great lakes - lre.usace.army.mil · great lakes data and information on the internet the great...

Vol. No. 141 November 7, 2000

This document is available at http://huron.lre.usace.army.mil/levels/Update141.pdf.

Great Lakes Data and Information on the Internet

The Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River system is adynamic environment, still evolving over time.Ever since the last glaciers retreated more than10,000 years ago, Great Lakes water levels andoutflows have varied dramatically. The GreatLakes affect human activities and all aspects ofthe natural environment, from weather andclimate, to wildlife and habitat.

Researchers and scientists began studying theGreat Lakes over 150 years ago. Each yearbrings more data and information about waterlevels, flows, precipitation and evaporation.New data and information are constantly beingdeveloped on water uses, diversion, tourism, andrecreation. Also, new studies are availableabout the ecology of the system including itsbiologic and chemical characteristics.

In the past, people interested in Great Lakesresearch had to visit a library or call a number ofstate or federal agencies to find information theyneeded. Now much of this information iscollected, stored and disseminated usingcomputers and the Internet. The Internet hasbecome the preferred method for deliveringGreat Lakes data to the public. The questionsnow are: “Who has what?” and “Where do I go?”This article will attempt to answer some of thesequestions. Unfortunately, there may still bemany great web sites with valuable Great Lakesdata and information that we might miss. If youknow of others, please let us know.

The Great Lakes Portal to the Internet

One of the best web sites for a wealth ofinformation on the Great Lakes and the St.Lawrence River system is the Great LakesInformation Network (GLIN). The GLINwebsite can be accessed at: http://www.glin.net/or http://www.great-lakes.net/.

A service provided to the region by the GreatLakes Commission, GLIN features the latestnews about the region’s economy, environment,tourism, education, laws and policies. GLINincludes pointers to hundreds of other web siteswith valuable information about the Great Lakes- St. Lawrence River system.

Great Lakes Hydrology

Great Lakes water is continually recycled andreturned to the ecosystem through the hydrologiccycle. The Great Lakes are supplied by moisturethat originates in the northern Pacific Ocean, theGulf of Mexico, or in the Arctic. Water entersthe lake basins as precipitation directly over thelake surface, runoff from the surrounding landincluding snow melt, groundwater, and inflowfrom upstream lakes or tributary rivers.

Great LakesUpdateUS Army Corps

of EngineersDetroit District

2 Great Lakes Update November 7, 2000


Water evaporates from the lake surface when itcomes in contact with dry air, forming watervapor. This vapor can remain as gas, or it cancondense and form fog and clouds. Water is lostfrom a lake via outflows downstream. Otherfactors affect water quantity includingtemperature, ice cover and solar radiation.

There are many web sites that discuss thehydrologic cycle, weather factors and climatethat affect it. Here are a few of them:

http://www.great-lakes.net/envt/water/levels/hydro.htmlhttp://www.glerl.noaa.gov/data/http://mcc.sws.uiuc.edu/http://huron.lre.usace.army.mil/precipitation/hmpgpr.htmlhttp://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/http://www.natice.noaa.gov/greatlakes.htm

Great Lakes Hydraulics

The Great Lakes are like a series ofinterconnected bathtubs with their outlets beingthe drains in the tubs. Outflows increase as thewater levels rise in the upstream lake, but arerestricted by the size of their outlet channels.The outflow from Lake Superior is controlled atthe twin cities of Sault St. Marie, Ontario andMichigan. Water flows naturally from lakesMichigan-Huron into Lake St. Clair and theninto Lake Erie. The outflow from Lake Ontariois controlled by hydropower facilities andnavigation structures in the St. Lawrence River.There are five diversions on the Great Lakes: theLong Lac and Ogoki diversions into Lake

Superior, the Chicago diversion out of LakeMichigan and the Welland Canal and New YorkState Barge Canal, which divert water betweenlakes Erie and Ontario.

