Situated along the borders of the United States and Canada, Lake Superior is the largest of the North American Great Lakes and is historically known for producing cold and freezing temperatures during the winter months. Every winter the lake is often the conversation on whether Lake Superior is frozen over, or not. The lake is typically frozen and covered in snow during December and January, and large chunks of ice often form by late February. In order to assess the extent of this winter season’s frozen cover and to offer a more detailed insight into what is truly happening in Lake Superior, a team of experts has been researching the matter.
The chief research officer, Dr. Nicholas Johnson, who works at the University of Michigan’s Water Resources Center, reported that, although the lake has had some colder-than-average areas, Lake Superior has been fairly ice-free this winter season when compared to historical averages. These findings were verified through surface, aerial, and remote sensing research carried out on the lake and its climate, which Dr. Johnson’s crew has been doing seemingly every winter for the past 10 years. Despite the presence of ice in some areas, the overall frozen surface of Lake Superior is less than 5% this season.
Environmental experts heavily attribute the uncharacteristic behavior of Lake Superior’s ice levels this winter to global warming due to climate change. Senior Oceans researcher, Dr. Gillian White, explained that since human-generated greenhouse gases trap the sun’s energy in the atmosphere the average global temperature on Earth has increased by 1.8 degrees Fahrenheit over the past 100 years. The warmer temperatures, according to Dr. White, disrupt and weaken the ice cover found in the Lake Superior region. The fact that Lake Superior is generally colder than the surrounding landmass also amplifies the extent of this change.
The warmer temperatures also raises many concerns among officials of various native communities as it affects their ability to make a living. For example, the ice fishing industry of the Chippewa people has been challenged from the impact of warming in Lake Superior, which depletes the availability of ice thickness and fishing grounds. This can lead to disputes between the tribe and other Lake Superior users for those locations.
Lake Superior’s water temperatures have consequently been rising to the point where the lake is warmer than normal for this time of the year. This in turn has caused several aquatic species to remain active longer because of the warmer temperatures, making tracking and studying them more difficult. So far, 17 species located in Lake Superior have declined this winter due to higher water temperatures
On the brighter side, warming temperatures help keep the lake free of harmful aquatic species such as blue-green algae, which is a bacteria that can produce toxins in large amounts which can be dangerous to humans, animals, and create problems with the lake’s water purity
Debris on the Ice
Despite Lake Superior’s much reduced ice levels, the Ice Way trail still remains. The Ice Way is a winter hiking trail that stretches from Gold Rock Point (near Grand Marais MN) along the North Shore of Lake Superior to Grand Portage, MN. The trail gives hikers and outdoor enthusiasts a unique experience to witness the diverse world they find on the Ice of Lake Superior. As they hike they will see many new things such as ice formations, debris, wood carvings and small communities that make the Ice Way something to remember.
Potentially hazardous debris is often found on the Ice Way portions of Lake Superior. Common debris includes metal objects, rope, car tires, and materials broken off of ships. It has been known to be dangerous to those trekking down the Ice Way as they can stand on metal and other hazardous materials which might be covered by the snow, creating an unsafe environment.
These materials are usually discarded from ships passing nearby lakeside communities. This can be a problem for the ecologic landscape of Lake Superior as organisms near the lake can be in danger from these discarded materials, as well as hikers and personnel on the Ice Way. There have been studies that measure the presence of toxic substances from discarded items and their potential effect on the environments surrounding Lake Superior.
On their trail, hikers are usually able to take in the sights and sounds of nature, but because of discarded materials, the sound of metal and objects hitting the ground has become a common occurrence near the lake.
Lack of Winter Tourism
Given Lake Superior’s diminished frozen surfacing, many of the usual winter festivities and activities that draw locals and tourists to the lake have been suffering. One of the hardest hit local businesses are the winter resort areas around the lake, some of which rely heavily on cold, winter weather to survive.
Many of the events hosted by these resorts such as hockey and winter sports tournaments, snowshoeing and other cold-weather events have been heavily affected. Due to the melting ice and warmer than usual temperatures, some of the winter sports and ice skating have seen reduced activities as most of the events require snow and cold temperatures to be conducted safely.
