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For immediate release
Great
Lakes annual water use data available The Great Lakes Commission is pleased to announce the release of the Great Lakes Regional Water Use Database annual reports for 2001 and 2002. These reports are now online at www.glc.org/wateruse/database/. This database provides a centralized source of
information
on withdrawals, diversions, and consumptive use of Great Lakes water,
based on
data provided by the eight Great Lakes states and the provinces of
Ontario and
Québec. Available in both gallons and liters, the reports show water
uses by jurisdiction, basin, category
of use, and source
(groundwater, “As our
ability to
collect and report water use data improves, this database has the
potential to
be a very important tool for both researchers and policymakers,” said Minnesota state Rep. Tom Huntley,
chair of the
Great Lakes Commission. “In order to properly manage our water
resources and
protect the Great Lakes from abuse, we need to have access to good data
on
existing uses, and this database is an important first step
toward
achieving this goal.” Water withdrawn
for the
purpose of generating electricity is the greatest use of Great Lakes
water,
with hydroelectric, nuclear and fossil fuel power plants representing
the top
three categories of overall use.
However, most of the water withdrawn for power generation is
returned to
the system without being consumed. Water
withdrawals for public water supply, industrial uses and irrigation,
which are
the next three largest water use categories, have a higher consumptive
use rate
because water is consumed in processes or products. Each report is presented in three sections: 1) Introduction, Summary (basin-wide) Tables, and Jurisdictional Analyses and Tables; 2) Basin Tables; and 3) Water Use Category Tables. Management of the database is an ongoing
Commission activity
on behalf of the The regional water use database has been
operational since
the summer of 1988, following a multiyear design and development
effort. Additional
data and annual reports for 1998-2000 are
available at www.glc.org/wateruse/database/.
The Great Lakes Commission, chaired by the Hon.
Thomas Huntley
(Minn.), is a nonpartisan, binational compact agency established under
state and U.S. federal law and dedicated to promoting a strong economy,
healthy environment and high quality of life for the Great Lakes - St.
Lawrence region and its residents. The Commission consists of state
legislators, agency officials and governors’ appointees from its eight
member states. Associate membership for Ontario and Québec was
established through the signing of a “Declaration of Partnership.” The
Commission maintains a formal Observer program involving U.S. and
Canadian federal agencies, tribal authorities, binational agencies and
other regional interests. The Commission offices are located in Ann
Arbor, Michigan. |