The blog Great Lakes Environment has a post related to a U.S. EPA assessment of all U.S. coastal waters, including the Great Lakes shore zone.  The report concludes that the condition of Great Lakes coastal areas is “fair to poor.”  Excerpt and link:

The report rates the overall condition of the Great Lakes coastal areas as “fair to poor.” The overall condition score is 2.2. The water quality and fish tissue contaminants indices for the Great Lakes are rated fair, the sediment quality index is rated poor, and the coastal habitat and benthic indices are rated fair to poor. The overall condition and index ratings were derived from indicator findings and the ecological condition of the St. Lawrence River, each of the five Great Lakes, and the St. Clair River-Lake St. Clair-Detroit River Ecosystem presented in the document State of the Great Lakes 2003 (Environment Canada and U.S. EPA, 2003). The next National Coastal Condition Report (NCCR IV) will present and discuss data presented in the report State of the Great Lakes 2005 (Environment Canada and U.S. EPA, 2005) to generate updated condition estimates.

Access the links to the complete 329-page report or individual sections and executive summaries (click here). Access the National Coastal Condition Reports website for background and additional information (click here). Access the 14-page Great Lakes section on the report (click here).

http://greatlakesenvironment.blogspot.com/2008/12/epa-assessment-of-us-coastal-great.html

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