Real Time Great Lakes Data

Great Lakes data

In addition to the monitoring equipment, an automated system two meters below the surface collects raw water samples up to 14 times per trip. The samples are refrigerated after they are collected and returned to the lab for analysis.

This mechanism will help scientists get a comprehensive look at changes in the lake's ecosystem, allowing them to be more proactive rather than reactive.

The monitoring system is the only one of its kind operating in the Great Lakes collecting such a wide range of data.

Water samples are returned to CMU's Biological Station on Beaver Island, where they are analyzed by students and researchers.​​

Researchers are interested in a variety of parameters, such as water temperature, phosphorous and nitrogen concentrations. Phosphorous, outlined in the Clean Water Act as a major pollutant of the Great Lakes, has caused an increase in harmful algal blooms, one of the numerous cause-and-effect changes in the ecosystem.

Even small changes can create large problems for species in these waters, says Uzarski. "Increased levels of phosphorous and nitrogen are responsible for the nuisance algal blooms we see affecting city water systems more and more," he said. "These have impacts on human health, the environment and the economy."​

"We know that lakes are warming and water quality is changing, but we don't have a full picture of what other effects the rising temperatures will have. More data will help us make a comprehensive assessment of climate-related interactions and help track major ecosystem changes." - Don Uzarski, professor of biology, director of the IGLR and director of CMU's Beaver Island Biological Station​​

View Data

Data collected when the vessel is NOT underway is not accurate and should not be used. System is only operational AFTER the vessel has left port, though erroneous data is frequently collected and viewable after reaching port.