The Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement

Revised

Great Lakes Water Quality
Agreement of 1978

Agreement, with Annexes and Terms of Reference, between the United States and Canada signed at Ottawa November 22, 1978 and
Phosphorus Load Reduction Supplement signed October 16, 1983

as amended by Protocol signed November 18, 1987

Office Consolidation

INTERNATIONAL JOINT COMMISSION UNITED STATES AND CANADA

September, 1989

PROTOCOL AMENDING THE 1978 AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND CANADA ON GREAT LAKES WATER QUALITY, AS AMENDED ON OCTOBER 16, 1983

The Government of the United States of America and the Government of Canada,

REAFFIRMING their commitment to achieving the purpose and objectives of the 1978 Agreement between the United States of America and Canada on Great Lakes Water Quality, as amended on October 16, 1983;

HAVING developed and implemented cooperative programs and measures to achieve such purpose and objectives;

RECOGNIZING the need for strengthened efforts to address the continuing contamination of the Great Lakes Basin Ecosystem, particularly by persistent toxic substances;

ACKNOWLEDGING that many of these toxic substances enter the Great Lakes System from air, from ground water infiltration, from sediments in the Lakes and from the runoff of non-point sources;

AWARE that further research and program development is now required to enable effective actions to be taken to address the continuing contamination of the Great Lakes;

DETERMINED to improve management processes for achieving Agreement objectives and to demonstrate firm leadership in the implementation of control measures;

Have agreed as follows:

AGREEMENT BETWEEN CANADA AND THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA ON GREAT LAKES QUALITY, 1978

The Government of Canada and the Government of the United States of America,

HAVING in 1972 and 1978 entered into Agreements on Great Lakes Water Quality;

REAFFIRMING their determination to restore and enhance water quality in the Great Lakes System;

CONTINUING to be concerned about the impairment of water quality on each side of the boundary to an extent that is causing injury to health and property on the other side, as described by the International Joint Commission;

REAFFIRMING their intent to prevent further pollution of the Great Lakes Basin Ecosystem owing to continuing population growth, resource development and increasing use of water;

REAFFIRMING in a spirit of friendship and cooperation the rights and obligations of both countries under the Boundary Waters Treaty, signed on January 11, 1909, and in particular their obligation not to pollute boundary waters;

CONTINUING to recognize that right of each country in the use of the Great Lakes waters;

HAVING decided that the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreements of 1972 and 1978 and subsequent reports of the International Joint Commission provide a sound basis for new and more effective cooperative actions to restore and enhance water quality in the Great Lakes Basin Ecosystem;

RECOGNIZING that restoration and enhancement of the boundary waters cannot be achieved independently of other parts of the Great Lakes Basin Ecosystem with which these waters interact;

CONCLUDING that the best means to preserve the aquatic ecosystem and achieve improved water quality throughout the Great Lakes System is by adopting common objectives, developing and implementing cooperative programs and other measures, and assigning special responsibilities and functions to the International Joint Commission;

Have agreed as follows:

Articles

Annexes

Download the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement in PDF format (4 MB)

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