FINAL REPORT - International Joint Commission

FINAL REPORT
If none of the candidate plans is selected, the International Joint Commission has several “default options:”
• The current operating Plan 1958-D with Deviations could remain in place with the new criteria that
have been developed;
• Plan 1958-D with Deviations could continue with the existing criteria, but it would probably perform
differently, depending on the composition of a new International St. Lawrence River Board of Control,
and attempt to address environmental and recreational boating interests; or
• The Commission could rely on a combination of the above two options – new criteria and a new
International St. Lawrence River Board of Control.
The Study Board Recommendations
The International Joint Commission has three significantly different candidate regulation plans to choose
from, each of which provides net economic and environmental benefits. The Board is confident that any
one of these plans will satisfy a majority of the interest groups.
Conditions and the priorities for lake level and flow regulation always change over time, and new scientific
and technological advances will continue to be made. An adaptive management process should support
the selected regulation plan and incorporate performance tracking: an initial performance review of the
new plan should be undertaken five years after its implementation; and a more in-depth evaluation should
be carried out ten years from its implementation to include consideration of adaptive changes to the
selected plan.
This Study has considered in detail the trade-offs between interests, and this is reflected in the plan rules.
The Study Board has agreed that long-term deviations from plan rules and flows have the effect of
changing the intended performance of the plan(s) as designed and the benefits that flow from the plan(s).
However, the Board recognizes and supports the need for short-term deviations from plan flows under
specified emergency conditions. Under extreme low or high water level and flow conditions that are
problematic for interests, the Study Board recognizes that adjustments based on hydrologic and hydraulic
data available at the time could remain consistent with the intent of the plans. Therefore, the Study Board
also supports Commission action under extreme conditions to consider whether the benefits of deviation
from plan flows outweigh the disadvantages, recognizing that there would be a need for considerable
public relations support at such times.
A significant opportunity exists to move forward on long-term resolution of a few vexing issues related to
fluctuating water levels, for example, shoreline flood and erosion problems. During International Joint
Commission consultations with governments, the Commission should act as a catalyst to promote and
advance mitigation of persistent shoreline flood and erosion problems. For example, in light of the
findings of this Study, responsible state, provincial and municipal authorities could undertake a review of
shoreline management practices and policies. Shoreline management strategies and permitting processes
could be revisited and renewed for critical reaches of the shoreline utilizing new data and information
gathered during this Study, including water level regime information for a new regulation plan. This review
should help to identify options for dealing with problems affecting land use and existing structures within
shoreline flood and erosion hazard zones.
As used in this Study, the general planning approach, termed “Shared Vision Modeling,” has proven to be
very successful. The Commission should consider applying these same techniques in subsequent
International Joint Commission studies.
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Options for Managing Lake Ontario and St. Lawrence River Water Levels and Flows