approved. 101 R Garrison Diversion Project Board studies completed. Commission reported to Governments. 102 A Flood Control Works Consideration deferred. e-- Richelieu River Awaiting action under Docket 98. Studies underway. 103 R Lake Erie Regulation 104 R Great Lakes Diversions and Studies underway. Consumptive Uses 105 R Great Lakes Technical Board established. Information Network 106 R Great Lakes Levels Advisory Studies underway. Board 107 R Poplar River Water Quality Board studies completed. Commission preparing report to Governments. 59 0 APPENDIX 3 FISCAL SUPPORT DATA Great Lakes U.S. Secretarial Regional Office Washington WINDOOR Fiscal Year Expenditures Man Years Expenditures' Man Years 1971 128,500 4 1972 ...................... 166,000 5 1973 ........... 256,500 8 22,000 .4 1974 ................ 314,000 9 152,000 2 .......... ........... 369,000 9 400,000 4.2 1976 ....... 476,000 9 674,200 11 .................... 429,000 9 711,000 10 1978 .................... 518,000 10 746,000 10 1979 746,000 15 883,000 10 1980 .... 1,399,000 15 884,000 10 Fiscal Year Expenditures2 Man Years Expenditures' Man Years 1971-72 ... 536,000 11-11 1972-73 ...... 451,000 12 4 1973-74 504,000 14 206,000 8 1974,75 873,500 20 598,500 20 1,230,000 21 742,000 23 1976-77 ..................... 1,183,000 23 924,000 23 1977-78 .................... 1,022,000 24 1,070,000 23 1978-79 ....... 738,000 24 1,191,000 23 1979-80 .................. 916,000 23 1,162,000 22 1980-81 .......... ...... 954,000 23 1,247,000 22 Estimated Anticipated This includes payments to the Government of Ontaro for one-half the costs of the work carried out by Ontario in direct support of the Commission's Land Use Activities Reference and the Upper Lakes Pollution Reference. United States costs for these studies are borne by the Environmental Protection The costs of the Regional Office at Windsor, staffed by Canadian and United States Public Servants, are -shared equally between Canada and the United States except for capital items (furniture and furnishings) which are paid for and retained by Canada. Each Country pays and recruits its own officials. The figures above represent salaries of Canadian professional and support staff and the total operating costs, which are. initially, paid from Canadian appropriations and then are shared by the United States equally. Differences indicated by Regional Office totals are caused by differing fiscal years between Canada -and the United States. Fiscal Year 1976 was a 15-month Fiscal year covering the period July 1, 1975 to September 30, 1976. FY 77 begins the new US fiscal year which now begins October I and ends September 30. ."Canadian expenditures expressed in Canadian dollars, U.S. expenditures in U.S. dollars. 60 60 APPENDIX 4 IJC DOCUMENTS 1978 - 1979 IJC Reports to Governments IJC Annual Report 1977 Fifth Annual Report on Great Lakes Water Quality 1978 Sixth Annual Report on Great Lakes, Water Quality 1979 Water Quality of the Upper Great Lakes 1979 Second Annual Report on Michigan-Ontario Air Pollution 1978 Third Annual Report on Michigan-Ontario Air Pollution, 1979, Water Apportionment in the Poplar River Basin 1978 Interim Report on Poplar River Water Quality Reference 1979 Board Reports to IJC Poplar River Water Quality Study and Appendices 1979 Chambly Canal Flow Diversion Test 1979 Regulation of Lake Champlain and the Upper Richelieu River Supplemental Report on Regulation of Lake Champlain