Effects of Water Level Fluctuations and Regulation on Upper Great Lakes Nearshore Ecosystems: An Annotated Bibliography

Abstract

This is an annotated bibliography of literature relating to the effects of water level fluctuations on ecosystems and biota of the Laurentian Great Lakes. This report was created in support of investigations into the potential ecosystem effects of altering the water level regulation of Lake Superior at the St. Marys River lock and dam system. Because such a change would most affect lakes Superior, Michigan, and Huron, we tried to concentrate on these lakes. However, we have included quite a bit of literature from lakes Erie and Ontario, where there has been more investigation of water level fluctuations (or lack thereof) and water level regulation. We have also included pertinent literature from around the world on effects of water level fluctuations in large lake and reservoir systems, primarily because of the paucity of pertinent literature for the upper Great Lakes.