Bathymetric map of Grand Traverse Bay, Lake Superior. The 2018 data are shown in gray hillshade, with the combined 2021 data superimposed in color. Index map at lower right shows the extent of each survey.
Great Lakes and Inland Seas
Large inland waterbodies are oceanic in many ways, facing many of the same issues as the ocean. The USGS conducts research and monitoring in the Great Lakes region and in other inland seas across the country to understand these large bodies of water and inform how we use and manage them.
Great Lakes Science Center
Great Lakes Science Center
Great Lakes Science Center (GLSC) scientists work in the Great Lakes region and other parts of the country to meet the nation’s need for scientific information used by resource managers to restore, enhance, manage, and protect the living resources and habitats in the Great Lakes basin.
Great Lakes Restoration Initiative
Great Lakes Restoration Initiative
The Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) was established in 2009 to accelerate efforts to protect and restore the Great Lakes. The USGS is collaborating with partners to provide science to meet GLRI Action Plan goals and inform resource management decisions.
Salton Sea
Salton Sea
Changes in regional water management practices have reduced freshwater inflow to the Salton Sea, changing what was once a popular vacation destination to a shrinking hypersaline lake. As the lake bed dries, managers will depend on careful monitoring and research to inform critical decisions affecting the future of the lake and surrounding communities.
The Great Lakes
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
The Great Lakes—Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie, and Ontario—form the largest surface of freshwater in the world, comprising more than 94,250 square miles (244,106 square kilometers) of east-central North America. The lakes are critical components of the regional economies in both the United States and Canada. They are important sources of drinking water, transportation, and irrigation, and provide recreational opportunities such as boating, fishing, hunting, and bird watching, as well as vital habitat to a myriad of wildlife species like the bald eagle. They also face threats such as invasive species, harmful algal blooms, and pressures from human activities related to mining and other resource use and extraction.
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
Inland Seas
In addition to studying the Great Lakes, USGS scientists are conducting similar research in other inland seas, such as Great Salt Lake and the Salton Sea. This research helps to provide resource managers with the information they need to restore, enhance, manage, and protect living resources and habitats.
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
Changes in regional water management practices have reduced freshwater inflow to the Salton Sea in Southern California, changing what was once a popular vacation destination to a shrinking hypersaline lake. As the lakebed dries, resource managers will depend on careful monitoring and research to inform critical decisions affecting the future of the lake and surrounding communities. Learn more
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
The Great Salt Lake is located on a playa, consequently small changes in the elevation of the water surface result in large changes in the surface area of the lake. The USGS has been collecting water-surface-elevation data from Great Salt Lake since 1875 and continuously since October 1902. The north part of the lake has been monitored since April 1966. Learn more
Science
Lake Michigan Basin groundwater system
The study area for the Lake Michigan Basin groundwater-flow model encompasses the entire Michigan Structural Basin centered in the Lower Peninsula of Michigan and extending into parts of Illinois, Wisconsin, Indiana, Ohio, and Ontario, Canada.
Great Lakes Geologic Mapping Project
Great Lakes Geologic Mapping Project
Invasive Phragmites Science: Management Tools for the Control of Invasive Phragmites to Foster the Restoration of the Great Lakes
The USGS is developing innovative Phragmites control measures to keep this rapidly spreading invasive plant from further expanding its range into new wetland habitats and to aid in the development of successful restoration strategies. Scientists are conducting studies and field tests to determine (1) if microbes (i.e., fungi and bacteria) that live within and around Phragmites are enabling the...
Harmful Algal Blooms in Pennsylvania
The U.S. Geological Survey is collaborating with State and local partners to develop models that provide real-time estimates of Escherichia coli (E. coli) (for pathogens) and (or) microcystin (for freshwater cyanotoxins) levels at Great Lakes beaches and drinking-water intakes.
Understanding and Forecasting Potential Recruitment of Lake Michigan Fishes
Yellow perch and alewife are ecologically, economically, and culturally important fish species in Lake Michigan whose populations support recreational and commercial fisheries. However, both of these species’ populations have been in decline for over 20 years. This project seeks to understand the factors affecting variability in offspring survival of yellow perch and alewife in Lake...
Multimedia
Bathymetric map of Grand Traverse Bay, Lake Superior
Bathymetric map of Grand Traverse Bay, Lake Superior. The 2018 data are shown in gray hillshade, with the combined 2021 data superimposed in color. Index map at lower right shows the extent of each survey.
