MANITOULIN—A representative of Restore Our Water International (ROWI) has raised concerns with a proposal for Waukeshaw, Wisconsin to be able to divert water from the Great Lakes. “They have to get approval with other government signatures, but it looks as if Waukeshaw is going to be able to divert water, which is a big concern,” said Mary Muter of ROWI, after the Great Lakes Commission (GLC) annual meeting last week. Ms. Muter said at the GLC meeting, “Debbie Lee of the United States Army Corps of Engineers admitted after many questions posed by the executive director of the GLC that the USACE has the authority to put in compensation structures (that would limit the amount of water taken and diverted from the Great Lakes through the St. Clair River) and are awaiting the go ahead from the US State Department. They need $3 million to do the redrawing of the 1972 compensation designs (which had been approved by both the US and Canadian federal governments).” “There were two other significant things that came up at the meeting,” said Ms. Muter. “On the Waukeshaw proposal, a location which is not far from Milwaukee and is just outside the Great Lakes watershed, they are in the final stages of applying to divert water in the area. This would be precedent setting because it would be the first diversion allowed on the Great Lakes (and from an outside watershed) and although they guarantee the water would be returned, we all know it will not all be returned.” “I asked questions as to how many other communities in Wisconsin would then be able to ask for the same allowance and was told 30 percent,” said Ms. Muter. “This would mean there could be even further impacts on water levels. There would be big interest from other areas in not only Wisconsin, but Michigan and New York State to do the same.”
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