The Great Lakes form a portion of the international boundary between the United States and Canada, and both countries have jurisdiction over their protection and restoration. The Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement between the United States and Canada was developed in 1972 and established objectives and criteria for the protection, restoration and enhancement of water quality in the Great Lakes system. A revised GLWQA was signed in 1978 recognizing the need to understand and effectively reduce toxic substance loads to the Great Lakes.
The 1978 Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement adopted general and specific objectives and outlined programs and practices necessary to reduce pollutant discharges to the Great Lakes system. Under Annex 2 of the 1987 Protocol Amending the 1978 Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement, the United States and Canadian governments identified 43 of the most polluted areas on the Great Lakes that had serious water quality problems known to cause beneficial use impairment of the shared aquatic resources. These areas have been formally designated by the two governments as Areas of Concern. Michigan has 14 Areas of Concern.
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