Coordinating Monitoring in the Great Lakes Basin

Coordinating Monitoring in the Coordinating Monitoring in the Great Lakes BasinGreat Lakes Basin

Ric Lawson Ric Lawson

Project ManagerProject Manager

Great Lakes CommissionGreat Lakes Commission

National Water Quality Monitoring Council National Water Quality Monitoring Council meetingmeeting

Ann Arbor, MichiganAnn Arbor, Michigan

July 20, 2004July 20, 2004

July 20, 2004July 20, 2004 Coordinating Monitoring in the GrCoordinating Monitoring in the Great Lakes Basineat Lakes Basin

OverviewOverview

Issue IntroductionIssue Introduction Great Lakes Commission Great Lakes Commission

BackgroundBackground GLC Approaches GLC Approaches

– Coordination bodiesCoordination bodies– Online information Online information

resources and toolsresources and tools New DirectionsNew Directions

July 20, 2004July 20, 2004 Coordinating Monitoring in the GrCoordinating Monitoring in the Great Lakes Basineat Lakes Basin

Issue IntroductionIssue Introduction

Sound management policies Sound management policies should build on reliable should build on reliable informationinformation

Policies and management should Policies and management should scale to resourcescale to resource

Ecosystem management requires Ecosystem management requires information integrated from information integrated from various fields of studyvarious fields of study

July 20, 2004July 20, 2004 Coordinating Monitoring in the GrCoordinating Monitoring in the Great Lakes Basineat Lakes Basin

Two IssuesTwo Issues

1.1. Information collected according to Information collected according to political boundaries rather than political boundaries rather than resource boundariesresource boundaries

2.2. Information collection agencies Information collection agencies focused on narrow fields of studyfocused on narrow fields of study

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Great Lakes CommissionGreat Lakes Commission

Binational agency representing Great Binational agency representing Great Lakes states and provincesLakes states and provinces

Formed in mid 1950s via U.S. state and Formed in mid 1950s via U.S. state and federal law: provincial associate federal law: provincial associate membership in 1999membership in 1999

Promotes the informed use, management Promotes the informed use, management and protection of the water and related and protection of the water and related natural resources of the Great Lakes Basin natural resources of the Great Lakes Basin and St. Lawrence Riverand St. Lawrence River

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Great Lakes CommissionGreat Lakes Commission

Addresses resource management, Addresses resource management, environmental protection, transportation environmental protection, transportation and sustainable economic development and sustainable economic development issuesissues

Functions are information sharing, policy Functions are information sharing, policy research and development, and advocacyresearch and development, and advocacy

““Information and research broker” that Information and research broker” that focuses on hydrologic, rather than geo-focuses on hydrologic, rather than geo-political boundariespolitical boundaries

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Monitoring Coordination BodiesMonitoring Coordination Bodies

Great Lakes Coastal Wetlands Consortium Great Lakes Coastal Wetlands Consortium (GLCWC)(GLCWC)

Lake Michigan Monitoring Coordination Lake Michigan Monitoring Coordination Council (LMMCC)Council (LMMCC)

Great Lakes Air Deposition Program Great Lakes Air Deposition Program (GLAD)(GLAD)

Great Lakes Observation System (GLOS)Great Lakes Observation System (GLOS) Tributary ModelingTributary Modeling

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GLCWCGLCWC

To develop a long-term, binational To develop a long-term, binational monitoring program for Great Lakes coastal monitoring program for Great Lakes coastal wetlandswetlands– IndicatorsIndicators– Wetlands inventoryWetlands inventory– Implementation teamImplementation team– Monitoring databaseMonitoring database– Decision supportDecision support

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ProcessProcess

Three-Phase Project:Three-Phase Project:– Phase I: indicator evaluation and developmentPhase I: indicator evaluation and development

– Phase II: monitoring program developmentPhase II: monitoring program development

– Phase III: coordination and implementationPhase III: coordination and implementation

PMT directs, GLC coordinates and PMT directs, GLC coordinates and facilitates; contractors develop productsfacilitates; contractors develop products

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ProductsProducts

HGM-classified coastal HGM-classified coastal wetlands inventorywetlands inventory

Indicator investigations Indicator investigations and evaluationsand evaluations

Index of Biotic Integrity Index of Biotic Integrity (IBI) development(IBI) development

