600,4 



SCO LOCKS 



5788 



VVELLAND CANAL 



244 6 ST. LAWRENCE SEAWAY 

 20.0 



(LONG TERM AVERAGE LEVELS) 



Figure 5. Profile of the Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence Seaway. 



coastline and in the central Gulf Coast, as well as 

 along Lake Michigan and Lake Erie. 



Before the new concentration of people living 

 year round in our coastal cities, the seashore was a 

 favorite site for seasonal recreation. Currently, 

 water-based recreation is one of the fastest 

 growing activities, and shows no sign of leveling 

 off. Greater leisure, easier access to water, im- 

 provements in such facilities as small craft harbors 

 and marinas all are contributing to this trend. 



The coastal zone is also the site of increasingly 

 important economic activity. Traditionally, the 

 coastal zone has been the staging area for transfer 

 of goods to maritime transportation. Storage 

 functions near ports, and shipbuilding and vessel 

 services were located in the coastal zone very early 

 in our history. Industries utilizing water transpor- 

 tation have located in the coastal zone, and on 

 navigable rivers, in response to the competitive 

 economics of location. 



Within the last 20 years the offshore produc- 

 tion of oil, gas and sulfur have become major 



industries as well as a major factor in considering 

 uses of the coastal zone. Although we do not yet 

 know the full extent of offshore petroleum re- 

 serves, they appear to be vast. Also not yet fully 

 assessed is the potential for producing other 

 resources from the little-known geologic structures 

 of our Continental Shelf. 



The Uving resources of the sea are a valuable 

 part of our domestic food supply and loom now as 

 one important part of a program to feed the 

 world's population, critically short of protein. A 

 large portion of U.S. shellfish, salmon, and other 

 marine food resources is dependent on the coastal 

 zone habitat for part of its life cycle. 



In view of these factors, the Nation has an 

 important stake in the coastal zone and with this 

 in mind the panel established its goal: 



To achieve a quality of environment which will 

 ensure enjoyment, economic development and 

 sensible utilization of our resources. 



III-ll 



