THE GREAT LAKES

MONITORING INVENTORY:

A Brief Update...

OUTLINE

• Background

• Update

• Future Direction(s)

• Formed in late 1980s by EPA & Environment Canada

• Current governing body for implementing GLWQA

• Established www.binational.net to improve on-line data quality & dissemination

• 2001 identified need for binational, basin-wide inventory of monitoring programs

• raise awareness• promote collaboration• identify gaps

• BEC

BACKGROUND

• Several recommendations presented to Senior Management at the 2002 BEC meeting:

• Build on previous and on-going work of others; • Input fields should be consistent with existing metadata standards

• Mandatory that BEC agencies (and affiliated agencies) contribute;

• On-line inventory & input form accessible through binational.net;

• BEC agency representatives sign off on their agencies' input to ensure completeness

BACKGROUND• Great Lakes Monitoring Inventory

• First step toward improved coordination of monitoring in the Great Lakes

UPDATES

• Recent IT upgrade

• Redesigned database

• Minor bug fixes

• Added editing functionality

• Imported GLC, LEMN, & NWRI records

NEXT STEPS

• Minor enhancements

• Contact contributors for updates

• Enhance reporting

• Collaboration with IJC

• Phase II of BEC IM strategy• Moving beyond “program descriptions”