Landsat 9 First Light Detroit & Lake Erie
Sediments swirl in Lake Erie and Lake St. Clair in this Landsat 9 image of both Detroit, Michigan, and Windsor, Ontario, from Oct. 31, 2021. The Great Lakes serve as sources of freshwater, recreational activity, transport, and habitat for the upper-midwestern US, and water quality remains a high priority.
Sediments swirl in Lake Erie and Lake St. Clair in this Landsat 9 image of both Detroit, Michigan, and Windsor, Ontario, from Oct. 31, 2021. The Great Lakes serve as sources of freshwater, recreational activity, transport, and habitat for the upper-midwestern US, and water quality remains a high priority.
SeaBOSS deployment in Lake Superior
Patrick Berube of WHCMSC prepares the SEABOSS for deployment in Lake Superior.
Patrick Berube of WHCMSC prepares the SEABOSS for deployment in Lake Superior.
Sampling operations on Lake Superior
The RV Desmid (foreground) alongside the RV Rafael during sampling operations on Lake Superior.
The RV Desmid (foreground) alongside the RV Rafael during sampling operations on Lake Superior.
GLSC Diver Collects Cladophora Samples in Lake Michigan
Emily Wimmer (GLSC, Ann Arbor, Michigan) collects Cladophora growing at 6m depth in Lake Michigan.
Emily Wimmer (GLSC, Ann Arbor, Michigan) collects Cladophora growing at 6m depth in Lake Michigan.
Acoustic Receiver Deployed Near Isle Royale in Lake Superior
A masked USGS Great Lakes Science Center technician deploys an acoustic receiver into the waters of Lake Superior near Isle Royale National Park; the receivers will track the movement of tagged native lake trout in the area.
A masked USGS Great Lakes Science Center technician deploys an acoustic receiver into the waters of Lake Superior near Isle Royale National Park; the receivers will track the movement of tagged native lake trout in the area.
Salton Sea, CA Earthquake Swarm of August 2020 (as of August 11, 2020)
Map showing the Salton Sea, CA earthquake swarm of August 2020 (as of August 11, 2020). Circles are earthquake locations, red indicates an earthquake in the past hour, orange the past 24 hours, and yellow the past 7 days.
Map showing the Salton Sea, CA earthquake swarm of August 2020 (as of August 11, 2020). Circles are earthquake locations, red indicates an earthquake in the past hour, orange the past 24 hours, and yellow the past 7 days.
Great Lakes Geologic Mapping Overview Photo
Location of the Great Lakes Geologic Mapping Project.
Location of the Great Lakes Geologic Mapping Project.
Variable Warming Upper Midwest Lakes and Implications for Sport Fish
Climate change is predicted to alter sport fish communities in Midwestern lakes, but managers currently have limited information on individual lakes that can be used to set local expectations or intervene with mitigation strategies.
Climate change is predicted to alter sport fish communities in Midwestern lakes, but managers currently have limited information on individual lakes that can be used to set local expectations or intervene with mitigation strategies.
Filter Total Items: 19
Lake Michigan Basin groundwater system
The study area for the Lake Michigan Basin groundwater-flow model encompasses the entire Michigan Structural Basin centered in the Lower Peninsula of Michigan and extending into parts of Illinois, Wisconsin, Indiana, Ohio, and Ontario, Canada.
Great Lakes Geologic Mapping Project
Great Lakes Geologic Mapping Project
Invasive Phragmites Science: Management Tools for the Control of Invasive Phragmites to Foster the Restoration of the Great Lakes
The USGS is developing innovative Phragmites control measures to keep this rapidly spreading invasive plant from further expanding its range into new wetland habitats and to aid in the development of successful restoration strategies. Scientists are conducting studies and field tests to determine (1) if microbes (i.e., fungi and bacteria) that live within and around Phragmites are enabling the...
Harmful Algal Blooms in Pennsylvania
The U.S. Geological Survey is collaborating with State and local partners to develop models that provide real-time estimates of Escherichia coli (E. coli) (for pathogens) and (or) microcystin (for freshwater cyanotoxins) levels at Great Lakes beaches and drinking-water intakes.
Climate, Storms, and the Drivers of Cyanobacteria Blooms in Lake Superior
Cyanobacteria blooms are one of the most significant management challenges in the Great Lakes today. Recurring blooms of varying toxicity are commonly observed in four of the Great Lakes, and the fifth, Lake Superior, has experienced intermittent nearshore blooms since 2012. The recent advent of cyanobacterial blooms in Lake Superior is disconcerting, given the highly valued, pristine...
