America's Most Endangered Rivers - (Page 27) The St. Lawrence and G l o b a l Wa r m i n g Global warming is expected to significantly alter the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River. Warmer water temperatures and decreased ice cover will result in lower water levels that will threaten water supply, wildlife and recreation. Adopting Plan B+ will have a significant and direct positive impact on coastal wetlands, in turn, creating a river ecosystem that is able to thrive. A thriving ecosystem is critical if a healthy St. Lawrence River is to "weather" the serious threats posed by global warming. Recommended implementation would enable Plan B+ to evolve in response, ensuring that water levels controlled by the dam are not harmful to the St. Lawrence River ecosystem. This would safeguard communities from another static 50year management plan that doesn't reflect the most up-to-date science — a necessity in an era of climactic uncertainty. river provides drinking water and a vital tourism-based economy for communities in the United States and Canada. As the river emerges from Lake Ontario, its path forms a unique island paradise known as the Thousand Islands, which provide habitat for a wide variety of wildlife and sustain a $445 million annual tourism economy. This region and others along the St. Lawrence provide some of the best recreational experiences in the Northeast, including swimming, camping, boating, hunting, scuba diving and world class fishing. The Threat Constructed in 1958 to harness hydropower on the St. Lawrence River, the MosesSaunders Dam controls outflows and water levels on the river and Lake Ontario. Until now, the river has been managed to benefit a few special interests such as commercial navigation and hydropower. Since environmental considerations were not part of the planning process in the 1950s, operation of the dam does not allow for the variations in natural flow that are essential to a healthy river. After 50 years, this antiquated management plan is now up for revision. One proposed management alternative, Plan B+, would allow water flows to more closely mimic natural conditions. These natural rhythms are critical to the river’s health and its web of life. The IJC’s own five-year study, released in 2006, found that the current artificially-constrained water level fluctuation has significantly reduced the diversity of plant species in river wetlands, which in turn has impacted populations of many fish and other wildlife. The study, based on research from more than 180 scientists from the United States and Canada, concluded that more natural flow is necessary to reverse 50 years of damage to the region’s coastal wetlands, and that a diverse environment will better resist other environmental threats to the Great Lakes. Fortunately, Plan B+ lays out a way to do this while continuing to deliver consistent economic benefits from hydropower and commercial navigation. Plan B+ has been endorsed by a majority of the study board members as well as regional elected officials, federal and state agencies, and local and national conservation organizations, and has enjoyed broad public support throughout the region. Yet the IJC is shying away from making the responsible choice. fish and wildlife species. However, as long as this antiquated management plan remains in place, it will continue to degrade one of North America’s great river ecosystems and increase the likelihood of further damage to the St. Lawrence River, the Great Lakes and communities that depend on the river’s health for sustenance and economic vitality. If the river’s ecology is further compromised, drinking water supplies, commercial and sport fisheries, tourism revenues, and the high quality of life residents now enjoy may be diminished. What Can Be Done The outdated river management plan must be replaced with a new, sustainable water level regulation plan, as supported by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, and many conservation groups. The IJC is expected to make the final decision by the summer of 2008. The Commission must follow the recommendations of the study and endorse Plan B+. What’s At Stake Despite growing threats, the St. Lawrence River still sustains a high quality of life and vital economy for residents, and is home to many CONTACT INFO Stephanie Lindloff, American Rivers, 518-482-2631, slindloff@AmericanRivers.org Jennifer Caddick, Save the River/Upper St. Lawrence Riverkeeper, 315-686-2010, jennifer@savetheriver.org TO TA K E AC T I O N : W W W. AMERICANRIVERS.ORG/STLAWRENCE SKYE MOREY HERITAGE http://www.savetheriver.org http://www.americanrivers.org/stlawrence
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