IJC Presentation by Mathew Child for RAP Open House event of March 18, 2013

1. Green Community, Clean Waters
Thunder Bay Remedial Action Plan Open House
March 18, 2013
Matthew Child, Physical Scientist
Great Lakes Regional Office
International Joint Commission
More than a century of cooperation protecting shared waters. 1

2. Overview
 Context of Great Lakes Cleanup
 Role of the International Joint Commission (IJC)
 Great Lakes Areas of Concern
 How does the experience in other AOCs inform
activities in Thunder Bay?
 Closing remarks
More than a century of cooperation protecting shared waters

3. An Era of Transboundary Pollution Impacts
Cleveland The Hamilton
Ohio Water Ontario Steel &
Works Plant, Iron Company,
July 4, 1903 1900
Toronto, Ontario 1896
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4. Boundary Waters Treaty of 1909
“It is further agreed that the waters herein
defined as boundary waters and waters
flowing across the boundary shall not be
polluted on either side to the injury of
health or property on the other”.
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5. Transboundary Basins
Columbia River
Basin
Souris Rainy River
River Basin Basin Missisquoi Bay
Lake Champlain
Saint. Croix
River Basin
St. Mary - Milk
River Basin Red
River Basin
The Great Lakes
and Waterways
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6. IJC’s Regulatory Role
Power Plants
Control Works
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7. References
 IJC looks into issues as asked to by the
governments of Canada and U.S.
 IJC replies with an independent report and make
recommendations to the governments on these
issues that are often followed.
 One of the first references regarding pollution of
boundary waters and the final report was
published in 1918
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8. 1960s Reference on Great Lakes Water Quality
The Cuyahoga River on fire in 1969.
Severe Eutrophication of Lake Erie
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9. Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement
The purpose of the Agreement is “to restore and
maintain the chemical, physical and biological
integrity of the waters of the Great Lakes basin
ecosystem"
President Richard Nixon and Prime Minister EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson and Minister of
Pierre Trudeau signing the Great Lakes Water Environment Peter Kent sign Agreement Protocol
Quality Agreement (1972) (2012)
More than a century of cooperation protecting shared waters

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11. Beneficial Use Impairments (BUI)
1. Restrictions on Fish and Wildlife Consumption
2. Tainting of Fish and Wildlife Flavour
3. Degraded Fish and Wildlife Populations
4. Fish Tumours or Other Deformities
5. Bird or Animal Deformities or Reproductive Problems
6. Degradation of Benthos
7. Restrictions on Dredging Activities
8. Eutrophication or Undesirable Algae
9. Restrictions on Drinking Water Consumption or Taste and Odour Problems
10. Beach Closings
11. Degradation of Aesthetics
12. Added Costs to Agriculture or Industry
13. Degradation of Phytoplankton and Zooplankton Populations
14. Loss of Fish and Wildlife Habitat
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12. Progress is Being Made!
 5 Areas of Concern
Delisted (Restored)
 2 Areas of Concern
in Recovery
 Examples of Progress:
 Contaminant loads
decreasing
 Species recoveries – bald eagle, mayfly, native fishes (e.g., lake sturgeon,
lake whitefish)
More than a century of cooperation protecting shared waters

13. So what does all this mean for
Thunder Bay ???
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14. You Are Not Alone !!!
Most Canadian AOCs are struggling with
impairments related to:
 Contaminated sediments
 Habitat
 Stormwater
…among others
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15. Contaminated Sediments
 BUIs that are Impaired or Require Further Assessment:
 Degradation of Benthos (12 of 15 AOCs)
 Restrictions to Fish Consumption (12 of 15 AOCs)
 Six AOCs have active sediment remediation processes
underway. For example:
 Peninsula Harbour – sediment capping complete
 St. Clair River – preferred sediment management option will be selected in
2013
 Hamilton Harbour – tendering and initiation of remedial works in 2013
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16. Habitat
 BUI that is Impaired:
 Loss of Fish and Wildlife Habitat (12 of 15 AOCs)
 Linkage to urban and rural non-point source pollution
 Take advantage of existing methods/protocols and
mapping software to maximize investments
 Consider all AOC compartments:
 Protection of headwater natural areas
 Mid- and lower watershed infill naturalization
 Shoreline softening and naturalization
 Deep water habitat enhancement
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17. Some Habitat Projects
Shoreline restoration in the Detroit River
AOC
Headwater wetland construction in the
Wheatley Harbour AOC
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18. Stormwater
 BUIs that are Impaired or Require Further Assessment:
 Beach advisories (8 of 15 AOCs)
 Degradation of Plankton (6 of 15 AOCs)
 Degradation of Aesthetics (9 of 15 AOCs)
 Local progress with sewage treatment plant upgrades (public
and private), sewer separation, downspout disconnections
 Need for traditional methods to be supplemented with Low
Impact Development (LID) approaches
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19. Some Stormwater Projects
Green Roofs in the Metro Toronto AOC
Retention Treatment Basin in the Detroit
River AOC
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20. Closing Remarks
 Partnerships are key
 As broad and diverse as possible
 Process is important
 Governance
 Work planning
 Make the RAP relevant
 Community based events and activities
 Linkage to school programming
 Be persistent
 Hold yourself and other accountable
 Maximize funders’ investments
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21. Thank You
childm@windsor.ijc.org
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