Great Lakes Water Issues (broadcast Friday, May 16th, 2008)

Who is allowed to divert water from the Great Lakes? This is one of the issues covered in the Great Lakes Water Compact. Learn more in this clip from Inland Seas, a new documentary about the Great Lakes. (Credits: Inland Seas written and produced by Rebecca Klaper and Matthew Radcliff. Courtesy of the Great Lakes WATER Institute) See More Videos

As many communities around the country try to find water to meet future needs, communities surrounding the Great Lakes -- Ontario, Erie, Huron, Michigan, and Superior -- are working on a plan to preserve the fresh water resource they have. The five Great Lakes are said to hold one-fifth of the world's surface fresh water, but they are threatened on several fronts, including fluctuating water levels, invasive species, and pollution.

The Great Lakes Water Compact, which covers the eight states and two Canadian provinces bordering the lakes, lays out rules for conservation and water use in the region. This week, Wisconsin and Michigan signed on to the compact. In this hour, live from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, we'll get a report on the health of the lakes and what communities surrounding the lakes are doing to deal with issues affecting their water resources. We're visiting as the guests of Wisconsin Public Radio. Find out more at their site. Teachers, find more information about using Science Friday as a classroom resource in the Kids' Connection.