Over the last 50 years, Lake Ontario's coastal wetlands have been knocked out of balance, strangely enough, by a plan to balance lake levels.

The plan, which dates back to 1963, tries to balance the needs of hydropower facilities, commercial shipping, recreational boating, and waterside property owners. All are significantly affected by even small changes in lake or seaway levels.

The plan didn't take the needs of coastal wetlands into account, and they've suffered as a result.

But this week, the International Joint Commission released details on its new plan for regulating lake levels. The proposal factors in the relationship between lake levels and coastal wetlands and allows for a more natural cycle of lake level increases and decreases. In short, the effect of levels changes on wetlands will be considered alongside the effects on hydropower, shipping, and waterside property.