Protection of Great Lakes crucial to area

Novel coronavirus has been dominating the headlines in the early part of 2020. But a few recent stories — with no connection to COVID-19 — reminded us that the Great Lakes are vital natural resources that must be regularly monitored and evaluated.

First, we learned that for the second straight year, Lake Erie set a monthly high mean water level in May.

According to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Lake Erie had a daily mean water level of 574.4 feet in May, about an inch above the record set last year.

May marked the fourth straight month of high water levels in the lake. May 2019 was the start of a five-month streak of monthly record-setting water levels, including a new all-time record-high mean water level of 574.62 feet in June, surpassing the record of 574.28 set in 1986.

The Army Corps of Engineers’ most recent projections show that Lake Erie is not expected to break any more records this year. The lake is projected to be 2 to 4 inches below its record high levels from June to September, all set last year. October and November’s levels are projected to be 1 to 2 inches below last year’s level and 9 inches below its record high levels, both set in 1986.

Lake Erie’s water levels are projected to remain well-above their long-term monthly averages, however.

According to the Army Corps of Engineers, Lake Erie, along with fellow Great Lakes Superior and Michigan-Huron, have been above their monthly averages since November 2015. (Lake Michigan and Lake Huron are hydraulically treated as one lake due to their connection at the Straits of Mackinac, according to the Army Corps.) Lake Ontario’s water level has been above average since January 2017, with the exception of a three-month stretch in 2018 when it was near average levels.

Water levels are primarily determined by “regional climatic conditions, which influence the net basin supply of water in each lake,” according to the Army Corps.

Here in Northeast Ohio, we are well aware that high Lake Erie water levels are significant because they exacerbate shoreline erosion.

For owners of properties on the Lake Erie shoreline that have been ravaged by erosion, it’s important to be aware of programs that can help remedy these problems.

Some examples of assistance that is offered by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources Office of Coastal Management include:

• Temporary shore structure permits.

• Free on-site technical assistance, which is available to coastal property owners by ODNR coastal engineers to provide recommendations for erosion mitigation.

• Coastal Management Assistance Grants.

• The Coastal Erosion Area Loan Program.

• Special Improvement Districts, or SIDs, which provide local financing to facilitate erosion improvements along Lake Erie.

When considering the importance of the Great Lakes collectively, we were pleased to see that a Northeast Ohio representative was appointed to help lead a group that provides advice and recommendations on matters related to these bodies of water.

Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District CEO Kyle Dreyfuss-Wells recently was named to serve as co-chairman of the Great Lakes Advisory Board.

The board was first established in 2012 by the U.S Environmental Protection Agency to ensure “transparent, credible and diverse views in guiding the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative’s investments.” Its charter expired in June 2018 and was re-established in December 2018.

The EPA sought nominations for the board last year. The selected members were announced in early June.

Dreyfuss-Wells said her background gives her two perspectives to bring to the board. She joined the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District in 2008 after serving as director of the nonprofit Chagrin River Watershed Partners. She became CEO of the sewer district in 2017. The district provides sanitary and stormwater management services to Cleveland and 61 suburban communities in Northeast Ohio.

In conclusion, we strongly express our belief that safeguarding and preserving the water supply from the Great Lakes is critical to our region.

Simultaneously, attention also must be devoted to ensure that properties along the Great Lakes are protected from shoreline erosion.

It’s our hope that legislators, state and federal agencies, advisory boards and scientists all can play a meaningful role in ensuring that these goals are accomplished.