What's draining two Great Lakes?

[Steve Arend]

Sinking levels of Huron and Michigan, rising Erie concern U.S. Army Corps, environmentalists.

Gary Heinlein / Detroit News Lansing Bureau

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is disputing some key findings of a controversial report that claims the levels of lakes Michigan and Huron have been on a permanent decline for at least 44 years.

But the Corps is also calling for a detailed study of the apparent drop in those two lakes -- which scientists consider one lake system -- and a corresponding rise in Lake Erie over time.

Environmentalists are sounding alarms, and the International Joint Commission, a U.S.-Canadian governmental group charged with stewardship of the Great Lakes, also is pledging a thorough review.

http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060312/METRO/603120350

[Dv8oR]

Thirsty Canadians?