Janet Keough
US Environmental Protection Agency
Mid-Continent Ecology Division
Duluth, MN

Great Lakes Wetlands - Features and Functions
Changing Water Level….what does this mean?
Water Level Management of Lake Superior
International Joint Commission Plan of Study

Open and Exposed to Lake
Margins of a River
Protected by a
Barrier Beach

– spawning areas
– nurseries
– feeding areas
– 47 spp. closely associated with coastal wetlands

St

Fish Species Found in Allouez Bay Wetland:
Alewife Northern Redbelly Dace Northern Pike
Largemouth Bass Blacknose Dace
Smallmouth Bass Johnny Darter
Rock Bass
Bluegill
Black Bullhead
Iowa Darter
Least Darter
Sea Lamprey
Brown Bullhead Silver Lamprey
Yellow Bullhead Logperch
Burbot
Carp
Hornyhead Chub Fathead Minnow
Lake Chub
Black Crappie
Tadpole Madtom
Bluntnose Minnow
Channel Catfish Brassy Minnow
Central Mudminnow
Muskelunge
White Perch
Yellow Perch
Pumpkinseed
Rainbow Smelt
Brook Stickleback
Silver Redhorse Ninespine Stickleback
Shorthead Redhorse Threespine Stickleback
Eurasian Ruffe Stonecat
Coho Salmon
Mimic Shiner
Emerald Shiner
Longnose Sucker
Mottled Sculpin White Sucker
Slimy Sculpin
Golden Shiner
Brook Trout
Brown Trout
Blacknose Shiner Lake Trout
Common Shiner Rainbow Trout
Spottail Shiner Trout-perch
Walleye
57 species

Range of capture dates of larval fish species from
Allouez Bay wetland
Common Name
Yellow Perch
Unid Cyprinid
White Sucker
Northern Pike
Golden Shiner
Spottail Shiner
Johnny Darter
Logperch
Black Crappie
Rock Bass
Trout-perch
Brown Bullhead
Date June 7 June 15 July 1 July 15 Aug 9

Total larval fish captured in Allouez Bay Wetland
Fish Species Common Name Total
Notropis hudonius
Perca flavescens
Catostomus commersoni
Etheostoma nigrum
Notemigonus chrysoleucus
Cyprinidae
Percina caprodes
Ambloplites rupestris
Esox lucius
Ameiurus nebulosus
Percopsis omiscomaycus
Pomoxis nigromaculatus
Osmerus mordax
Umbra limi
Gymnocephalus cernus
Culaea inconstans
Total
Number of Species
Spottail Shiner
Yellow Perch
White Sucker
Johnny Darter
Golden Shiner
Unidentified Cyprinid
Logperch
Rock Bass
Northern Pike
Brown Bullhead
Trout-perch
Black Crappie
Rainbow Smelt
Central Mudminnow
Eurasian Ruffe
Brook Stickleback
11
4
3
1
1
4804
16
81
58
33
29
28
14
2814
955
494
157
121
% of
Total
56
20
10
3
2.5
< 1
< 1
< 1
< 1
< 1
2
2
< 1
< 1
< 1
< 1

Macrohabitat location of 12 most abundant larval fish species captured in Allouez Bay
Common Name INNER OUTER SANDY
Brown Bullhead
Black Crappie
Spottail Shiner
Golden Shiner
Rock Bass
Unid Cyprinid
Yellow Perch
Northern Pike
Logperch
Trout-perch
White Sucker
Johnny Darter
MARSH
M (64)
F
F
F
F
F
F
F
MARSH
F
F
F
F
F
F
F
F
MARSH
F
M
(100)
M (94)
M (94)
M
(88)
M (87)
M (57)
M
(53)
M (47)
F
F
RIVER
F
F
F
F
F
F
F
M (100)
M
(93)
M (42)

Macrophyte cover preferences of 12 most abundant larval fish species captured in Allouez Bay
Common Name SPARSE
(<7.5%)
White Sucker M (95)
Unid Cyprinid M (84)
Logperch
Yellow Perch
M (82)
M (74)
Johnny Darter M (40)
Golden Shiner M (46)
Black Crappie
Brown Bullhead F
Spottail Shiner F
Rock Bass F
Northern Pike F
Trout-perch
F
F
F
F
F
MODERATE
(7.5-29%)
F
F
F
F
DENSE
(30-65%)
F
M (33)
F
M (63)
M (100)
M (27)
M (52)
M (100)
M (93)
M (90)
M (67)
F

2
1
0
4
3 b a
a

St. Louis River (MN)
COASTAL WETLANDS:
DIVERSITY OF
HABITATS FOR FISH
AND WILDLIFE
Lost Creek (WI)
Kakagon Slough (WI)

Water Level: All the action is in the coastal zone
Great Lakes water level variation….the action is in the
Coastal zone…..picture of either wave action or flooding
Or sediment exposure

Small changes in Water Level
Make a BIG difference in
Coastal Habitats
1 FT
….even a difference as small as a few inches
6 IN.

