Pictures of Tony standing in a lake with no water in it

NEWS RELEASE TONY MARTIN, MP ************************* Martin, shore residents alarmed at Lake Superior low water levels SAULT STE.

NEWS RELEASE

TONY MARTIN, MP

************************* Martin, shore residents alarmed at Lake Superior low water levels

SAULT STE. MARIE – Tony Martin spent part of Sunday walking Lake Superior shoreline with constituents, alarmed at how record-low water levels have exposed hundreds of feet of previously submerged bottom.

"Shocked is the only word I have for it," Martin said. "Take a look at these pictures I am releasing and judge for yourselves. Is it less snow? Climate change? Diversion to the U.S.? People have different ideas. It's important to find out where this water is going."

He is asking the International Joint Commission (IJC) to begin its next study of the Great Lakes looking at water levels and environmental issues with Lake Superior and St. Mary's River.

Martin has asked IJC for a meeting in Ottawa.

In early April, according to the International Lake Superior Board of Control, Lake Superior was 45 centimetres (18 inches) below its long-term average and 33 centimetres (13 inches) lower than the same time last year.

The last time Lake Superior was lower at this time of year was 1926.

As a comparison, the level of Lakes Michigan-Huron is now about 39 centimetre (15 inches) below its long-term average, beginning-of-April level but is 1 centimetre (1/2 inch) higher than a year ago.

"For Superior, that's over a foot drop since last year, a real cause for concern," Martin said. "Boaters are scraping or hitting rocks they never hit before. This drop in Superior's water level appears to be more than the usual cycle local residents have observed."

The international board which gets its authority from IJC said earlier this month that it predicted the level of lakes Superior and Michigan-Huron would rise in April.

The board planned a modest increase in its outflow into Lake Superior at the control station at the head of St. Mary’s River rapids, increasing the flow to 1,380 cubic metres per second from 1,290 cubic metres per second.

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