Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Seaway Navigation Season Extension. Volume 1. Main Report and Final Environmental Impact Statement

The goal of this study is to consider the feasibility of means of extending the navigation season on the entire system from mid-December to early April year-round. The report uses, as a base condition, the Chief of Engineers 16 November 1977 report which recommends the extension of the navigation season on the upper four Great Lakes to 31 January or - 2 weeks. The purpose of this study is to determine whether Federal participation in Navigation Season Extension is desirable, and its extent, if any, to address the significant social, environmental, economic, engineering, and institutional aspects, and, to make a recommendation for Congressional consideration based on these findings. This study concludes that season extension is engineeringly and economically feasible year-round on the upper three Great Lakes, up to year-round on the St. Clair River-Lake St. Clair-Detroit River System and Lake Erie, and up to 10 months on Lake Ontario and the International Section of the St. Lawrence River.