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Lake Huron 2006 Lake Wide Management Plan
Executive Summary
Since its formal endorsement by the Binational Executive
Committee in 2002, the Lake Huron Binational Partnership (“the
Partnership”) has coordinated lakewide environmental activities
in the Lake Huron basin. The United States Environmental
Protection Agency, Environment Canada, Michigan’s Departments of
Environmental Quality and Natural Resources and Ontario’s
Ministries of Environment and Natural Resources form the core of
the Partnership by providing leadership and coordination. A
flexible membership is being promoted on an issue-by-issue
basis, which is inclusive of other agencies and levels of
government, Tribes/First Nations, non-government organizations,
and the public.
The approach in Lake Huron differs from the Lakewide Management
Plans (LaMPs) of Lakes Superior, Michigan, Erie and Ontario in
that there has been no formal binational designation of lakewide
beneficial use impairments, nor extensive lakewide modeling of
chemical loadings. This alternative approach focuses on
pollution reduction activities in areas of obvious importance,
such as Areas of Concern, and directly pursues on-the-ground
activities to protect areas of high-quality habitat, which are
abundant within the Lake Huron basin. In addition, existing
forums are used as much as possible to support the goals of the
Partnership. The Partnership maintains a close association with
the Remedial Action Plan efforts at Areas of Concern, the Great
Lakes Fishery Commission’s Lake Huron Committee, the State of
the Lakes Ecosystem Conference, and domestic efforts that
support the Partnership.
This 2006-2008 Action Plan provides updated information on
environmental trends, identifies priority issues, and promotes
management activities to be pursued over the next two-year
cycle. Consistent with an adaptive management approach, it
tracks progress on issues identified in the previous cycle,
including advancements in addressing nearshore nutrients and
pathogens through Canada’s South-East Shore Working Group, and
expands to address emerging issues, such as the recent
disruptions in Lake Huron’s aquatic food web.
Over the past two-year cycle, the Partnership has successfully
used a streamlined approach to coordinate the many environmental
activities impacting Lake Huron. We look forward expanding on
our past efforts and advancing the binational protection and
restoration of the Lake Huron ecosystem.
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