The Great Lakes provide the largest system of fresh surface water on the globe and we rely on this important resource for water, energy, food, and fuel needs.
The Great Lakes and their watersheds – help us to adapt to climate change, provide us with clean drinking water, and offer lots of outdoor activity opportunities which keep both our minds and bodies healthy.
Benefits of Great Lakes
Human Health – provides safe drinking water, provides food, enables us to adapt to the impacts of climate change more easily by cooling the air and absorbing greenhouse gas emissions, and provides natural areas for people to keep active and recharge our batteries.
Ecological Health – conserves water, promotes streamflow, supports sustainable streams, rivers, lakes, and groundwater sources, enables healthy soil for crops and livestock, and also provides habitat for wildlife, fish, and other species.
Economic Health – produces energy and supplies water for agriculture, industry and households. Forests and wetlands help to prevent or reduce costly climate change and flooding impacts, manages drought, contributes to tourism, fisheries, forestry, agriculture and mining industries.
The St. Clair Region Conservation Authority is part of a network that includes many partners to help improve the ecological integrity of the Great Lakes and connecting channels.