Navigating the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River is a central part of the history of North America. From the indigenous peoples who first plied these waters, to the European explorers and traders cutting routes west, to the great commercial ships that transport cargo across these waters, waterborne transportation is an entrenched part of our Great Lakes culture and economy.

However, just as the region’s industrial growth has put extreme pressures on the natural environment, so too has the expansion of shipping channels and practices.

The construction of the Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway system included a series of eight locks build in 1829 that circumvent Niagara Falls (the Welland Canal). In 1959, the Seaway was opened to ocean-going deep draft vessels, through the construction of the St. Lawrence Seaway (two U.S. and five Canadian locks located along the St. Lawrence River). The immediate changes to the natural environment associated with this construction were staggering. Villages were submerged along the St. Lawrence River; connecting channels were widened and deepened, with islands removed andwetlands destroyed in the process. And the ongoing impacts continue, from significant dredging to keep deep draft ports operational, to the regular introduction of invasive species from the ballast of ocean vessels.

The Seaway is too small to accommodate most commercial vessels operating within the global fleet, so expanding the capacity of the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Seaway has long been the desire of navigation interests. But Great Lakes United has maintained that further deepening and widening the Seaway could not occur without serious, irreversible damage to the ecosystem. Great Lakes United has been a leader in coordinating opposition against the expansion, pushing back expansion plans five times since 1982. The message has been heard. With expansion plans off the table, we must now understand how we can navigate the Great Lakes sustainably.

As the St. Lawrence Seaway looks to celebrate its 50th anniversary in 2009, we will be outlining just what sustainable navigation on the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River looks like. We are exited to find ways to improve the Seaway’s environmental performance on issues such as dredging and invasive species, as well as on issues such as dry cargo residue, ice breaking, air emissions, and how to adapt to predictions of lower water levels due to climate change. With a commitment towards a better future, the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River can be a model to the world in how shipping can operate in a sustainable and ecologically friendly manner.