Lake St. Clair is the smallest lake in the Great Lakes system. Together with the St. Clair and Detroit Rivers, it forms the connecting channel between Lakes Huron and Erie, and is divided by the international boundary between Canada and the United States. The majority of the lake and its watershed are in Ontario.

Lake St. Clair is an integral link in the major shipping corridor that connects Great Lakes ports with international destinations. The delta at the lake’s north end is the largest freshwater delta in the world and one of the most significant fish and wildlife habitats in the Great Lakes. The Canadian portion of the watershed is predominantly agricultural, and includes one of the most productive agricultural areas in Canada. The U.S. portion of the watershed is highly urbanized, and includes portions of the city of Detroit and Greater Detroit Area.

What is the Lake St. Clair Canadian
Watershed Management Plan?

The Canadian Watershed Management Plan encourages cooperation and collaboration towards common goals, and provides a forum to share information, set priorities and address issues with a specific focus on Lake St. Clair. It is the link between local tributary watershed programs and Great Lakes basinwide initiatives.

The purpose of the Plan is to recommend actions to address issues affecting the Canadian portion of the Lake St. Clair ecosystem. The Plan:
• Identifies management issues, and sets goals to address them;
• Provides a vision, principles and goals for the lake; and
• Includes input from Lake St. Clair partners and the public.

The Plan’s authors, the Lake St. Clair Canadian Watershed Coordination Council, recognize that communication and partnerships with U.S.
counterparts are vital to ensuring that the Lake St. Clair ecosystem is effectively managed.