Great Lakes Region (GLOS)
Map of the Great Lakeso Region Ocean Observing System (GLOS)
The Great Lakes Observing System provides coverage for the coastal zone within the states of New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Michigan, bordering on the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River.
The only freshwater region of Integrated Oceans Observing System, IOOS, the Great Lakes is home to over 40 million US and Canadian citizens, many first nations, eight states and two provinces. The region’s coastline totals nearly 11,000 miles and the Great Lakes and their connecting channels form the largest fresh surface water system on Earth, holding nine-tenths of the U.S. fresh surface water supply. The Great Lakes Observing System (GLOS) was formed to coordinate the regional observing network that plays a critical role in the management of these valuable resources.
News from the Region
Screen caption of a map of St. Lawrence River via a new boater's tool that provides information on water currents and depth to help boaters plan a safe and enjoyable boating day
Great Lakes Oserving System News Room
GLOS Launches New Boaters Forecast Tool for the St. Lawrence River
ANN ARBOR, Mich., July 31, 2012 – The Great Lakes Observing System (GLOS), working to coordinate and enhance the network of observations and data access in the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River system, announces the launch of its new Boaters Forecast: St. Lawrence River tool. Developed for recreational boaters in the St. Lawrence River, the new tool provides information on water currents and depth to help boaters plan a safe and enjoyable boating day. The easy-to-use, web-based format was customized to address information needs specific to boaters on the St. Lawrence River, including information on marina and boat launch locations.
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Satellite image of suspended sediment and algae in Lake Erie
Water Utility Publicly Attributes Business Improvements to IOOS, NOAA Efforts
The Acting Commissioner of Water for the City of Cleveland, Ohio, Rolfe Porter, is publicly touting the success of coastal monitoring efforts with improving business operations and drinking water quality. He says that approximately 1.5 million people in Northeast Ohio are drinking cleaner water, thanks to a new partnership between the Great Lakes Observing System (GLOS), a regional member of the U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS), and NOAA’s Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory. The partners began working together back in 2009 to supply information such as oxygen levels, water temperature, and wave heights to the Cleveland Division of Water.
Further Details
- The entire story (third story)
New Web-Based Tool Helps Unlock Great Lakes Fish Behavior Mysteries
Screen Capture of Great Lakes Acoustic Telemetry Observing System (GLATOS) tool to answer fisheries management and ecology question in the Great Lakes
On May 24, you can join a webinar to learn how to use a new online tool that is helping to unlock mysteries of fish behavior in the Great Lakes. The Great Lakes Observing System (GLOS), a regional member of the U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS), and the Great Lakes Fishery Commission just launched the Great Lakes Acoustic Telemetry Observing System (GLATOS) tool to answer fisheries management and ecology questions in the Great Lakes. The system will track more than 1,700 fish of four species – lake trout, walleye, sea lamprey, and lake sturgeon – tagged between 2010 and 2013. Tracking information will influence a range of fish population restoration actions, including improved sea lamprey control, better data for fish stocking decisions, and enhanced understanding of fish spawning behavior.
Further details:
- Visit the GLATOS tool
- Sign up for the webinar to learn more about the GLATOS Tool.
In 2010, the Great Lakes Fishery Commission acquired acoustic telemetry equipment and developed a framework for supporting studies that use this technology to increase understanding of key species in the Great Lakes and connecting channels. LimnoTech, an environmental engineering consulting firm, and Applied Science Associates (ASA), a global technology and science solutions company, designed and constructed the web-based tool and database.
New Website Improves Access to Great Lakes data, products, tools and projects
New Website Improves Access to Great Lakes Data, Products, Tools and Projects
The Data Catalog of the Great Lakes Observing System (GLOS), provides a centralized location for exploring and acquiring real-time and historic data. Accessing meteorological and hydrodynamic data needed to operate daily beach water-quality nowcast models is now more efficient. These nowcasts can improve public safety and reduce the number of unnecessary regional advisories and beach closures.
The site: http://www.glos.us/ features a new design and user interface, product launch pages, relevant news and events, and access to the new Great Lakes Data Catalog.
The site makes it easier for users to find real-time and historic Great Lakes data and access tools that process data in a meaningful way for decision makers.
About the Great Lakes Region (GLOS)
In addition to addressing issues similar to other IOOS regions (e.g., spill response, search and rescue, beach quality, beach hazards such as rip and channel currents), GLOS is also positioned to address unique regional issues resulting from its freshwater composition and geography. These issues include source water protection; providing baseline data to managers of Great Lakes Areas of Concern (AOCs) and Lakewide Management Plans (LaMPs); identifying, collecting and integrating key fishery and associated environmental (physical, chemical and biological) observations to support state and provincial fishery managers; understanding the impacts of climate change upon net basin water supplies; assisting municipal/regional planners in adapting to climate change; and prioritizing maintenance funds for key port and harbor infrastructure.
GLOS will continue:
- Deployment and operation of observing system platforms, including buoys, autonomous underwater vehicles, gliders, and vessels of opportunity.
- Program management and partner coordination;
- Data Management and Communication activities to include identifying baseline information for measuring progress; continuing integration of existing priority data sets, and identifying priority opportunities for data standards, quality management system, and protocol development;
- Refining and enhancing existing tools as needed and identifying emerging opportunities for model and tool development;
- Facilitation of the Ecosystem Forecasting Modeling Framework pilot that has been proposed for Lake Michigan; and
- Outreach and education efforts including identifying priority targets for GLOS membership, initiating evaluation of existing tools, sustaining promotion and engagement activities, and maintaining website content, including quarterly newsletters, updates on meetings and events, and news stories as appropriate.
Visit Great Lakes Region's Website:
Great Lakes Region Data Portal:
The Great Lakes Observing System data and tools page makes available:
- The Observations Explorer – where users can view real-time and historic data and receive updates from the station or buoy of their choice.
- The Huron to Erie Connecting Waterways Forecasting System – providing predicted forecasts of water levels and currents through the Huron to Erie Corridor. The tool includes nowcasts every three hours and forecasts every 12 hours for currents and water level for St. Clair River, Lake St. Clair, and Detroit River.
- The Great Lakes Model Inventory – allowing users to search for models, applications, people, and organizations that address ecosystem health, marine operations, public health and water security, and measuring and adapting to climate change.
- The Point Query Tool provides quick access to Great Lakes Coastal Forecasting System (GLCFS) input data and model output for a given location and time period.
Contact Information
Jennifer Read, Executive Director
jread@glos.us
U.S. IOOS Program Office Contacts:
Dave Easter, Regional Coordinatio