The Upper Great Lakes region is a vast, vital, complicated and intimately interconnected socio-ecological system. Over the course of the last thirteen years, this system has experienced dramatic fluctuations from its normal rhythmic pattern. Specifically, it has experienced a significant decline in water levels. Scientists have been using the traditional 30-year climate average to predict and manage the ecosystem for over a century now, and they no longer believe this model is relevant. (Circle of Blue) In light of recent stray from this pattern, the debate among stakeholders on how to deal with recent changes has caused great uproar within the region. A large majority seeks methods to restore water levels to their natural range, while others propose limiting human intervention. In this report we will focus on the specific region of Georgian Bay, due to the fact that this area plays a particularly vital role in the system, and because of the extremity of water lows in that region. The Upper Great Lakes region as a whole will also be addressed, in part due to a lack of certain specific information for Georgian Bay individually, and because of the extreme interconnectedness of the two.
             Georgian Bay is vast body of freshwater located in the southern region of Ontario. It is situated within the five Great Lakes of Canada which include; Lake Huron, Lake Ontario, Lake Erie, Lake Superior and Lake Michigan. More accurately it lies east of Lake Huron. It is often referred to as the "sixth" Great Lake due to it's ability to produce its own weather, waves and currents. The diagram below represents Georgian Bay in relation to the Great Lakes as being highlighted in blue: (New World Encyclopedia)
             Georgian Bay measures approximately 120 miles long, by 50 miles wide, and ranges in depth generally between 100-300 feet. The point of maximum depth is 540 feet deep, occurring in the main channel. The main channel is the strait be...