Ask a professor: Artsci’s Peter Whiting shares how environmental changes are impacting Lake Erie

As summer brings warmer weather and peak travel season, many people head to Lake Erie and other nearby waterways to swim, boat and enjoy the outdoors. But beneath the surface, many may not realize the environmental changes reshaping these bodies of water in ways that affect both ecosystems and visitor experiences. 

To learn about how environmental changes are impacting Lake Erie and other bodies of water, we spoke with Peter Whiting, interim dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at Case Western Reserve University, who offered insight on how rising temperatures and changing water conditions influence what people see—and don’t see—at the beach.

Read on to learn more. 

Answers have been edited for clarity and length. 

Q: In what ways is climate change affecting lakes, rivers and oceans?

Climate change can affect oceans, lakes and stream waters in a variety of ways. As air and water temperatures increase, aquatic ecosystems begin to shift because different species thrive in different conditions. For example, marlins prefer warmer waters while trout prefer colder environments. As the water changes, ecological communities are also likely to change. 

On a more human-centric level, people may notice that the water at the beach is colder or warmer or how it’ll get warmer earlier in the year and remain that way later into the fall. People may also notice changes in the water’s clarity—the water may look murkier or easier to see at the bottom—or different fishes. 

Q. What does this mean for Lake Erie and other bodies of water?

For Lake Erie, that can lead to a change in the amount of ice cover. If the lake is warmer, it’ll take longer to cool off and if the atmosphere is warmer, it won’t be driven to cool as quickly. Ice on the lake can be an important reducer of the amount of evaporation in the wintertime. Open lakes can get a lot more evaporation and that can lower lake levels. While scientists know that the climate is warming, we are still trying to understand whether the future climate will result in long-term warmer weather and if that means lower or higher water levels. We don’t know exactly how precipitation patterns will impact how evaporation will change. Beyond Lake Erie, warmer waters may change the paths and intensity of hurricanes that develop. 

Q. Are there any growing environmental concerns in Lake Erie?

We’ve had invasive species in the past, but there are concerns that new ones could get into the lake and change the ecosystem substantially. There’s a worry about the Asian carp—a highly destructive species that harms aquatic ecosystems by outcompeting native species for food and disrupting food webs—that’s in the Mississippi River and we don’t want it to get into the Great Lakes. It would find a very happy home in Lake Erie if it could make it this far and would change the composition of the food web in the lake. 

We also worry about microplastics and a broad issue of how they may get taken up into organisms and their response to them. Then, we also have an emerging concern about the Great Lakes’ incredibly large reservoir of freshwater. For other parts of the U.S. that have less freshwater, there’s questions of whether our waters might be attractive to parts of the West and Southwest. We do worry that there could be degradation of the water and our resource, if others find it particularly attractive and want to overuse it. A bigger and perhaps more local concern is the proliferation of potential data centers since they can use a lot of water for cooling computers. 

Q. How can travelers enjoy Lake Erie while also protecting its natural resources?

Tourism tied to Lake Erie supports a significant number of jobs and contributes substantially to the local economy. Travelers can help protect natural resources by making thoughtful, intentional choices during their visits. Sustainable travel is about minimizing your environmental impact while maximizing your experience. That can mean considering how you travel, choosing accommodations and dining options with sustainability in mind, reducing reliance on single-use products, and being mindful about purchases. Asking simple questions—such as whether a souvenir is necessary, how it was produced, or how it will be transported—can help travelers make more environmentally conscious decisions.

Q. What tips would you suggest for travelers who want to create memorable and fulfilling experiences while still being environmentally conscious?

Sometimes you don’t have to go halfway around the globe. There’s an awful lot to do in Ohio, Pennsylvania and other nearby states where you can create memorable experiences. That’s often why we vacation—to see people and places where we can create memories and take a break from the regular routine. I think one approach to being more environmentally sustainable is more local travel, which is likely to be cheaper and you’re not traveling as far so not as much energy will be used to get to those locations. Exotic travel to global destinations can open your eyes to places and things that you might not have valued otherwise, which can lead you to be more mindful and not allow anything bad to happen to it.