At the October 2009 semiannual appearance, the International
Upper Great Lakes Study Board asked the International Joint
Commission (IJC) to expand the scope of their work to include
evaluation of the impacts on upper Great Lakes water levels of
possible climate change scenarios and of potential mitigative
measures to address those impacts. This request was necessary
because the Study mandate was restricted to addressing impacts
resulting only from changes in the morphology of the river. The
Study noted that climate change may be a more significant factor
and therefore needed to be addressed when considering mitigative
measures.
Following up on this request, in November 2009, the International
Joint Commission wrote to the governments of Canada and the
United States requesting their views on the potential expansion of
the Study’s scope, noting the supportive public response to
the Study Board’s recommendation that “the need for
mitigative measures in the St. Clair River be examined as part of
the comprehensive assessment of the future effects of climate
change on water supplies in the upper Great Lakes basin in Report 2
of the Study, on Lake Superior Regulation, to be completed in
2012.” (Principal Recommendation 2, Impacts on Upper Great
Lakes Water Levels: St. Clair River)
In letters dated April 5, 2010, the governments
agreed that the Study could expand its scope of work to examine the
impacts of climate change on water levels and also asked that it
consider, at an exploratory level, a full range of both structural
and nonstructural options available to all potentially affected
sectors across the Great Lakes – St. Lawrence River
system.
On April 12th, the IJC wrote to
the Study Board, asking for it to “assess its ability to
undertake the various analyses as mentioned in the letters from the
governments within the existing budget and time line of the
Study.” And on May 21st, the Study Board responded,
indicating that it could address the work the governments have
identified at an exploratory level within the Study timeline and
budget.