The International Lake Superior Board ofControl and the International St. Lawrence RiverBoard of Control monitor hydrologic andhydraulic conditions on their respectivewatersheds and make recommendations onoutflows for approval by the International JointCommittee (IJC). The IJC’s InternationalNiagara Board of Control is responsible forregulating the distribution of waters in theNiagara River between hydropower plants andthat flowing over the Niagara Falls. Informationon policies and decisions made by the IJC and itsBoards of Control can be found at the followingsites:

http://www.ijc.org/http://huron.lre.usace.army.mil/ijc/superior.htmlhttp://huron.lre.usace.army.mil/ijc/niagara.htmlhttp://www.islrbc.org/

Great Lakes Water Levels

Great Lakes water levels have been recordedsince the late 19th century. The U.S. Army Corpsof Engineers (USACE) and Environment Canadause recorded water levels to predict future waterlevels on the Great Lakes. These data are alsoused in the regulation of outflows from lakesSuperior and Ontario. The data are invaluable inaiding commercial navigation, marinas, andrecreational boaters.

Water level data are also used by environmentalspecialists to measure how water levelfluctuations affect plants, fish, and wildlife.Water level data are used by geologists andcoastal engineers to study the dynamic effects ofwater levels in coastal zones.



The USACE, the National Ocean Service (NOS),of the National Oceanic and AtmosphericAdministration (NOAA) and the CanadianHydrographic Service (CHS) collect water leveldata on the Great Lakes. Current water levelconditions and forecasts of future levels can befound at these web sites:

http://huron.lre.usace.army.mil/levels/hmpglv.htmlhttp://www.on.ec.gc.ca/glimr/water-levels/intro.htmlhttp://www.on.ec.gc.ca/glimr/data/level-news/intro.htmlhttp://chswww.bur.dfo.ca/danp/tidal.htmlhttp://www.co-ops.nos.noaa.gov/data_res.htmlhttp://www.meds-sdmm.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/meds/Databases/Data_e.htm

Water levels and streamflow information forrivers and streams draining into the Great Lakeswithin the U.S. can be found at:http://water.usgs.gov/

Great Lakes Water Quality

The availability of water quality data on theInternet continues to improve over time. TheU.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA)provides a valuable tool that allows the user to‘surf your watershed.’ This is a great place tostart when looking for all kinds of environmentaldata and information. The web site address is:http://www.epa.gov/surf2/

Your watershed, or general area of interest, canbe located using a map or by searching by nameof city, state, zip code, or places of interest (suchas lakes, rivers, schools, parks, etc.). The website contains information on overall watershedhealth, a list of wastewater discharges, watersources, water consumption information, as wellas land cover and air quality information.

The USEPA uses two other systems to housewater quality data: the STORET system (shortfor STOrage and RETrieval) and the Legacy

Data Center (LDC). These systems storebiological, chemical, and physical data onsurface and groundwater collected throughoutthe United States.

These systems are clearinghouses for datacollected by various agencies, tribes, volunteer

groups, academics, and others.The data collected by thevarious entities is, in turn,available to other agencies,groups, and private citizens toaccess. USEPA is in theprocess of web-enabling theSTORET and LCD systems.

Check out their web site for updates on theprogress: http://www.epa.gov/OWOW/STORET

In recent years, periodic closing of publicbeaches due to poor water quality has become aserious public concern. The USEPA hasestablished a BEACH Watch web site thatcontains a variety of valuable informationregarding beach water quality legislation andmonitoring activities. The web site address is:http://www.epa.gov/ost/beaches/

Information and data on the water qualityconditions at specific beaches can be found at:http://yosemite.epa.gov/water/beach2000.nsf

The USEPA Great Lakes National ProgramOffice (GLNPO) also has a tremendous amountof water quality data andinformation on theirsite. They also host TheGreat LakesEnvironmental Atlas anddistribute digital photosvia their section on“Visualizing the Great Lakes”. These areexcellent resources. The website can beaccessed at: http://www.epa.gov/glnpo/.