and Appendices 1978 Great Lakes Water Quality Reports Environmental Management Strategy for the Great Lakes System (PLUARG) and appendices 1978 Great Lakes Water Quality Board Sixth and Seventh Annual Reports 1978-1979 Great Lakes Research Advisory Board Annual Report 1978 Great Lakes Science Advisory Board Annual Report 1979 A list of additional reports on the Great Lakes is available from the lJC Regional Office in Windsor, Ontario Canadian Section United States Section 100 Metcalfe Street, 1717 H St. N.W,, 18th Floor, Suite 203, Ottawa, Ontario. Washington, D,C. KIP 5M1 20440 Regional Office 100 Ouellette Avenue, 8th Floor, Windsor, Ontario. N9A 6T3 All lJC reports are available at the Commission offices; in Ottawa and Washington. Great lakes water quality reports are also available at the Great Lakes Regional Office in Windsor, Ontario. 61 BoardAppearance Reports at IJC Executive Meetings Frequency When Boards of Control St, Lawrence River (4)z* Yes Semi- Apr-Oct Niagara River (2) Yes Semi- Apr-Oct Lake Superior (1)** Yes Annual Apr St. Croix River (1) No Annual Apr Prairie Portage (1) No Annual Apr Rainy Lake (1)* As Rq Annual Apr Lake of the Woods (1)*(x) No Annual Apr Souris River (1) No Annual Apr St. Mary-Milk Rivers (1) No Annual Apr Kootenay Lake (2)* No Annual Apr Columbia River (1) No Annual Apr Osoyoos River (2) No Annual Apr Skagit River (1) No Annual Apr Champlain (1) yy No Annual Apr Pollution Advisory Boards St. Croix River Pollution (3) As Rq Semi- Apr-Oct Rainy River Pollution (2) As Rq Semi- Apr-Oct Red River Pollution (2) As Rq Semi- Apr-Oct Air Pollution-Boundary (3) Yes Semi. Apr-Oct Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement Great Lakes Water Quality (9) Yes Semi- Apr-Oct Great Lakes Research Adv (8) Yes Semi- Apr-Oct Upper Lakes Pollution (8) Yes Semi- Apr-Oct Land Use Activities (9) Yes Annual Apr Working Group on Dredging (7) yyy Yes Investigative-Engineering Boards Champlain-Richelieu (5) Yes Monthly Souris and Red Rivers (3) No Annual Oct. Michigan/Ontario Air Pollution (3) Yes Semi- Apr-Oct. Lake Erie Regulation (4) Yes Semi- Apr-Oct Great Lakes Diversions and Consumptive Uses (5) Yes Semi- Apr-Oct Poplar Water Quality (4) Yes Semi- Apr-Oct Tech. Info. Network Yes Semi- Apr-Oct Great Lakes Levels Advisory Board Yes Semi- Apr-Oct NOTES: *Regulation Data Submitted weekly. ** Regulation Data Submitted monthly. yy Inactive. yyy Not reporting directly. (x) Strictly not an IJC Board since created by Convention and appointed by Governments. (xx) Created by both Governments but reporting to lJC. (z)lndicates number of Canadian and Ameican Board members. (As Rq) as required. APPENDIX 6 DIRECTORY OF COMMISIONERS AND STAFF PRINCIPALS 1978-79 Canadian Section 100 Metcalfe Street, 18th Floor, Ottawa, Ontario KIP 5MI Telephone: (613) 992-0204 COMMISSIONERS Stuart M. Hodgson, Chairman Bernard Beaupre Jean R. Roy Maxwell Cohen, Q.C.* Keith Henry" STAFF Richard H. Millest, Assistant to the Chairman David G. Chance, Secretary to the Canadian Section Samuel Wex, Legal Advisor Murray W. Thompson, Chief Engineer Walter A. Sargent, Information Officer Andrew L Hamilton, Senior Environmental Advisor Geoffrey Thornbum, Economist Murray Clarnen, Assistant Chief Engineer Rudy Koop, Research Officer Craig T. Ferguson, Assistant Secretary United States Section 1717 "H 'Street, N.W., Suite 203, Washington, D.C. 20440 Telephone: (202) 296-2142 COMMISSIONERS Robert