Assessing the Role of Integrated Research and Monitoring Tools in Remediation Efforts at Great Lakes‐St. Lawrence River Basin Areas of Concern: A Case Study of the Bay of Quinte Remedial Action Plan

Abstract

In accordance with the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement, the governments of Canada and the United States have agreed to support the remediation of 43 Areas of Concern (AOC) where “failure [to meet objectives of the agreement] has caused or is likely to cause impairment of beneficial use or of the area’s ability to support aquatic life.” A Remedial Action Plan (RAP) has been created for each AOC that outlines how impairments are to be addressed. This presentation will focus on one such plan, the Bay of Quinte RAP, as a case study to explore the role of research and monitoring in realizing the aims of the policy. Results will be based on a literature review encompassing existing works about Great Lakes RAPs, the Bay of Quinte watershed, multi‐party monitoring and the relationship between science and policy, along with semi‐structured interviews with project leaders and community stakeholders to determine how practice at the Bay of Quinte compares to theory and to practice at other Areas of Concern. The results will be instructive for any groups planning a multi‐stakeholder undertaking particularly those involved in any of the 40 other RAPs still underway on our Great Lakes.