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Restoring the Great Lakes Ecosystem’s Natural Flow Regime: Three Demonstration Projects

Year Awarded: 1999
Awarded: $653,000
Team Leader:  The Nature Conservancy

This team restored two hydrologically distinct habitats within the Basin including a fen in southeastern Michigan and a ridge and swale system along the Door Peninsula. Work at a third location along Lake Ontario helped the team give the International Joint Commission (IJC) recommendations for adaptive management strategies to improve the natural biodiversity of the flora and fauna along Lake Ontario’s shores.

The team also produced hydrologic analysis tools to predict flow restoration changes caused by water withdrawals. GLPF-sponsored projects and Nature Conservancy (TNC) groups across the country have used these tools to investigate flow regime restoration strategies.

This team’s work restored critical habitats, highlighted the ecological impacts of lake level management decisions, and provided valuable tools to evaluate impacts of stream flow restoration strategies.