J. Sugarman, Chairman Charles R. Ross Jean L. Hennessey Kenneth A. Curtis*** Henry Smith III**** Victor Smith***** *Left April 1979 **Left September, 1978 ***Named U.S. Ambassador to Canada in September 1979 ****Left April 1978 *****Left May, 1978 STAFF David A. LaRoche, Secretary to the United States Section James G. Chandler, Legal Advisor Stewart H. Fonda, Engineer Advisor Michael Scanlon, Public Information Officer Walter Rast, Jr., Environmental Advisor Julie E. Benezet, Legal Assistant Louise L. Cox, Administrative Officer 63 A REGIONAL OFFICE 100 Ouellette Avenue, 8th Floor Windsor, Ontario N9A 6T3 Telephone: (313) 963-9041 STAFF Kenneth A. Oakley, Director Kenneth H. Walker. Deputy Director Patricia A. Banner, Information Officer International Joint Commission U.S. Section 1717 "H" Street, N.W. Washington,D.C.,20440 STOP 86 International Joint Commission Canadian Section 100 Metcalfe Street, 18th Floor Ottawa, Ontario KIP 5MI 64 4 RIVER A S ACTIVE DOCKETS A S A N T F Boards of Control W N Pollution Surveillance Investigative Boards Cary 39 L,A, 0 T 4 Reg- 0 N 3 C 0 L, I Loag LUC av s,%". N-911 IINNIPEG' 1te ol e Go 5o RaoyL,ke 4,1, Knarl-E RLLS IRALRIE 0 a A/ 4 40 4 N A A-sC,, 0 T@ A IV ""IN, J,,lkIh M I N N E 0 T A KOOTENAY R VER RAINY RIVER-LAKE OF THE WOODS 27 43 W st Kootenay Power and Light Ca.Ltd 1 Rainy R,,a, li-cpacve-im C. Application 45%,5 Appl, calico, 2 W.t,..s Island Boom Ca, Application .On 65,69 'Libb Lake of the Woods Levels 0 W I S C N N 23,42,48 Do- reater Winnip" Water District App,car- 6 70 C 2, le, onration C, 1-11 Ap,lt,,Ii... 12 International Lumber Cc App ication 29,30 Knot oy Va ley Powerand Development Cc 20 Rainy Lake Levels Applical ions 26 Hascou River Drainage P ' B" 'r A,,I,,,IiO, 36 G B Myrunum Appl cdtian 34 I 1-mco' -ld t ion n Forest Serv re. Application C," Duck Lake Application Rainy Lake Watershed Emorqency Conditions Criltj'r','u'd'd'Mi ... cla Pulp.md Pop,, Ca App mil-ite. y J ComincolLtd 89 Metropoitan W r ni peg Application K 0 N POLLUTION REFERENCES CHICAGO 4 Boundary Wall- 25 T,-cil Smelter FC.es 54,55C. acting Channels of the Great Lakes I L L I N 61 An zat On of Windsor Detroit Arco COLD BIA AND SKAGIT RIVERS MID-WESTERN I Grand Tlet, Dom and Reservoir Application SI Mary and Milk R-rs 11 1.Cy 1,,R'vencl Lake of the Woods Cil,.1 SLcaIC,1,1mA Montano Conservation Board Asp ication 1 Red R ver a of 3 infernotiono Section,SILoverenceR,verard Star 1:n 8 0"bio River mg k Lakes Onforio,Er e 4 C 85 A r Pollution Windsor,Dehoh,5amia,Pcrt Humn 66 Mmangand SmellaniCo.App cation 56 Northern States Power Co Applicat on to 91 Skagit djdvironment 57 Waterloo and Belly Pi-s as,, and a, v G R E AT loon, and Rel River, I use es a Great LO ke@ System 8 R Pembina River 96 Saint John River 5 Liytng&Tcn Channel Detroit River 21 31.1f[OlDond Fort I T 1 S H 101 Garrison Diversion Unit 64 Proservat on and Air 0-ality,Defro I/Wiindsor Port huron/Sornia Wall,," Northern Power Cc Application Po5lar Riv r Water CRIO ity A@iam. St of Corporation Ltd. Applisoliva 74 Nidgara Addition C 8 1 A 92 Point Roberts Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement S Clair River C crime Application 0 L a (2 Na.,g.ro Remelas 97 _"nument Application- Emergenq Shod Removal, N Requ ation of Lcks Superior Niagara, Ire Ban Preservat an and Great Lakes Dam 200 Great Lakes Tech ma Great Lakes Lm m"nc, NOM COASTAL SERVICES CTR LIBRARY 3 6668 14112852 2 4 Report for years 1978-1979