Lakewide plans

Under the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement (GLWQA), Canada and the United States agree “to restore and maintain the chemical, physical and biological integrity of the waters of the Great Lakes basin ecosystem.” This is accomplished in part through a binational lakewide management process. Canada, the United States, and their partners recognize that each Great Lake has unique ecological features and stressors that need to be factored into restoration and protection plans. This process helps determine the status of each lake and the actions needed to restore and protect them, which informs Lakewide Action and Management Plans (LAMPs).

What is a Lakewide Action and Management Plan?

A LAMP is an action-based multi-agency strategy to restore and protect the ecosystem of each Great Lake and its connecting river systems. Each LAMP promotes information sharing, sets priorities, and assists in coordinating protection and restoration activities. Under the GLWQA, each Great Lake issues a LAMP every five years. You can access the latest LAMP for each lake below.

Who participates in Lakewide Action and Management Plans?

With the exception of Lake Michigan, which is a United States domestic process, each LAMP is coordinated by a lake-specific partnership led by the governments of Canada and the United States in cooperation with State and Provincial Governments, Tribal Governments, First Nations, Métis, Municipal Governments and watershed management agencies. Each plan also collects public input during the development process.

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