New and improved science tools can help managers and researchers evaluate current threats and develop management strategies to protect and restore the valuable Great Lakes ecosystem.    

The recently released U.S. Geological Survey products provide free environmental data to the public as part of the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI), a collaborative effort to conserve the Great Lakes. The new GLRI Science Explorer and redesigned GLRI website (most compatible with the Google Chrome browser*), launched in November 2014, offer critical information pertaining to USGS GLRI projects, and allow researchers to contribute their own material. The interactive Science in the Great Lakes (SiGL) mapper was released in December 2014 and provides information about current and past Great Lakes studies.   

Researchers, managers and the public can use the GLRI Science Explorer to find information about USGS GLRI science projects, as well as publications and datasets resulting from those projects. It currently contains information about 74 projects that are completed and in progress, 66 publications and 11 datasets. Science Explorer information is stored in ScienceBase, a cataloging and content management platform developed by the USGS, which allows for contributions from USGS scientists and collaborators. 

“We are eagerly seeking contributions of data or metadata to the Science Explorer,” said USGS scientist Jessica Lucido. 

The interactive SiGL mapper is a centralized place where researchers and managers can identify relevant scientific activities and access fundamental information about these efforts. It was designed to help coordinate all of the scientific projects in the Great Lakes Basin. SiGL captures information about any type of scientific activity and provides details on how to access the data and results from those projects. 

“SiGL can help researchers and managers strategically plan, implement and analyze their monitoring and restoration activities,” said Jennifer Bruce, a USGS scientist. “We hope to encourage coordination and collaboration among all organizations throughout the Great Lakes Basin with this tool.”

SiGL contains over 250 projects and 10,500 sites, including all the USGS GLRI projects in the Science Explorer. Over 65 organizations have contributed to SiGL, including federal, state and local governments and agencies, tribes, universities and non-profit organizations. It provides information about general project details, specific sampling efforts, publications, data availability and access and contact information. 

For more information about these and other USGS GLRI tools, please visit the USGS GLRI website. 

The GLRI accelerates efforts to protect and restore the Great Lakes, the largest system of fresh surface water in the world. It targets the most significant problems in the region, including invasive aquatic species, pollution and contaminated sediment. 

* DOI and USGS link policies apply.