Clean Production and Toxics

Return of the Detroit River’s Charismatic Megafauna

Detroit River experienced massive winter duck kills due to oil pollution in the 1940s and 1950s.  Time Magazine declared Lake Erie “dead” in a 1965 article that documented phosphorus-induced eutrophication.  In 1970, the entire fishery of the St. Clair River, Lake St. Clair, Detroit River and western Lake Erie had to be closed due to the “Mercury Crisis.” Such long-standing environmental problems and the resultant public awareness of these problems in the Detroit-Windsor Metropolitan Area spurred substantial efforts in pollution prevention and control, and resulted in a long history of Canada–United States cooperation in monitoring the Detroit River–Western Lake Erie Corridor.

From 2005-2007 nearly 50 organizations and over 75 scientists, including citizen scientists, came together to compile long-term monitoring data on 50 indicators. They interpreted the data, translated the science for citizens and policy-makers, and helped prepare a comprehensive and integrative assessment of ecosystem health.

This assessment documented substantial environmental improvements, including reductions in oil spills and releases, phosphorus, chloride, and untreated waste from combined sewer overflow discharges, declines in contaminants in fish and wildlife, and substantial progress in remediating contaminated sediment.

These environmental improvements, in turn, have resulted in significant ecological recovery in this region, including an increase in the populations of bald eagles, peregrine falcons, lake sturgeon, lake whitefish, walleye, and burrowing mayflies in large areas from which they had been extirpated or negatively impacted.

Indeed, over 35 years of pollution prevention and control undertaken in response to the Canada-U.S. Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement, U.S. Clean Water Act, Canada Water Act, U.S. Endangered Species Act, and more have resulted in a return of charismatic megafauna.

This ecological recovery is remarkable, but many environmental and natural resource challenges remain. Six key environmental and natural resource challenges include: population growth, transportation expansion, and land use changes; non-point source pollution; toxic substances contamination; habitat loss and degradation; introduction of exotic species; and, greenhouse gases and global warming.

Lessons learned from this indicator exercise include that monitoring is essential, including citizen science. In addition, without monitoring management is flying blind. If management does not measure or progress toward a quantitative target, however, it cannot manage. Public indicator reporting creates an informed constituency that catalyzes further pollution prevention, and remediation/rehabilitation and scientific indicator reporting should be performed every 3-5 years to sustain momentum. All the while, celebrating successes creates a positive environment that sets the tone for even greater achievements.

John_Hartig@fws.gov

© 2009 Great Lakes News.