ABSTRACTThe Great Lakes Basin Commission has initiated a Framework Study to assess the present and projected water‐ and related land‐resource problems and demands in the Great Lakes Basin. Poorly defined objectives; incomplete and inconsistent data arrays; unknown air, biota, water, and sediment interactions; and multiple planning considerations for interconnected, large lake systems hinder objective planning. To incorporate mathematical modeling as a planning tool for the Great Lakes, a two‐phase program, comprising a feasibility and design study followed by contracted and in‐house modeling, data assembly, and plan development, has been initiated. The models will be used to identify sensitivities of the lakes to planning and management alternatives, insufficiencies in the data base, and inadequately understood ecosystem interactions. For the first time objective testing of resource‐utilization plans to identify potential conflicts will provide a rational and cost‐effective approach to Great Lakes management. Because disciplines will be interrelated, the long‐term effects of planning alternatives and their impacts on neighboring lakes and states can be evaluated. Testing of the consequences of environmental accidents and increased pollution levels can be evaluated, and risks to the resource determined. Examples are cited to demonstrate the use of such p
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