Lake Huron

10,000 BCE - present

Lake Huron borders Canada to the north and east, and Michigan by the south and west. Huron connects to three other great lakes: Lake Superior via the Sault Ste. Marie, Lake Michigan via the Straits of Mackinac, and Lake Erie via Lake St. Clair and the St. Clair River. Resultantly, Lake Huron has a retention time of 22 years, and its water levels fluctuate monthly. Lake Huron once supported a vast community of native fish, including the cisco, sculpin, and chinook salmon. However, these populations have suffered from overfishing, and the invasive sea lamprey and zebra mussels have made the waters difficult to rehabilitate. Deciduous forests surround Lake Huron, primarily dominated by American beech, white pine, hemlock, maple, and yellow birch. The woolly adelgid, an aphid-like invasive insect, poses a serious threat to hemlock health in forests of the region. These invasive species, along with residential and industrial development, fluctuating water levels, and negligent chemical waste disposal further endanger the diverse ecosystem of Lake Huron.

BIRDS: 2 species are extinct and 5 are endangered
FISH: 5 species are extinct and 4 are endangered
MAMMALS: 2 species are extinct and 4 are endangered
BIVALVES: 2 mussel species are extinct
PLANTS: 2 species are extinct

The territory of Lake Huron falls within the ancestral homelands of the Anishinabewaki, Bodéwadmiakiwenm Michif Piyii, Mississauga, Myaamia and Odawa peoples.

Territorial recognition: https://native-land.ca/

Most Pressing Issues

Chemical Waste

Previously relaxed environmental regulations allowed nearby industrial plants and mining operations to dump their waste into the Great Lakes without any repercussions. Resultantly, sludge at the bottom of the waterways and lakes of the basin contain myriad toxic chemicals ranging from PCBs to radioactive waste.

Invasive Species

Invasives such as the Asian carp, sea lamprey, alewife, zebra mussel, and the round goby are just a few of the species that have wreaked havoc on the Great Lakes. These invasive species decimate native populations both by lacking predators and creating low oxygen environments which trigger the production of bacteria that cause botulism. In the 1960s, Alewives made up 90% of the fish in the Great Lakes, posing a major threat to native populations.

Water Levels

Water levels frequently vary within the Great Lakes. This is in part a natural phenomenon resulting from glacial rebound, but drastic fluctuations are due to changing precipitation levels - a result of global warming - and increased water runoff from human development. Environmentalists advocate for allowing natural water level fluctuations in surrounding wetlands. These changes contribute to the decline of the wild rice paddies, which are sacred to the native populations of the surrounding areas. Demand for drinking water, irrigation and climate change, leave many to worry about a future decline in lake levels.

Development

During the nineteenth century, much of the land surrounding the Great Lakes was cleared and cultivated for industrial and residential development. Building, mines, power plants, coastal roads & recreational infrastructure has been disrupting natural environments for centuries. Deforestation and improper waste disposal has destroyed fish spawning grounds, introduced heavy metals to the ecosystem, and triggered rapid warming of the lake waters. Enbridge Line 5, a 645-mile oil pipeline in the Enbridge Lakehead System, now runs through the Straits of Mackinac. If struck, the pipeline has the capacity to spill across hundreds of miles of shoreline, taking years to clean up and decimating the ecosystem.

Diminished Fisheries

Early commercial fishing operations received dangerously relaxed regulations. Fish populations were extorted year-round, and over time were not able to reproduce enough to keep the species from extinction. Seasonal regulations were eventually placed to allow for natural breeding cycles, but in some cases the damage was irrevocable. Efforts to manage fisheries have been further complicated by many accidental and purposeful species introductions, pushing out native fish.

How You Can Help

Alliance for Great Lakes

The Alliance for Great Lakes works with scientists, policymakers, businesses, community groups and everyday citizens to protect and restore the lake.

Tip of the Mitt Watershed Council

The Tip of the Mitt Watershed Council works to maintain the environmental integrity and economic and aesthetic values of lakes, streams, wetlands and ground water in Michigan’s northern lower peninsula.

Lake Huron Centre For Coastal Conservation

The Lake Huron Centre For Coastal Conservation is dedicated to the conservation of Lake Huron’s natural shoreline environment.

Michigan Sea Grant

Through research, education and outreach, Michigan Sea Grant is dedicated to the protection and sustainable use of the Great Lakes and coastal resources.

Great Lakes Observing System

Great Lakes Observing System works to make real-time and historical data publicly available to the larger Great Lakes community, benefiting data users and decision makers.

Sources:

Terry Gibb, “Lakes Appreciation Month: The Great Lakes Facts and Features,” Michigan State University, July 20, 2015, https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/lakes_appreciation_month_the_great_lakes_facts_and_features#:~:text=These%20are%20the%20retention%20times,Lake%20Huron%3A%2022%20years.