Impacts of Climate Change on Vegetation, Ecohydrology, and Management of Manoomin (Wild Rice) Watersheds
Manoomin, or wild rice, is an essential, sacred species for Native people throughout the Upper Great Lakes region, who have relied on the plant for food and ceremony for hundreds of years. Manoomin is also important to non-Native people, who also harvest it and benefit from the wildlife sustained by it. Manoomin is an indicator of ecosystem health—if manoomin is healthy so is the...
Understanding and Forecasting Potential Recruitment of Lake Michigan Fishes
Yellow perch and alewife are ecologically, economically, and culturally important fish species in Lake Michigan whose populations support recreational and commercial fisheries. However, both of these species’ populations have been in decline for over 20 years. This project seeks to understand the factors affecting variability in offspring survival of yellow perch and alewife in Lake...
Aquatic Native Species and Habitat Restoration: Coregonine Restoration
Human activities have greatly impacted fish populations in the Great Lakes, including various Coregonus species such as deepwater cisco (e.g. bloater ( Coregonus hoyi) and lake herring ( Coregonus. artedi). The USGS, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), National Park Service (NPS), Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), Department of State (DOS) and Great Lakes Fishery Commision (GLFC) are leading a...
Food Web Changes Dampen Expected Reductions in Lake Trout Mercury Levels in Lake Michigan—Invasive Species Play Major Role
Combined analyses of mercury, nitrogen, and carbon isotopes in archived lake trout ( Salvelinus namaycush) tissues and sediment cores in Lake Michigan from 1978 to 2012 indicated that lake trout mercury concentrations mirrored declines in mercury sources prior to the arrival of invasive species that changed mercury transfer through the food and dampened the expected decreases in mercury...
Aquatic Native Species and Habitat Restoration: Quantifying Coregonine Habitat Use Dynamics
Restoring and maintaining extent of native coregonid populations in the Great Lakes is a basin-wide priority. In response, an adaptive framework has identified knowledge gaps associated with spatial dynamics and stock diversity. This project used the Cooperative Science and Monitoring Initiative (CSMI) with an incredible in-kind support from agencies and universities from across the region to...
Invasive Mussel Control Science: Dreissenid Mussel Growth in Lake Ontario
USGS scientists worked with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to monitor growth of invasive zebra mussels ( Dreissena polymorpha) in Lake Ontario with the goal of improving understanding on the effects these mussels have on the Lake food web.
Foundations for Future Restoration Actions: Lake Erie Central Basin Hypoxia Monitoring
The recently reauthorized Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement calls for a reduction in severity and spatial extent of hypoxia (low oxygen zones) with emphasis on Lake Erie’s Central Basin.
Filter Total Items: 26
Bathymetric map of Grand Traverse Bay, Lake Superior
Bathymetric map of Grand Traverse Bay, Lake Superior. The 2018 data are shown in gray hillshade, with the combined 2021 data superimposed in color. Index map at lower right shows the extent of each survey.
Bathymetric map of Grand Traverse Bay, Lake Superior. The 2018 data are shown in gray hillshade, with the combined 2021 data superimposed in color. Index map at lower right shows the extent of each survey.
Landsat 9 First Light Detroit & Lake Erie
Sediments swirl in Lake Erie and Lake St. Clair in this Landsat 9 image of both Detroit, Michigan, and Windsor, Ontario, from Oct. 31, 2021. The Great Lakes serve as sources of freshwater, recreational activity, transport, and habitat for the upper-midwestern US, and water quality remains a high priority.
Sediments swirl in Lake Erie and Lake St. Clair in this Landsat 9 image of both Detroit, Michigan, and Windsor, Ontario, from Oct. 31, 2021. The Great Lakes serve as sources of freshwater, recreational activity, transport, and habitat for the upper-midwestern US, and water quality remains a high priority.
SeaBOSS deployment in Lake Superior
Patrick Berube of WHCMSC prepares the SEABOSS for deployment in Lake Superior.
Patrick Berube of WHCMSC prepares the SEABOSS for deployment in Lake Superior.
Sampling operations on Lake Superior
The RV Desmid (foreground) alongside the RV Rafael during sampling operations on Lake Superior.
The RV Desmid (foreground) alongside the RV Rafael during sampling operations on Lake Superior.
GLSC Diver Collects Cladophora Samples in Lake Michigan
Emily Wimmer (GLSC, Ann Arbor, Michigan) collects Cladophora growing at 6m depth in Lake Michigan.
