Water Experts Urge Great Lakes Action

West's hard lessons, Midwest's deteriorating aquifers underline treaty delay.

1 minute read

March 1, 2003, 11:00 AM PST

By Chris Steins @planetizen


Michigan is indeed a "Water Wonderland" located in the middle of one ofthe planet's largest supplies of fresh water. But experts speaking at arecent conference in Wisconsin, including a veteran water lawyer,professor and author from Arizona, warned that the same kinds ofdevelopment and water use patterns that have so damaged aquifers in theparched Far West are now lowering water tables, water quality and evensome stream levels in the Upper Midwest. This underlines the urgency ofcompleting an international treaty process, Annex 2001, which wouldprotect this precious resource. But work on the treaty has apparentlybeen languishing recently.

Thanks to Keith Schneider

Wednesday, February 26, 2003 in Michigan Land Use Institute

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