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Write On: Progressive News for Northern Michigan December 2003
Local Links Marquette Citizens for Peace and Justice Nothwoods Wilderness Recovery Keweenaw Now State, National, and International Links Common Dreams Greenpeace Move On Independent Media Democracy Now! True Majority Michigan Citizens for Peace United for Peace Citizen.org Citizenworks.org	Water First! Mike Adams In last month’s issue of Write On I mentioned that the Great Lake’s water levels were on heavy decline. Many believe that it is only part of the lake’s natural cycle. In the 1920’s and the 1960’s, water levels reached cyclical lows near current water levels in Lake Superior (1.5 feet below average) as well as Lake Huron and Lake Michigan (both 6 feet blow average). But, today the Great Lakes face many new hurdles; global warming, suburbs and privatization. Since airborne and satellite observations of lake ice began four decades ago, only two years, 1977 and 1994, have seen periods when nearly 90% of Lake Michigan was ice-covered. Recently, warmer temperatures have kept the ice cover far below average levels. The icepack covered only 15% of Lake Michigan in 1998, even in late February when the icepack is usually at its greatest. Ice records on Grand Traverse Bay in Lake Michigan (near Traverse City, MI) show that the bay has not frozen over in the past five winters, marking the first time that the bay had five consecutive winters without freeze-up. The result of prolonged exposure to sunlight is excessive surface water evaporation throughout the year. Thus, declining lake levels are caused, in part, by global warming. In the early to mid 1800’s severe outbreaks of influenza and cholera were reported as being caused by Chicago River pollution reaching public drinking water treatment facilities offshore in Lake Michigan. To circumvent this issue, the City of Chicago had the Chicago River rerouted to flow into the Mississippi River in 1900. It was considered the 8^th greatest engineering feat of its time. Looking further into this conundrum, a topographical map of the Greater Chicago area indicates that much of the population lies on the Mississippi River watershed. The highest point of the Chicago River canal system, 60 feet above Lake Michigan, is just 30 miles inland from the Great Lake. As a result, millions of gallons of Lake Michigan water treated for public drinking is pumped to the Chicago suburban area and sent into the Mississippi watershed heading for the Gulf of Mexico. Another problem is that the Sweetwater Aquifer in Mecosta County, Michigan (near Mt. Pleasant) has been raided by Nestlé Waters North America in order to feed its Ice Mountain brand bottled water. For over fifteen years, the water bottling and distribution plant has pumped countless amounts of water from the Great Lakes watershed to be distributed throughout the Midwest and abroad. More recently, the amount of water being pumped from this aquifer amounted to 400 gallons per minute. Yet, there is help on our side from the Sweetwater Alliance and Michigan Citizens for Water Conservation. With their help, on November 25, 2003, Nestlé Waters North America was handed an injunction from Judge Lawrence Root to “cease all pumping from the Sanctuary Spring site.” This order, however, is not able to prevent Nestlé Waters from pumping up to 175 gallons per minute directly from their bottling and distribution facility. These are just three of the many reasons why we see Great Lake water levels on the decline. But, what happens if this trend continues? According to a research finding from University of Michigan’s Environmental Engineering and Water Resources Program (EEWR), if any of the Great Lakes’ volume fall below 0.96% their carrying capacity, then the lake(s) will begin to retrocede in that direction permanently. The current water level of Lake Michigan (576 ft above sea level) is currently lower than its carrying capacity (from 577 feet to 587 feet above sea level). Therefore, if we do not see water levels rise soon, we may witness the beginning of an ever-decreasing, scarce resource. What can we do to help the world’s largest source of freshwater? The Sweetwater Alliance focuses its efforts on keeping the Great Lakes free of privatization (from such multinationals as Nestlé Water North America, any other), clean and high and mighty. If you would like to donate to their noble and worthy cause, look out for the “Going…Going…Gone!” canisters located at the Marquette businesses listed below and make a donation. The Sweet Water Café N. 3^rd St., The Marquette Food Co-op Baraga St., Two Thirty One Art Gallery and Studios, 231 W. Washington St., Emma Joe’s Coffee House N. Presque Isle Ave. Pick up a copy of the Write On for a schedule of all the events, workshops, “coffee talks” and presentations that are lined up for Global Issues Week 2004, March 22-27, NMU. The Sweetwater Alliance will be visiting Wednesday of that week and present on water privatization in the Great Lakes and globally, and give an update on Ice Mountain. “Water for life! Not for profit.”	Write On Issues December November October September August July June May