Emily Wimmer (GLSC, Ann Arbor, Michigan) collects Cladophora growing at 6m depth in Lake Michigan.
Acoustic Receiver Deployed Near Isle Royale in Lake Superior
A masked USGS Great Lakes Science Center technician deploys an acoustic receiver into the waters of Lake Superior near Isle Royale National Park; the receivers will track the movement of tagged native lake trout in the area.
A masked USGS Great Lakes Science Center technician deploys an acoustic receiver into the waters of Lake Superior near Isle Royale National Park; the receivers will track the movement of tagged native lake trout in the area.
Salton Sea, CA Earthquake Swarm of August 2020 (as of August 11, 2020)
Map showing the Salton Sea, CA earthquake swarm of August 2020 (as of August 11, 2020). Circles are earthquake locations, red indicates an earthquake in the past hour, orange the past 24 hours, and yellow the past 7 days.
Map showing the Salton Sea, CA earthquake swarm of August 2020 (as of August 11, 2020). Circles are earthquake locations, red indicates an earthquake in the past hour, orange the past 24 hours, and yellow the past 7 days.
Great Lakes Geologic Mapping Overview Photo
Location of the Great Lakes Geologic Mapping Project.
Location of the Great Lakes Geologic Mapping Project.
Variable Warming Upper Midwest Lakes and Implications for Sport Fish
Climate change is predicted to alter sport fish communities in Midwestern lakes, but managers currently have limited information on individual lakes that can be used to set local expectations or intervene with mitigation strategies.
Climate change is predicted to alter sport fish communities in Midwestern lakes, but managers currently have limited information on individual lakes that can be used to set local expectations or intervene with mitigation strategies.
General Geologic Map Lake Superior
Generalized geologic map of the Midcontinent Rift, Lake Superior region, showing sedimentary, volcanic, and intrusive rocks and major and minor faults. The location of the Copperwood and White Pine mineral deposits are shown.
Generalized geologic map of the Midcontinent Rift, Lake Superior region, showing sedimentary, volcanic, and intrusive rocks and major and minor faults. The location of the Copperwood and White Pine mineral deposits are shown.
Generalized Geologic Map, Western Lake Superior
Generalized geologic map of the western Lake Superior region, showing igneous and sedimentary rock types, selected geologic structures and mines.
Generalized geologic map of the western Lake Superior region, showing igneous and sedimentary rock types, selected geologic structures and mines.
Fluroprobe
Water collection rosette with twelve Niskin bottles, Seabird profiler and Fluoroprobe. Provides water column profile and water samples for chlorophyll and phytoplankton.
Water collection rosette with twelve Niskin bottles, Seabird profiler and Fluoroprobe. Provides water column profile and water samples for chlorophyll and phytoplankton.
Deploying autonomous technology in Lake Michigan
This is an autonomous underwate vehicle (AUV) deployed in the west arm or Grand Traverse Bay, Lake Michigan near Traverse City.
This is an autonomous underwate vehicle (AUV) deployed in the west arm or Grand Traverse Bay, Lake Michigan near Traverse City.
A Circular Transect in Lake Ontario
Two SCUBA divers, one at the center pivot (on the left), the other running an integrated camera and scooter (right) run a circular transect in Lake Ontario
Two SCUBA divers, one at the center pivot (on the left), the other running an integrated camera and scooter (right) run a circular transect in Lake Ontario
Lake Michigan lake bottom and the corner of a pivot point
Lake Michigan lake-bottom near South Manitou Island. Visible is part of a diver's hand and the corner of a anchor point used for circular transects.
Lake Michigan lake-bottom near South Manitou Island. Visible is part of a diver's hand and the corner of a anchor point used for circular transects.
Landsat 8 image of the Apostle Islands in Lake Superior
Citation: Citation_Information: Originator: U.S.
Citation: Citation_Information: Originator: U.S.
Implications of Changing Winter Severity for Waterfowl
USGS Landsat 8 image showing algal bloom in Lake Erie in September of
USGS Landsat 8 image showing algal bloom in Lake Erie in September of 2017. Landsat’s spectral bands allow researchers to see photosynthetic activity that is invisible to the naked eye.
USGS Landsat 8 image showing algal bloom in Lake Erie in September of 2017. Landsat’s spectral bands allow researchers to see photosynthetic activity that is invisible to the naked eye.
Great Salt Lake, declining water level
Great Salt Lake, declining water level
Great Salt Lake, declining water level
What's the Deal with Wisconsin's Walleye?
