scholarly journals Productivity of Osprey, Pandion haliaetus, Nesting on Natural and Artificial Structures in the Kawartha Lakes, Ontario, 1991-2001

2005 ◽  
Vol 119 (1) ◽  
pp. 58 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pamela A. Martin ◽  
Shane R. De Solla ◽  
Peter J. Ewins ◽  
Michael E. Barker
Keyword(s):  
Great Lakes ◽  
Weather Conditions ◽  
High Water ◽  
Water Levels ◽  
Pandion Haliaetus ◽  
Great Lakes Basin ◽  
South Central ◽  
Utility Poles ◽  
Nesting Sites ◽  
Breeding Seasons

Ospreys (Pandion haliaetus) declined throughout the Great Lakes basin during the 1950s to 1970s due to usage of organochlorine pesticides. Following the banning of DDT in 1972, artificial elevated nest structures were erected in the Kawartha Lakes region of south-central Ontario to aid in their recovery. As the population grew, large stumps of flooded trees, < 1 m above the surface of the water became important nesting sites, despite their propensity to flood in turbulent weather conditions. We compared the productivity of Ospreys among nest substrates and longevity of the nests in this area from 1991 to 2001. Of 260 individual nesting attempts made over the 11 years, 57% used man-made structures, primarily either quadrupod nesting platforms or utility poles. Of nests on natural substrates, stump nests accounted for 37% of total nesting attempts; elevated tree nests were relatively uncommon (6%). Productivity of stump nests was significantly greater than that of artificial or tree nests (1.48 versus 1.16 and 0.73 chicks produced per occupied nest, respectively). Nevertheless, survivorship of stump nests was less than that of platform nests after 3 years of age, as high water levels, storms or winter ice activity destroyed some of these low nests between breeding seasons. Ospreys were able to attain greater productivity in these stump nests than on man-made nesting substrates.

scholarly journals Glacial Isostatic Adjustment of the Laurentian Great Lakes Basin: Using the Empirical Record of Strandline Deformation for Reconstruction of Early Holocene Paleo-Lakes and Discovery of a Hydrologically Closed Phase*

2007 ◽  
Vol 59 (2-3) ◽  
pp. 187-210 ◽  
Author(s):  
C.F. Michael Lewis ◽  
Steve M. Blasco ◽  
Pierre L. Gareau
Keyword(s):  
Great Lakes ◽  
Response Surface ◽  
Lake Michigan ◽  
Vertical Motion ◽  
Water Levels ◽  
Early Holocene ◽  
Great Lakes Basin ◽  
Isostatic Adjustment ◽  
Digital Elevation ◽  
Elevation Model

Abstract In the Great Lakes region, the vertical motion of crustal rebound since the last glaciation has decelerated with time, and is described by exponential decay constrained by observed warping of strandlines of former lakes. A composite isostatic response surface relative to an area southwest of Lake Michigan beyond the limit of the last glacial maximum was prepared for the complete Great Lakes watershed at 10.6 ka BP (12.6 cal ka BP). Uplift of sites computed using values from the response surface facilitated the transformation of a digital elevation model of the present Great Lakes basins to represent the paleogeography of the watershed at selected times. Similarly, the original elevations of radiocarbon-dated geomorphic and stratigraphic indicators of former lake levels were reconstructed and plotted against age to define lake level history. A comparison with the independently computed basin outlet paleo-elevations reveals a phase of severely reduced water levels and hydrologically-closed lakes below overflow outlets between 7.9 and 7.0 ka BP (8.7 and 7.8 cal ka BP) in the Huron-Michigan basin. Severe evaporative draw-down is postulated to result from the early Holocene dry climate when inflows of meltwater from the upstream Agassiz basin began to bypass the upper Great Lakes basin.

Some implications of crustal movement in engineering planning

1970 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 628-633 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. H. Clark ◽  
N. P. Persoage
Keyword(s):  
Great Lakes ◽  
Lake Ontario ◽  
Water Levels ◽  
Crustal Movement ◽  
Earth’S Crust ◽  
Lake Huron ◽  
Great Lakes Basin ◽  
Lake Outlet ◽  
Earth's Crust ◽  
Bodies Of Water

Movements of the earth's crust causing progressive changes in the levels of large bodies of water relative to their shorelines may influence the formulation of water resource projects and/or their continuing effectiveness with time. In the Great Lakes basin there is evidence of an uplift of the earth's crust, of about 1 ft per 100 y, in the northeasterly part of the basin relative to that in the southwest. This results in a corresponding lowering of water levels along the northeasterly shorelines and a rise in water levels along the southwest shores. In at least two of the lakes, Lake Huron and Lake Ontario, the average depth of water will change with time. In Lake Huron, it will gradually decrease because the bed underlying the lake is rising with respect to the lake outlet. In Lake Ontario, the depth of water will increase since the lake outlet is rising with respect to the remainder of the lake. This paper reviews some of the engineering implications of the relative rates of crustal movement in the Great Lakes region on long-term management of the water levels of the Great Lakes.

scholarly journals Establishing Climate Change Resilience in the Great Lakes in Response to Flooding

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (01) ◽  
Author(s):  
Gwendolyn E Gallagher ◽  
Ryan K Duncombe ◽  
Timothy M Steeves
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
United States ◽  
Water Quality ◽  
Great Lakes ◽  
Environmental Protection Agency ◽  
High Water ◽  
The United States ◽  
Water Levels ◽  
Storm Events ◽  
Freshwater Resource

