| Great Lakes Water - For Sale? |
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See original article from the Door County Compass
Cheryl Mendoza, project manager of the Lake Michigan Federation presented the latest information on efforts to block withdrawal of water resources to serve other areas of the country, at the DCEC's annual public summer program Tue., Aug. 19, 2003.Cheryl serves the Lake Michigan Federation as the Land and Water Conservation Program project manager. She is working to develop sound water withdrawal policies, with respect to diversions, bulk water sales, and other forms of water removals. Her organization also strives to protect the Lake Michigan sand dunes from mining and development and to act as watchdog regarding the use of the underwater lake bed. Cheryl's responsibilities also include efforts to protect the shoreline from sprawl and other development that could degrade the Lake Michigan environment.
Mendoza graduated from Michigan State University with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Fisheries and Wildlife Management. During her time at MSU, she taught Ecology laboratories, was a volunteer conservation officer, and worked at the Michigan United Conservation Clubs as an Education Specialist.
The Great Lakes region has the largest freshwater lakes in the entire world. The area is unique and also a target for those who are lacking in fresh water supplies, wherever they may be. Arid regions of the western United States are using up freshwater far in excess of the recharge ability of their supplies, a situation which cannot continue indefinitely.
There have been various plans for tapping Great Lakes water to supply those ever-increasing needs in other regions. Experts conclude that withdrawal of any substantial amount from the Lake's basin would result in disastrous changes for the entire basin and the resultant ecological effects would be immeasurable. The effects of low water levels caused by nature are evident. Nonetheless, talk of shipping Great Lakes water to other regions continues. Mendoza says it is time to be vigilant.
Water diversion from our lakes is an increasingly important issue that will not go away. The demands will only become greater, as will the pressure to sell off our major resource.
Recommended Books:
Blue Gold: The Fight to
Stop the Corporate Theft of the World's Water
by Maude Barlow, Tony
Clarke
Water Wars: Drought,
Flood, Folly and the Politics of Thirst
by Diane Raines Ward
Door
County Environmental Council
P
O Box 114, Fish Creek WI 54212
Phone: 920-743-6003 | FAX: 920-743-6727
Info@dcec-wi.org