This video was created as part of the Climate Change Science and Management Webinar Series hosted by the U.S. Geological Survey's National Climate Change and Wildlife Science Center and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's National Conservation Training Center.
This video was created as part of the Climate Change Science and Management Webinar Series hosted by the U.S. Geological Survey's National Climate Change and Wildlife Science Center and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's National Conservation Training Center.
Excess nutrients flowing into Lake Erie can cause serious algal blooms
Toxic Algal Bloom, Lake Eire, 2011
Toxic Algal Bloom, Lake Eire, 2011
Large inland waterbodies are oceanic in many ways, facing many of the same issues as the ocean. The USGS conducts research and monitoring in the Great Lakes region and in other inland seas across the country to understand these large bodies of water and inform how we use and manage them.
Great Lakes Science Center
Great Lakes Science Center
Great Lakes Science Center (GLSC) scientists work in the Great Lakes region and other parts of the country to meet the nation’s need for scientific information used by resource managers to restore, enhance, manage, and protect the living resources and habitats in the Great Lakes basin.
Great Lakes Restoration Initiative
Great Lakes Restoration Initiative
The Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) was established in 2009 to accelerate efforts to protect and restore the Great Lakes. The USGS is collaborating with partners to provide science to meet GLRI Action Plan goals and inform resource management decisions.
Salton Sea
Salton Sea
Changes in regional water management practices have reduced freshwater inflow to the Salton Sea, changing what was once a popular vacation destination to a shrinking hypersaline lake. As the lake bed dries, managers will depend on careful monitoring and research to inform critical decisions affecting the future of the lake and surrounding communities.
The Great Lakes
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
The Great Lakes—Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie, and Ontario—form the largest surface of freshwater in the world, comprising more than 94,250 square miles (244,106 square kilometers) of east-central North America. The lakes are critical components of the regional economies in both the United States and Canada. They are important sources of drinking water, transportation, and irrigation, and provide recreational opportunities such as boating, fishing, hunting, and bird watching, as well as vital habitat to a myriad of wildlife species like the bald eagle. They also face threats such as invasive species, harmful algal blooms, and pressures from human activities related to mining and other resource use and extraction.
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
Inland Seas
In addition to studying the Great Lakes, USGS scientists are conducting similar research in other inland seas, such as Great Salt Lake and the Salton Sea. This research helps to provide resource managers with the information they need to restore, enhance, manage, and protect living resources and habitats.
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
Changes in regional water management practices have reduced freshwater inflow to the Salton Sea in Southern California, changing what was once a popular vacation destination to a shrinking hypersaline lake. As the lakebed dries, resource managers will depend on careful monitoring and research to inform critical decisions affecting the future of the lake and surrounding communities. Learn more
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
The Great Salt Lake is located on a playa, consequently small changes in the elevation of the water surface result in large changes in the surface area of the lake. The USGS has been collecting water-surface-elevation data from Great Salt Lake since 1875 and continuously since October 1902. The north part of the lake has been monitored since April 1966. Learn more
Science
Lake Michigan Basin groundwater system
The study area for the Lake Michigan Basin groundwater-flow model encompasses the entire Michigan Structural Basin centered in the Lower Peninsula of Michigan and extending into parts of Illinois, Wisconsin, Indiana, Ohio, and Ontario, Canada.
Great Lakes Geologic Mapping Project
Great Lakes Geologic Mapping Project
Invasive Phragmites Science: Management Tools for the Control of Invasive Phragmites to Foster the Restoration of the Great Lakes
The USGS is developing innovative Phragmites control measures to keep this rapidly spreading invasive plant from further expanding its range into new wetland habitats and to aid in the development of successful restoration strategies. Scientists are conducting studies and field tests to determine (1) if microbes (i.e., fungi and bacteria) that live within and around Phragmites are enabling the...
Harmful Algal Blooms in Pennsylvania
The U.S. Geological Survey is collaborating with State and local partners to develop models that provide real-time estimates of Escherichia coli (E. coli) (for pathogens) and (or) microcystin (for freshwater cyanotoxins) levels at Great Lakes beaches and drinking-water intakes.
Understanding and Forecasting Potential Recruitment of Lake Michigan Fishes
Yellow perch and alewife are ecologically, economically, and culturally important fish species in Lake Michigan whose populations support recreational and commercial fisheries. However, both of these species’ populations have been in decline for over 20 years. This project seeks to understand the factors affecting variability in offspring survival of yellow perch and alewife in Lake...