The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) hasoperated two national stream water qualitynetworks over the past 30 years. The networksassess stream water quality conditions and trendsin undisturbed and developed watershedsthroughout the country. Information on theprogram and availability of data can be found at:http://wwwrvares.er.usgs.gov/wqn96/

Environment Canada – Ontario Region’s site hasa wide variety of environmental informationavailable at: http://www.on.ec.gc.ca/

State/Provincial Environment Sites

Most state and provincial agencies in the GreatLakes region also provide data, reports, andmonitoring program information on these sites:

http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/http://www.dnr.state.wi.us/http://www.epa.state.il.us/http://www.state.in.us/dnr/http://www.deq.state.mi.us/http://www.epa.state.oh.us/http://www.dep.state.pa.us/http://www.dec.state.ny.us/http://www.mnr.gov.on.ca/MNR/http://www.ene.gov.on.ca/http://www.menv.gouv.qc.ca/http://www.mrn.gouv.qc.ca/

Great Lakes Biology

The region’s glacial history and the tremendousinfluence of the lakes themselves create uniqueconditions that support a wealth of biologicaldiversity, including more than 130 rare speciesand ecosystems. The Great Lakes are the onlylakes of their size in a temperate climate. Withthe lakes’ moderating effect on climate, theirecosystems provide habitat for a wide variety ofspecies and complex communities.

The coastlines and interconnecting channels areby far the most diverse and productive part of theGreat Lakes – St. Lawrence River ecosystem.These areas include small wetlands nestled inscattered bays, extensive wetlands such as thosealong Saginaw Bay on Lake Huron, river-mouthwetlands such as the Kakagon Sloughs ofnorthern Wisconsin, enormous delta marshes ofthe St. Clair River, and critical spawning beds inthe St. Marys Rapids.

There are many excellent web sites aboutbiodiversity and Great Lakes habitats, includingmany of the web sites previouslymentioned for the USEPA,Environment Canada and GLIN.Other notable web sites includesites maintained by the Sea GrantNetwork of regional universities, the U.S. Fishand Wildlife Service, the U.S. Natural ResourcesConservation Service, the USGS, NationalBiological Service’s Great Lakes Science Center,and the Great Lakes Fishery Commission. Hereare some good sites:

http://ag.ansc.purdue.edu/il-in-sghttp://www.engin.umich.edu/seagranthttp://www.d.umn.edu/seagrhttp://www.seagrant.sunysb.edu/http://www.sg.ohio-state.edu/http://www.pserie.psu.edu/seagrant/seagindex.htmhttp://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/http://www.dnr.state.wi.us/http://dnr.state.il.us/http://www.state.in.us/dnrhttp://www.dnr.state.mi.us/http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/http://www.dec.state.ny.us/http://www.great-lakes.net/envthttp://www.on.ec.gc.ca/glimr/intro.htmlhttp://www.fws.gov/r3pao/http://www.glsc.nbs.gov/http://www.glfc.org/http://www.nhq.nrcs.usda.gov/



Great Lakes Maps and GIS Data

Maps are an invaluable tool for planningprojects, displaying information, or just getting ageneral sense of an area. A GeographicInformation System (GIS) is a tool that combinesmultiple layers of data and displays themgeographically on a base map. It is an extremelypowerful tool used in planning, engineeringanalysis, and a wide variety of other applications.

GLIN recently launched a Maps and GIS site,which provides a place where people can findand submit digital data for areas within the GreatLakes region. The site includes GIS data sets,online mapping, a map gallery, and lists of otherGIS/mapping resources. It is a great site. Theaddress is: http://www.great-lakes.net/gis

Other federal agency web sites that offergeospatial data online include:

http://mapping.usgs.gov/http://corpsgeo1.usace.army.mil/http://www.epa.gov/nsdi/http://www.glerl.noaa.gov/

Great Lakes Coastal Zone Studies

Over the last three years, an Internet web site hasbeen established to provide information beingcollected under the Lake Michigan PotentialDamages Study (LMPDS). The LMPDS isfocused on improving knowledge of coastalprocesses including beach erosion / bluffrecession, flooding, and low water events. TheLMPDS also is focused on assessing potentialeconomic impacts of fluctuating water levels,including extremely high or low levels not yetseen. For further information on this study, see:http://huron.lre.usace.army.mil/coastal/LMPDS/

A similar study has been initiated on lakes Erieand Ontario. This study is limited, however, tocoastal erosion without the emphasis oneconomic impacts. For further information, see:http://www.cjscons.com/LGLES/.



