Kruse Report: Great Lakes Compact helps, but we have key role in protecting water

By Sen. Dennis Kruse

“If the wars of the 20th century were fought over oil, the wars of the 21st century will be fought over water.”

That quote, from a recent National Wildlife Federal newsletter, may seem like an exaggeration but it puts into some perspective how important the Great Lakes Compact could be to those states blessed by its resources. A few months ago, I dedicated this column to explaining and praising the Great Lakes Compact – a seven-state agreement regulating use of the five lakes.

I’m glad Indiana was the first state to complete the process of having the compact pass the Indiana General Assembly and then signed by the governor. I wanted to put the power of this legislation into perspective for you.

While war over water isn’t imminent, we do have some battles ahead. In fact, our greatest enemy may be those living in the vicinity of these natural wonders. We may have thwarted dreams of other states from exporting water from the Great Lakes, but we still have wasteful practices in and around the basin:

• n  Growth in cities such as Green Bay and Chicago is outstripping available water supplies;
• n  Large-scale irrigation is adversely affecting homeowner wells in Saginaw, Mich.;
• n  Expanding water infrastructure is raising concerns on future water supplies due to growth and drought.

Just how important are the Great Lakes in Indiana? Well, consider Indiana has 43 miles of shoreline along Lake Michigan. Or that more than 1.1 million people live in the Lake Michigan and Lake Erie basins in Indiana. Our Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore alone receives approximately 1.6 million visitors each year, generating approximately $26 million annually.

As I mentioned in a column a few months ago, other states are envious of our Great Lakes. They recognize the Great Lakes Basin contains nearly 20 percent of the earth’s fresh surface water. Naturally, other states would like to tap into this, especially since some believe climate change is causing already dry parts of the United States to become even drier.

So the Great Lakes were, indeed vulnerable, until the compact was passed. Indiana Wildlife Federation officials report that while the lakes are a great resource, each year rain and snowmelt only replenish about one percent of water in the basin. It’s not an endless resource.

Our Great Lakes Compact will help preserve these natural wonders. It is legislation that makes sense because it treats groundwater and surface water as one system, subject to the same standards. It considers the Great Lakes and their tributaries as one system. It establishes protection of the ecosystem and the economics around it everywhere in the basin. It is the best of both worlds, giving each state the same, fair set of rational procedures, while, at the same time, allowing each state flexibility to manage its own water use.

However, it is imperative that we do for ourselves what no legal language can. We need to be smart consumers and use this water wisely, incorporating the very best management possible.

War over water? Surely not here. But a battle within ourselves on how we the water we have? It’s ongoing as we speak. What do you think?

Please contact me at State Senator Dennis Kruse, Indiana Senate, 200 W. Washington Street, Indianapolis, IN 46204 or call 1-800-382-9467, or send e-mail to S14@in.gov.