Multimedia
Bathymetric map of Grand Traverse Bay, Lake Superior
Bathymetric map of Grand Traverse Bay, Lake Superior. The 2018 data are shown in gray hillshade, with the combined 2021 data superimposed in color. Index map at lower right shows the extent of each survey.
Bathymetric map of Grand Traverse Bay, Lake Superior. The 2018 data are shown in gray hillshade, with the combined 2021 data superimposed in color. Index map at lower right shows the extent of each survey.
Landsat 9 First Light Detroit & Lake Erie
Sediments swirl in Lake Erie and Lake St. Clair in this Landsat 9 image of both Detroit, Michigan, and Windsor, Ontario, from Oct. 31, 2021. The Great Lakes serve as sources of freshwater, recreational activity, transport, and habitat for the upper-midwestern US, and water quality remains a high priority.
Sediments swirl in Lake Erie and Lake St. Clair in this Landsat 9 image of both Detroit, Michigan, and Windsor, Ontario, from Oct. 31, 2021. The Great Lakes serve as sources of freshwater, recreational activity, transport, and habitat for the upper-midwestern US, and water quality remains a high priority.
SeaBOSS deployment in Lake Superior
Patrick Berube of WHCMSC prepares the SEABOSS for deployment in Lake Superior.
Patrick Berube of WHCMSC prepares the SEABOSS for deployment in Lake Superior.
Sampling operations on Lake Superior
The RV Desmid (foreground) alongside the RV Rafael during sampling operations on Lake Superior.
The RV Desmid (foreground) alongside the RV Rafael during sampling operations on Lake Superior.
GLSC Diver Collects Cladophora Samples in Lake Michigan
Emily Wimmer (GLSC, Ann Arbor, Michigan) collects Cladophora growing at 6m depth in Lake Michigan.
Emily Wimmer (GLSC, Ann Arbor, Michigan) collects Cladophora growing at 6m depth in Lake Michigan.
Acoustic Receiver Deployed Near Isle Royale in Lake Superior
A masked USGS Great Lakes Science Center technician deploys an acoustic receiver into the waters of Lake Superior near Isle Royale National Park; the receivers will track the movement of tagged native lake trout in the area.
A masked USGS Great Lakes Science Center technician deploys an acoustic receiver into the waters of Lake Superior near Isle Royale National Park; the receivers will track the movement of tagged native lake trout in the area.
Salton Sea, CA Earthquake Swarm of August 2020 (as of August 11, 2020)
Map showing the Salton Sea, CA earthquake swarm of August 2020 (as of August 11, 2020). Circles are earthquake locations, red indicates an earthquake in the past hour, orange the past 24 hours, and yellow the past 7 days.
Map showing the Salton Sea, CA earthquake swarm of August 2020 (as of August 11, 2020). Circles are earthquake locations, red indicates an earthquake in the past hour, orange the past 24 hours, and yellow the past 7 days.
Great Lakes Geologic Mapping Overview Photo
Location of the Great Lakes Geologic Mapping Project.
Location of the Great Lakes Geologic Mapping Project.
Variable Warming Upper Midwest Lakes and Implications for Sport Fish
Climate change is predicted to alter sport fish communities in Midwestern lakes, but managers currently have limited information on individual lakes that can be used to set local expectations or intervene with mitigation strategies.
Climate change is predicted to alter sport fish communities in Midwestern lakes, but managers currently have limited information on individual lakes that can be used to set local expectations or intervene with mitigation strategies.
Filter Total Items: 19
Lake Michigan Basin groundwater system
The study area for the Lake Michigan Basin groundwater-flow model encompasses the entire Michigan Structural Basin centered in the Lower Peninsula of Michigan and extending into parts of Illinois, Wisconsin, Indiana, Ohio, and Ontario, Canada.
Great Lakes Geologic Mapping Project
Great Lakes Geologic Mapping Project
Invasive Phragmites Science: Management Tools for the Control of Invasive Phragmites to Foster the Restoration of the Great Lakes
The USGS is developing innovative Phragmites control measures to keep this rapidly spreading invasive plant from further expanding its range into new wetland habitats and to aid in the development of successful restoration strategies. Scientists are conducting studies and field tests to determine (1) if microbes (i.e., fungi and bacteria) that live within and around Phragmites are enabling the...
Harmful Algal Blooms in Pennsylvania
The U.S. Geological Survey is collaborating with State and local partners to develop models that provide real-time estimates of Escherichia coli (E. coli) (for pathogens) and (or) microcystin (for freshwater cyanotoxins) levels at Great Lakes beaches and drinking-water intakes.
