A review: Building the resilience of Great Lakes beneficial uses to climate change

Abstract

In order to enhance and protect the resilience of the Great Lakes, predicting future outcomes of climatic changes, particularly in already degraded geographical areas is instrumental to success. These changes include warming air and water temperatures; shifts in the timing, severity and frequency of precipitation events and storms; varying lake levels; and reductions in lake ice cover. Changes to regional climate pose increased risks to the water resources and the beneficial uses or services they provide. This review paper examines how a changing climate will likely affect beneficial uses as defined in the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement. Extracting the drivers of the degradation of the beneficial uses is a strategy to reduce the risk of beneficial use impairment. The variables reviewed include the changes driven by air and water temperatures, precipitation events and storms as well as evaporation and water level declines. We assessed the impacts of climate change on beneficial uses systematically and provide adaptations strategies that target the driver of degradation to strengthen the resilience of beneficial uses in the Great Lakes Areas of Concern. Adaptation to water quality issues, water level declines and aquatic invasive species are highlighted. This review provides up to date climate information and is designed to aid policymakers, coastal managers, and planning professionals as they begin to address the impacts of climate change.