Another example of the winter tourism decline can be seen in snowkiting, an extreme sport that is popular among winter tourists in the Lake Superior area. As one of the key elements involved in snowkiting is to use the wind to travel across flat terrain or large expanses of snow, the melting ice has compromised the activity since flat surfaces are scarce.
The future of Lake Superior’s winter tourism is dismal and many business owners are fearful of the potential collapse of income and revenues. In some of the worst scenarios, some areas may disappear due to the melting of Lake Superior’s surface.
Fauna Impacts
The warmer more extensive seasons of Lake Superior had previously impacted the availability of certain fish species in the lake. Some species have had to look for other food sources due to the lack of certain fishes and the lack of winter habitats for some of the lake’s usual inhabitants.
The species that are most affected are trout, whitefish, burbot, and cisco all of which migrate farther due to the lack of locations that can offer ideal temperatures as they do during a typical winter season. These species also can become vulnerable to predators due to the warmer water temperatures that can sometime disorient them and set them up to be easily hunted.
The lack of ice-fishing opportunities in turn has handicapped the members of the Chippewa tribe, whose main source of income has long been fishing on the lake. It has been hard for the members of the tribe to track the movements of their usual prey and there have had to redo their entire winter fishing plan to be able to survive.
Rising Sea Levels
With the melting of the lake, local communities have seen a noticeable rise in sea levels. While this has not become an immediate problem, there have been attempts to estimate the level of sea level rise that Lake Superior can expect due to global warming.
At the current rate, Lake Superior’s sea level can increase between 1 to 3 feet by the year 2100 if the current trends in global warming remain. This could spell disaster for several of the local small coastal communities near the lake whose regions are already close to the sea level and may be prone to flooding and sea water contamination.
The local governments of these areas have already considered integrating building codes into the region to limit further damage in these regions, as part of a larger plan to protect these areas from the changing climate.
Cleaner Waters
The warmer temperatures in Lake Superior do have an upside. As the lake undergoes a warming process, there has been a decrease in the presence of blue-green algae, a bacteria found in many freshwaters and whose population is contained by cold water temperatures.
The blue-green algae are responsible for numerous public health issues and their removal can help lead to cleaner waters and fewer health problems due to water contamination. This water is essential to the communities located near Lake Superior since many of them rely on the clean water as their main source of hydration.
The presence of blue-green algae can be so damaging that tourists may decide to avoid the region if the algae is abundant, leading to a fall in tourism in the Lake Superior area. It could become a major issue if temperatures continue to rise in the region if no plans are taken.
Economical Implications
The lack of a traditional winter season for Lake Superior has brought economical implications for the local communities located near the lake. The decrease of winter activities has caused many winter resorts to close down and the number of tourists in certain areas has plummeted, leading to a decrease of seasonal income for the local population.
The small coastal communities have also been affected. The rising sea levels have made it difficult for them to remain viable, as they rely heavily on fishing and other activities supported by the lake. The lack of an appropriate response plan has made matters worse, creating an uncertain future in terms of the viability of these communities.
Local businessmen have expressed concern over the future and have questioned if they will be able to remain in business if the current trend remains and the temperatures keep rising in the area. These concerns are becoming more and more real as the winter season draws to a close.
Government Action
The local, state and federal government have responded to the rising temperatures in Lake Superior by implementing a series of measures meant to protect the lake and its biodiversity. These actions include habitat preservation policies and more focused research into the lake and its potential effects from the warm temperatures.
Governments have also been more active in promoting and supporting policies that address pollution and global warming. From the local to global level, officials have come together to craft plans that have the best chance of preserving Lake Superior and the communities that rely on it for their livelihood; these include plans for increased recycling and a decrease in the burning of fossil fuels.
The US and Canada have already taken the initiative to sign a joint agreement to recognize the fact that Lake Superior is a shared water resource and both countries must work together to protect it, while also ensuring that their citizens can benefit from the lake equally.
It is now up to the citizens of the area, and the thousands of people that pour into the area to fish, boat and snowmobile, to take action and join the fight to protect Lake Superior.