Climate, Storms, and the Drivers of Cyanobacteria Blooms in Lake Superior
Cyanobacteria blooms are one of the most significant management challenges in the Great Lakes today. Recurring blooms of varying toxicity are commonly observed in four of the Great Lakes, and the fifth, Lake Superior, has experienced intermittent nearshore blooms since 2012. The recent advent of cyanobacterial blooms in Lake Superior is disconcerting, given the highly valued, pristine...
Impacts of Climate Change on Vegetation, Ecohydrology, and Management of Manoomin (Wild Rice) Watersheds
Manoomin, or wild rice, is an essential, sacred species for Native people throughout the Upper Great Lakes region, who have relied on the plant for food and ceremony for hundreds of years. Manoomin is also important to non-Native people, who also harvest it and benefit from the wildlife sustained by it. Manoomin is an indicator of ecosystem health—if manoomin is healthy so is the...
Understanding and Forecasting Potential Recruitment of Lake Michigan Fishes
Yellow perch and alewife are ecologically, economically, and culturally important fish species in Lake Michigan whose populations support recreational and commercial fisheries. However, both of these species’ populations have been in decline for over 20 years. This project seeks to understand the factors affecting variability in offspring survival of yellow perch and alewife in Lake...
Aquatic Native Species and Habitat Restoration: Coregonine Restoration
Human activities have greatly impacted fish populations in the Great Lakes, including various Coregonus species such as deepwater cisco (e.g. bloater ( Coregonus hoyi) and lake herring ( Coregonus. artedi). The USGS, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), National Park Service (NPS), Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), Department of State (DOS) and Great Lakes Fishery Commision (GLFC) are leading a...
Food Web Changes Dampen Expected Reductions in Lake Trout Mercury Levels in Lake Michigan—Invasive Species Play Major Role
Combined analyses of mercury, nitrogen, and carbon isotopes in archived lake trout ( Salvelinus namaycush) tissues and sediment cores in Lake Michigan from 1978 to 2012 indicated that lake trout mercury concentrations mirrored declines in mercury sources prior to the arrival of invasive species that changed mercury transfer through the food and dampened the expected decreases in mercury...
Aquatic Native Species and Habitat Restoration: Quantifying Coregonine Habitat Use Dynamics
Restoring and maintaining extent of native coregonid populations in the Great Lakes is a basin-wide priority. In response, an adaptive framework has identified knowledge gaps associated with spatial dynamics and stock diversity. This project used the Cooperative Science and Monitoring Initiative (CSMI) with an incredible in-kind support from agencies and universities from across the region to...
Invasive Mussel Control Science: Dreissenid Mussel Growth in Lake Ontario
USGS scientists worked with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to monitor growth of invasive zebra mussels ( Dreissena polymorpha) in Lake Ontario with the goal of improving understanding on the effects these mussels have on the Lake food web.
Foundations for Future Restoration Actions: Lake Erie Central Basin Hypoxia Monitoring
The recently reauthorized Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement calls for a reduction in severity and spatial extent of hypoxia (low oxygen zones) with emphasis on Lake Erie’s Central Basin.
Filter Total Items: 26
Bathymetric map of Grand Traverse Bay, Lake Superior
Bathymetric map of Grand Traverse Bay, Lake Superior. The 2018 data are shown in gray hillshade, with the combined 2021 data superimposed in color. Index map at lower right shows the extent of each survey.
Bathymetric map of Grand Traverse Bay, Lake Superior. The 2018 data are shown in gray hillshade, with the combined 2021 data superimposed in color. Index map at lower right shows the extent of each survey.
Landsat 9 First Light Detroit & Lake Erie
Sediments swirl in Lake Erie and Lake St. Clair in this Landsat 9 image of both Detroit, Michigan, and Windsor, Ontario, from Oct. 31, 2021. The Great Lakes serve as sources of freshwater, recreational activity, transport, and habitat for the upper-midwestern US, and water quality remains a high priority.
Sediments swirl in Lake Erie and Lake St. Clair in this Landsat 9 image of both Detroit, Michigan, and Windsor, Ontario, from Oct. 31, 2021. The Great Lakes serve as sources of freshwater, recreational activity, transport, and habitat for the upper-midwestern US, and water quality remains a high priority.
SeaBOSS deployment in Lake Superior
Patrick Berube of WHCMSC prepares the SEABOSS for deployment in Lake Superior.
Patrick Berube of WHCMSC prepares the SEABOSS for deployment in Lake Superior.
