Transboundary Water Governance in the Great Lakes Region*

The Great Lakes basin lies within United States (U.S.) and Canada and is the largest freshwater resource in the world, containing nearly 20 percent of the earth’s fresh surface water. The basin faces many environmental threats, such as persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic pollutants; invasive species; aging water and sewer infrastructure; excessive nutrient loading; and habitat degradation and loss.