Satellite and airborne Satellite and airborne investigationinvestigation

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Squaw Bay Wetland

South Alpena Area Wetland

Grass Island Wetland

South Alpena Area Wetland

Squaw Bay Area Wetland #2

North Point Road Area Wetland

Whitefish Bay Wetland

Whitefish Bay Area Wetland

Misery Bay Wetland #1

North Thunder Bay Wetland #2

Misery Bay Wetland

North Thunder Bay Wetland #3North Thunder Bay Wetland #4

Whitefish Point Wetland, North Thunder Bay Wetland #1

Misery Bay Area Wetland #2

Misery Bay Islands Wetlands

Squaw Bay Wetland

Great Lakes Commission 2003

±

Legend

BL

BLS

BSR

BSS

LOE

LOS

LPP

LPS

RCD

RCOS

RCPP

RCRO

RD

RRB

RRO

Thunder Bay Wetlands

0 1 20.5 Miles

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LMMCC ObjectivesLMMCC Objectives

Document monitoring activities, identify data Document monitoring activities, identify data gaps and contribute to a monitoring plangaps and contribute to a monitoring plan

Establish and maintain collaborative Establish and maintain collaborative partnershipspartnerships

Encourage monitoring activities that Encourage monitoring activities that document data quality and are comparabledocument data quality and are comparable

Establish an information network that links Establish an information network that links basinwide information systemsbasinwide information systems

Improve awareness of monitoring and Council Improve awareness of monitoring and Council productsproducts

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LMMCCLMMCC

Membership includes feds, states, Membership includes feds, states, locals, NGOslocals, NGOs

Meets twice annually, with continuous Meets twice annually, with continuous info exchange info exchange

Issue-oriented workgroups form Issue-oriented workgroups form workplans/ projectsworkplans/ projects

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ProductsProducts

Basinwide monitoring inventoryBasinwide monitoring inventory Communications (website, Communications (website,

brochure, white-papers, etc.)brochure, white-papers, etc.) Aquatic Nuisance Species – Early Aquatic Nuisance Species – Early

Detection projectDetection project Coordinated Tributary Monitoring Coordinated Tributary Monitoring

projectproject

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ANS – Early DetectionANS – Early Detection

Goal to develop guidelines and Goal to develop guidelines and recommendations for a system to recommendations for a system to detect and monitor new invasions of detect and monitor new invasions of ANS in the Lake Michigan basin as a ANS in the Lake Michigan basin as a pilot effort.pilot effort.

Survey and inventory of Survey and inventory of high risk high risk and and high probability high probability sitessites

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ANS Time Series MapsANS Time Series Maps

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LM Tributary Monitoring ProjectLM Tributary Monitoring Project

Coordinated monitoring effort for 2005 Coordinated monitoring effort for 2005 field seasonfield season

Collect tributary loading data to Collect tributary loading data to recalibrate Lake Michigan Mass recalibrate Lake Michigan Mass Balance (’93-’94) for mercury, PCBs Balance (’93-’94) for mercury, PCBs and nutrientsand nutrients

Utilizing combined state and federal Utilizing combined state and federal resourcesresources

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GLADGLAD

Program to monitor air emissions and Program to monitor air emissions and depositiondeposition

Source characterization, modeling and Source characterization, modeling and effects assessmenteffects assessment

Regional Air Pollutant Inventory Regional Air Pollutant Inventory Development System (RAPIDS)Development System (RAPIDS)

Centralized Air emissions Repository Centralized Air emissions Repository On-Line (CAROL)On-Line (CAROL)

GLC facilitates and administers GLC facilitates and administers

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Great Lakes Observing SystemGreat Lakes Observing System

Global Ocean Observing SystemGlobal Ocean Observing System– Intergovernmental Oceanographic Intergovernmental Oceanographic

CommissionCommission– World Meteorological OrganizationWorld Meteorological Organization– United Nations Environment ProgramUnited Nations Environment Program– International Council for ScienceInternational Council for Science

U.S. GOOSU.S. GOOS Integrated Ocean Observing SystemIntegrated Ocean Observing System Great Lakes ComponentGreat Lakes Component

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National Federation National Federation of Regional Systemsof Regional Systems

Regional Systems:• Land-based inputs• State and Regional Priorities• Greater resolution• More variables

National System:• Satellite remote sensing• Reference, Sentinel Stations• Link to global module• Data standards• Exchange protocols

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Great Lakes Observing SystemGreat Lakes Observing System