Over the past decade, both the average rainfall and the frequency of high precipitation storm events in the Great Lakes Basin have been steadily increasing as a consequence of climate change. In this same period, cities and communities along the coasts are experiencing record high water levels and severe flooding events (ECC Canada et al. 2018). When cities are unprepared for these floods, the safety of communities and the water quality of the Great Lakes are jeopardized. For example, coastal flooding increases runoff pollution and contaminates the freshwater resource that 40 million people rely on for drinking water (Lyandres and Welch 2012, Roth 2016). Since the Great Lakes are shared between two nations, the United States and Canada, the region is protected by several international treaties and national compacts, including the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement (GLWQA) and the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI). In order to increase climate change resiliency against flooding in the region, we recommend the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) work with Environment and Climate Change Canada to relocate the GLRI under the GLWQA in order to guarantee consistent funding and protection efforts. We additionally recommend expansion of both agreements in their scope and long-term commitments to engender cooperative efforts to protect the Great Lakes against climate change.

scholarly journals VARIATION IN GREAT LAKES LEVELS IN RELATION TO ENGINEERING PROBLEMS

2000 ◽  
Vol 1 (4) ◽  
pp. 17
Author(s):  
W. E. McDonald
Keyword(s):  
Great Lakes ◽  
High Water ◽  
Water Levels ◽  
Natural Phenomena ◽  
Lake Levels ◽  
Water Demands ◽  
Property Owners ◽  
Engineering Problems ◽  
History Of ◽  
Conflicting Interests

Throughout the recorded history of the Great Lakes, the fluctuation in their water levels has created engineering problems generally unique in relation to coastal engineering. In periods of low water, demands are heard from navigation and power interests to raise the levels. In periods of high water appeals are made by shore property owners to lower the levels. Such conflicting interests present major engineering problems, the nature of which during a given period of time reflect the long-range upward and downward trend in lake levels due to natural phenomena.

Managing avalanches using cost–benefit–risk analysis

2012 ◽  
Vol 226 (6) ◽  
pp. 641-649 ◽  
Author(s):  
Per-Olof Larsson-Kråik
Keyword(s):  
Risk Analysis ◽  
Cost Benefit ◽  
Weather Conditions ◽  
High Water ◽  
Water Levels ◽  
Snow Avalanches ◽  
Rock Falls ◽  
Climate Conditions ◽  
Train Operation ◽  
Bad Weather

Malmbanan, the Swedish Iron Ore Line, runs through rough terrain including high mountains, peat, terraces situated on fjords, and numerous short bridges and culverts. The area is sub-arctic and mountainous, with a sharp gradient between the part with a maritime climate and that with a continental climate. Global warming and new climate conditions are increasing the risk of slab and snow avalanches. A cost–benefit–risk analysis, dealing with slab and snow avalanches, high spring temperatures with fast snow melting, high water levels and heavy rainfalls, was performed in 2001. A number of at-risk sections along the track were identified and some of the risks were later addressed with changes in the infrastructure and changes in train operation during bad weather conditions. During the past 10 years, the various actions taken have been continuously improved. An evaluation based on operational data shows a lower risk of trains running into hazard areas and better control of slab and snow avalanches. Other improvements are better control and monitoring of rock falls and a lowered risk for trains operating during bad weather conditions. The technical systems in use consist of instrumented arrays of poles placed along the track to indicate avalanches. Bridges have been built to permit avalanches to pass under the railway and artificial tunnels have been designed and constructed to allow avalanches to pass over the railway. Rock fall nets have been put into service and professional avalanche inspection teams have been used for risk evaluation during high-risk weather conditions.

Great Lakes Shore Erosion

1988 ◽  
Vol 31 (3) ◽  
pp. 19-25
Author(s):  
Michael Wysockey
Keyword(s):  
Fundamental Solution ◽  
Great Lakes ◽  
Lake Level ◽  
High Water ◽  
Water Levels ◽  
Coastal Morphology ◽  
Solution Strategies ◽  
Shore Erosion

This paper presents the problem of high water levels that cause increased shore erosion in the Great Lakes. It will describe the pertinent hydrology and coastal morphology of the area and the three fundamental solution strategies being pursued—lake level reductions, shore stabilization measures, and legal building restrictions. The effectiveness of these strategies is discussed.

Patterns and processes of beach and foredune geomorphic change along a Great Lakes shoreline: Insights from a year-long drone mapping study along Lake Michigan

Shore & Beach ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 46-55
Author(s):  
Ethan Theuerkauf ◽  
C. Robin Mattheus ◽  
Katherine Braun ◽  
Jenny Bueno
Keyword(s):  
Great Lakes ◽  
Sandy Beach ◽  
Lake Michigan ◽  
High Water ◽  
Water Levels ◽  
Coastal Change ◽  
Dune System ◽  
Western Shore ◽  
Patterns And Processes ◽  
Topography Data

Coastal storms are an important driver of geomorphic change along Great Lakes shorelines. While there is abundant anecdotal evidence for storm impacts in the region, only a handful of studies over the last few decades have quantified them and addressed system morphodynamics. Annual to seasonal lake-level fluctuations and declining winter-ice covers also influence coastal response to storms, yet relationships between hydrodynamics and geomorphology are poorly constrained. Given this, the Great Lakes region lags behind marine coasts in terms of predictive modeling of future coastal change, which is a necessary tool for proactive coastal management. To help close this gap, we conducted a year-long study at a sandy beach-dune system along the western shore of Lake Michigan, evaluating storm impacts under conditions of extremely high water level and absent shorefast ice. Drone-derived beach and dune topography data were used to link geomorphic changes to specific environmental conditions. High water levels throughout the year of study facilitated erosion during relatively minor wave events, enhancing the vulnerability of the system to a large storm in January 2020. This event occurred with no shorefast ice present and anomalously high winter water levels, resulting in widespread erosion and overwash. This resulted in 20% of the total accretion and 66% of the erosion documented at the site over the entire year. Our study highlights the importance of both antecedent and present conditions in determining Great Lakes shoreline vulnerability to storm impacts.

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