Want to learn more about dredging in the Great Lakes?

Order

Dredging and the Great Lakes!A joint product of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

and the Great Lakes Commission

x When and how is dredging conducted in theGreat Lakes?

x What is environmental dredging?

x How can dredged material be used beneficially?

x What role does the public play in the dredgingprocess?

Please send me a copy of Dredging and the Great Lakes.

Name __________________________________________________________________________

Street Address ___________________________________________________________________

City_______________________ State/Province _________ Zip/Postal code__________

Phone_____________________________________________

Mail to: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers – Detroit District, ATTN: CELRE-ET-HH-W,P.O. Box 1027, Detroit, MI 48231

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Great Lakes Education

We are all stewards of the natural resources ofthe Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Riverecosystem. Only through understanding ofnatural processes and human interactions can wemake informed decisions about how to liveharmoniously with the lakes.

Many of the web sites that have been mentionedin this article have sections dedicated toeducation. The USACE has a web site thatdescribes the history of the world-famous SooLocks which includes an animateddemonstration of how the locks operate. TheUSACE also has a site with four web camerasfor various views of the Soo Locks. A viewercan watch a 1000-foot vessel lock through fromthe comfort of their own home. These sites are:

http://huron.lre.usace.army.mil/SOO/soohmpg.htmlhttp://www.crrel.usace.army.mil/ierd/webcams/soo

Internet surfers can learn about fish and wildlife,geology, commerce, history, and theenvironment of the Great Lakes – St. LawrenceRiver system. The sites listed below are only afraction of what is available on the Internetdealing with Great Lakes educationalopportunities:

http://www.greatlakesed.org/

http://www.epa.gov/glnpo/ecopage/

The Education And Curriculum Homesite(TEACH Great Lakes) is a new component ofGLIN. With modules focusing on environment,history and culture, geography, pollution, andcareers and business, the site is geared for

elementary through high school students. Thesite is also an impressive tool for teachers andother educators. It can be reached at:http://www.great-lakes.net/teach

Meetings

International St. Lawrence River Board ofControl (ISLRBC) Teleconference

The ISLRBC held a multi-city teleconference onSeptember 7, 2000 to receive public input onLake Ontario outflow regulation. For a copy ofthe transcripts of this teleconference, see:http://www.islrbc.org/.

Lower Great Lakes Erosion Study (LGLES)Update Workshop

U.S. and Canadian governmental and academicstaff attended a workshop on the LGLES onSeptember 20-21, 2000 in Niagara Falls, NewYork to discuss on-going work and futuredirections of coastal studies on lakes Erie andOntario. Emphasis was placed on how thesestudies could affect the newly authorized IJC re-examination of the Lake Ontario-St. LawrenceRiver outflow regulation criteria. A summary ofthe proceedings of the workshop is posted at:http://www.cjscons.com/LGLES/documents.htm

Diagrams like the one above help to illustrate GreatLakes operations.



Want to learn more about the ups anddowns of the Great Lakes water levels?

Order

Living with the Lakes!A joint product of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

and the Great Lakes Commission

x Why do water levels fluctuate?

x How can residents protect their shorelineproperty?

x How do lake level changes affect the region’senvironment and economy?

x How are the water levels managed?

Please send me a copy of Living with the Lakes.

Name __________________________________________________________________________

Street Address ___________________________________________________________________

City_______________________ State/Province _________ Zip/Postal code__________

Phone_____________________________________________

Mail to: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers – Detroit District, ATTN: CELRE-ET-HH-W,P.O. Box 1027, Detroit, MI 48231

ORDER FORM

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