Observations will be those needed to produceObservations will be those needed to produceproducts and services required by a broad products and services required by a broad

communitycommunityof users for:of users for: Detecting and predicting open water components of Detecting and predicting open water components of

climate variabilityclimate variability Facilitating safe and efficient marine operationsFacilitating safe and efficient marine operations Ensuring national securityEnsuring national security Managing resources for sustainable useManaging resources for sustainable use Preserving and restoring healthy ecosystemsPreserving and restoring healthy ecosystems Mitigating natural hazardsMitigating natural hazards Ensuring public healthEnsuring public health

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Great Lakes Observing SystemGreat Lakes Observing System

Global component (climate, marine Global component (climate, marine services, security and defense) will be services, security and defense) will be federally fundedfederally funded

Regional enhancements will be locally Regional enhancements will be locally drivendriven

Products and services will be Products and services will be developed by a wide range of entitiesdeveloped by a wide range of entities

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Tributary ModelingTributary Modeling

Program to develop sediment transport Program to develop sediment transport models for watersheds or subwatershedsmodels for watersheds or subwatersheds

Provides a tool to assist NPS managementProvides a tool to assist NPS management GLC facilitates linkage of federal funding & GLC facilitates linkage of federal funding &

services with local managementservices with local management Models developed by Corps of Engineers; Models developed by Corps of Engineers;

maintained and used locallymaintained and used locally

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Online Resource ProjectsOnline Resource Projects

Great Lakes Monitoring InventoryGreat Lakes Monitoring Inventory Inland Sensitivity AtlasInland Sensitivity Atlas Lake St. Clair Integrated Coastal Lake St. Clair Integrated Coastal

Management Management BeachcastBeachcast

July 20, 2004July 20, 2004 Coordinating Monitoring in the GrCoordinating Monitoring in the Great Lakes Basineat Lakes Basin

Great Lakes Monitoring InventoryGreat Lakes Monitoring Inventory

Effort to understand extent and Effort to understand extent and breadth of monitoring in the Great breadth of monitoring in the Great Lakes basinLakes basin

Inventory of federal, state, and local Inventory of federal, state, and local monitoring effortsmonitoring efforts

Built upon sub-basin inventoriesBuilt upon sub-basin inventories

Online, searchable database and gap Online, searchable database and gap analysis reportanalysis report

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Lake St. Clair Monitoring InventoryLake St. Clair Monitoring Inventory

July 20, 2004July 20, 2004 Coordinating Monitoring in the GrCoordinating Monitoring in the Great Lakes Basineat Lakes Basin

Inland Sensitivity AtlasInland Sensitivity Atlas

Originally built for oil and Originally built for oil and toxics spill contingency toxics spill contingency planningplanning

Collection and mapping of Collection and mapping of environmentally and environmentally and culturally sensitive site culturally sensitive site informationinformation

Nested map sets with quick Nested map sets with quick reference symbolsreference symbols

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Inland Sensitivity AtlasInland Sensitivity Atlas

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Lake St. Clair Integrated Coastal ManagementLake St. Clair Integrated Coastal Management

ICM tool developed utilizing coastal ICM tool developed utilizing coastal environmental data and social environmental data and social informationinformation

To assist in analyzing impacts of To assist in analyzing impacts of coastal management decisions coastal management decisions through scenario testingthrough scenario testing

Used to develop a broad habitat Used to develop a broad habitat management planmanagement plan

July 20, 2004July 20, 2004 Coordinating Monitoring in the GrCoordinating Monitoring in the Great Lakes Basineat Lakes Basin

July 20, 2004July 20, 2004 Coordinating Monitoring in the GrCoordinating Monitoring in the Great Lakes Basineat Lakes Basin

BeachcastBeachcast

July 20, 2004July 20, 2004 Coordinating Monitoring in the GrCoordinating Monitoring in the Great Lakes Basineat Lakes Basin

BeachcastBeachcast

July 20, 2004July 20, 2004 Coordinating Monitoring in the GrCoordinating Monitoring in the Great Lakes Basineat Lakes Basin

Future DirectionsFuture Directions

Volunteer monitoring coordinationVolunteer monitoring coordination Monitoring in Areas of ConcernMonitoring in Areas of Concern Habitat tracking and restoration Habitat tracking and restoration

coordinationcoordination Broader systemic networksBroader systemic networks Monitoring-policy linkagesMonitoring-policy linkages

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For More InformationFor More Information

Great Lakes CommissionGreat Lakes Commission– www.glc.org/www.glc.org/

Me – Ric LawsonMe – Ric Lawson– 734.971.9135 or [email protected] or [email protected]