Three Natural Types of Water Level
Change in the Great Lakes:
Less than 1 day = Seiche
Seasonal
Year-to-Year
**Most Effects Are in the Coastal Zone**

30
Seiche – Induced Water Level Change
20 in
20
MAJOR
FRONT
PASSAGE
10
0
0
7 HR
1 HR
3 HR
10 20
HOURS
30 40 50
0

SEICHE: Phenomenon that occurs following a storm surge, when the wind abruptly subsides or barometric pressure changes rapidly on a lake, causing the water to oscillate until it stabilizes again

Seasonal Water Level
Patterns of the
Great Lakes
Highest in Summer
Peak Water Level
Varies Across the
Lakes
Earliest in L Erie and
L Ontario
Latest in L. Superior
183.6
183.4
183.2
LAKE SUPERIOR
LAKES MICHIGAN AND HURON
176.6
176.4
176.2
175.2
175.0
174.8
174.6
LAKE ST. CLAIR
174.4
174.2
174.0
173.8
LAKE ERIE
LAKE ONTARIO
75.0
74.8
74.6
74.4
D J F M A M J J A S O N D J
Month

“Long – Term” Lake Level
Lake Superior – 1918 - Present
Lake Michigan – Lake Huron, 1918 - Present

Small changes in Water Level
Make a BIG difference in
Coastal Habitats
1 FT
….even a difference as small as a few inches
6 IN.

 Domestic Water Use
 Navigation
 Fish Habitat
 Hydropower

Great Lakes Power Plant - 32,700 cfs
Edison Sault Power Plant - 21,000 cfs
Fishery Remedial
Works - 500 cfs
U.S. Government
Power Plant - 10,400 cfs
Compensating Works - 3,000 cfs
Soo Locks - 400 cfs
Typical St. Marys River Outflow - 68,000 cfs

 Boundary Water Treaty of 1909
 1914 IJC Orders of Approval
 Supplementary Orders: 1978, 1979, 1985
 Regulation Plans
 Sabin Rule
 Rule P-5
 Rule of 1949
 1955 Modified Rule of 1949
 SO-901
 Plan 1977
 Plan 1977-A

1909 Boundary Waters Treaty:
 Resolved disputes concerning boundary waters at that time
 Established principles and mechanisms to prevent and resolve future disputes
 Created the IJC with the power to:
 Approve diversions affecting levels and flows
 Advise governments on boundary issues (quality
& quantity)

 Granted permission for
 Increased hydropower diversion
 Construction of control dam
 Specified conditions for construction and operation
 Considered commercial navigation and riparian interests
 Created International Lake Superior
Board of Control to oversee outflow regulation

 Boundary Water Treaty of 1909
 1914 IJC Orders of Approval
 Supplementary Orders: 1978, 1979, 1985
 Regulation Plans
 Sabin Rule
 Rule P-5
 Rule of 1949
 1955 Modified Rule of 1949
 SO-901
 Plan 1977
 Plan 1977-A

 Balances levels between Lakes Superior and
Michigan-Huron--
Fundamental goal is to make storage in the 2 lakes (represented by levels) the same, when standardized to take out the differing sizes of the lakes and their drainage basins
 Maintains Lake Superior water levels within a specified range when possible
 Limits high flows in the St. Marys River
 Regulates outflows within criteria, requirements, and limitations

Range of Levels Size of
Drainage Basins
Highest
Average
(1918-1999)
6.3
Feet
3.9
Feet
Lake Superior
Lowest
Lakes
Michigan-Huron
81,000
Square Miles
Lake Superior
142,700
Square Miles
Lakes
Michigan-Huron
This balancing takes into consideration the historic ranges of level fluctuation. The ranges of levels (from highest to lowest) on Lake Superior and Lakes Michigan-Huron reflect the differing sizes of their drainage basins.

Plan 1977-A
Designed to generate monthly outflows necessary to balance the levels of Lake Superior and Lakes Michigan-Huron, taking into consideration their long-term average and historic rate of fluctuation
Balancing Equation:
Q = Ave. Q + A (S – (Ave. S + (MH – Ave. MH) (sd S / sd MH))
Lake Superior monthly outflow =
Average Superior outflow
+ 200,000 cfs (a proportional constant)
X (Superior month start – (ave. Superior month start
+ (Mich-Hur start – ave. Mich-Hur start) X
Standard deviation of average Superior level /
Standard deviation of average Mich-Hur level)) http://huron.lre.usace.army.mil

United States Canada
BG Steven Hawkins Doug Cuthbert
Secretaries
John Kangas Peter Yee
Regulation Representatives
LTC Richard Polo David Fay

 1993 Levels Reference Study
Recommendations
 Recent precipitous drop in water levels
 Demographic changes
 Enhanced environmental understanding
 Climate change and climate variability concerns
 Technological advances
 Build on experience from Lake Ontario – St.
Lawrence River study
Upper Great Lakes Plan of Study

Responsibility: To prepare a plan of study to review operations of IJC-approved water flow control structure at Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario/Michigan
Purposes of the Review:
 determine whether the requirements and criteria in
IJC Orders meet the needs of the interests including the environment in the system,
 identify potential improvements to Lake Superior outflow regulation and other measures to alleviate adverse effects of water level fluctuations

 Understand present and future needs of interest groups, their relationships with water levels.
 Evaluate capability and limitations of Lake Superior outflow regulation under current climate regime and under potential climate change.
 Identify potential improvements to Lake Superior regulation, balance the needs of all interest groups
 Emphasis on public involvement in the study.
 Study to be conducted in 2 phases

Major Interest Groups
• coastal zone
• environment/ecosystem
• hydropower
• navigation
• recreational boating and tourism
• municipal, industrial and domestic water uses
Other issues to be studied: climate change/variability, dredging, land use, ground water, diversions, consumptive uses, Lake Superior regulation, flow variations at hydropower facilities

Modifications of Lake Superior Outflow Management:
Issues for Fish
Effects of INCREASED or DECREASED water level variation on habitat loss or on access by fish?
Effects on the temperature regime of shallow spawning reefs?
Flow variation and Water level variation on
The St. Marys River habitats

COASTAL WETLANDS, LAKE LEVEL, AND FISH HABITAT