Write On: Progressive News for Northern Michigan

December 2003

Local Links

Marquette Citizens for Peace and Justice

Nothwoods Wilderness Recovery

Keweenaw Now

State, National, and International Links

Michigan Citizens for Peace

United for Peace

Citizen.org

Citizenworks.org

Water First! Mike Adams

In last month’s issue of Write On I mentioned that the Great Lake’s water levels were on heavy decline. Many believe that it is only part of the lake’s natural cycle. In the 1920’s and the 1960’s, water levels reached cyclical lows near current water levels in Lake Superior (1.5 feet below average) as well as Lake Huron and Lake Michigan (both 6 feet blow average). But, today the Great Lakes face many new hurdles; global warming, suburbs and privatization.

Since airborne and satellite observations of lake ice began four decades ago, only two years, 1977 and 1994, have seen periods when nearly 90% of Lake Michigan was ice-covered. Recently, warmer temperatures have kept the ice cover far below average levels. The icepack covered only 15% of Lake Michigan in 1998, even in late February when the icepack is usually at its greatest. Ice records on Grand Traverse Bay in Lake Michigan (near Traverse City, MI) show that the bay has not frozen over in the past five winters, marking the first time that the bay had five consecutive winters without freeze-up.

The result of prolonged exposure to sunlight is excessive surface water evaporation throughout the year. Thus, declining lake levels are caused, in part, by global warming.

In the early to mid 1800’s severe outbreaks of influenza and cholera were reported as being caused by Chicago River pollution reaching public drinking water treatment facilities offshore in Lake Michigan. To circumvent this issue, the City of Chicago had the Chicago River rerouted to flow into the Mississippi River in 1900. It was considered the 8^th greatest engineering feat of its time.

Looking further into this conundrum, a topographical map of the Greater Chicago area indicates that much of the population lies on the Mississippi River watershed. The highest point of the Chicago River canal system, 60 feet above Lake Michigan, is just 30 miles inland from the Great Lake. As a result, millions of gallons of Lake Michigan water treated for public drinking is pumped to the Chicago suburban area and sent into the Mississippi watershed heading for the Gulf of Mexico.

Another problem is that the Sweetwater Aquifer in Mecosta County, Michigan (near Mt. Pleasant) has been raided by Nestlé Waters North America in order to feed its Ice Mountain brand bottled water. For over fifteen years, the water bottling and distribution plant has pumped countless amounts of water from the Great Lakes watershed to be distributed throughout the Midwest and abroad. More recently, the amount of water being pumped from this aquifer amounted to 400 gallons per minute.

Yet, there is help on our side from the Sweetwater Alliance and Michigan Citizens for Water Conservation. With their help, on November 25, 2003, Nestlé Waters North America was handed an injunction from Judge Lawrence Root to “cease all pumping from the Sanctuary Spring site.” This order, however, is not able to prevent Nestlé Waters from pumping up to 175 gallons per minute directly from their bottling and distribution facility.

These are just three of the many reasons why we see Great Lake water levels on the decline. But, what happens if this trend continues?

According to a research finding from University of Michigan’s Environmental Engineering and Water Resources Program (EEWR), if any of the Great Lakes’ volume fall below 0.96% their carrying capacity, then the lake(s) will begin to retrocede in that direction permanently. The current water level of Lake Michigan (576 ft above sea level) is currently lower than its carrying capacity (from 577 feet to 587 feet above sea level). Therefore, if we do not see water levels rise soon, we may witness the beginning of an ever-decreasing, scarce resource.

What can we do to help the world’s largest source of freshwater?

The Sweetwater Alliance focuses its efforts on keeping the Great Lakes free of privatization (from such multinationals as Nestlé Water North America, any other), clean and high and mighty. If you would like to donate to their noble and worthy cause, look out for the “Going…Going…Gone!” canisters located at the Marquette businesses listed below and make a donation.

The Sweet Water Café N. 3^rd St., The Marquette Food Co-op Baraga St., Two Thirty One Art Gallery and Studios, 231 W. Washington St., Emma Joe’s Coffee House N. Presque Isle Ave.

Pick up a copy of the Write On for a schedule of all the events, workshops, “coffee talks” and presentations that are lined up for Global Issues Week 2004, March 22-27, NMU. The Sweetwater Alliance will be visiting Wednesday of that week and present on water privatization in the Great Lakes and globally, and give an update on Ice Mountain.

“Water for life! Not for profit.”

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