Sampling operations on Lake Superior
The RV Desmid (foreground) alongside the RV Rafael during sampling operations on Lake Superior.
The RV Desmid (foreground) alongside the RV Rafael during sampling operations on Lake Superior.
GLSC Diver Collects Cladophora Samples in Lake Michigan
Emily Wimmer (GLSC, Ann Arbor, Michigan) collects Cladophora growing at 6m depth in Lake Michigan.
Emily Wimmer (GLSC, Ann Arbor, Michigan) collects Cladophora growing at 6m depth in Lake Michigan.
Acoustic Receiver Deployed Near Isle Royale in Lake Superior
A masked USGS Great Lakes Science Center technician deploys an acoustic receiver into the waters of Lake Superior near Isle Royale National Park; the receivers will track the movement of tagged native lake trout in the area.
A masked USGS Great Lakes Science Center technician deploys an acoustic receiver into the waters of Lake Superior near Isle Royale National Park; the receivers will track the movement of tagged native lake trout in the area.
Salton Sea, CA Earthquake Swarm of August 2020 (as of August 11, 2020)
Map showing the Salton Sea, CA earthquake swarm of August 2020 (as of August 11, 2020). Circles are earthquake locations, red indicates an earthquake in the past hour, orange the past 24 hours, and yellow the past 7 days.
Map showing the Salton Sea, CA earthquake swarm of August 2020 (as of August 11, 2020). Circles are earthquake locations, red indicates an earthquake in the past hour, orange the past 24 hours, and yellow the past 7 days.
Great Lakes Geologic Mapping Overview Photo
Location of the Great Lakes Geologic Mapping Project.
Location of the Great Lakes Geologic Mapping Project.
Variable Warming Upper Midwest Lakes and Implications for Sport Fish
Climate change is predicted to alter sport fish communities in Midwestern lakes, but managers currently have limited information on individual lakes that can be used to set local expectations or intervene with mitigation strategies.
Climate change is predicted to alter sport fish communities in Midwestern lakes, but managers currently have limited information on individual lakes that can be used to set local expectations or intervene with mitigation strategies.
General Geologic Map Lake Superior
Generalized geologic map of the Midcontinent Rift, Lake Superior region, showing sedimentary, volcanic, and intrusive rocks and major and minor faults. The location of the Copperwood and White Pine mineral deposits are shown.
Generalized geologic map of the Midcontinent Rift, Lake Superior region, showing sedimentary, volcanic, and intrusive rocks and major and minor faults. The location of the Copperwood and White Pine mineral deposits are shown.
Generalized Geologic Map, Western Lake Superior
Generalized geologic map of the western Lake Superior region, showing igneous and sedimentary rock types, selected geologic structures and mines.
Generalized geologic map of the western Lake Superior region, showing igneous and sedimentary rock types, selected geologic structures and mines.
Fluroprobe
Water collection rosette with twelve Niskin bottles, Seabird profiler and Fluoroprobe. Provides water column profile and water samples for chlorophyll and phytoplankton.
Water collection rosette with twelve Niskin bottles, Seabird profiler and Fluoroprobe. Provides water column profile and water samples for chlorophyll and phytoplankton.
Deploying autonomous technology in Lake Michigan
This is an autonomous underwate vehicle (AUV) deployed in the west arm or Grand Traverse Bay, Lake Michigan near Traverse City.
This is an autonomous underwate vehicle (AUV) deployed in the west arm or Grand Traverse Bay, Lake Michigan near Traverse City.
A Circular Transect in Lake Ontario
Two SCUBA divers, one at the center pivot (on the left), the other running an integrated camera and scooter (right) run a circular transect in Lake Ontario
Two SCUBA divers, one at the center pivot (on the left), the other running an integrated camera and scooter (right) run a circular transect in Lake Ontario
Lake Michigan lake bottom and the corner of a pivot point
Lake Michigan lake-bottom near South Manitou Island. Visible is part of a diver's hand and the corner of a anchor point used for circular transects.
Lake Michigan lake-bottom near South Manitou Island. Visible is part of a diver's hand and the corner of a anchor point used for circular transects.
Landsat 8 image of the Apostle Islands in Lake Superior
Citation: Citation_Information: Originator: U.S.
Citation: Citation_Information: Originator: U.S.
Implications of Changing Winter Severity for Waterfowl
USGS Landsat 8 image showing algal bloom in Lake Erie in September of
USGS Landsat 8 image showing algal bloom in Lake Erie in September of 2017. Landsat’s spectral bands allow researchers to see photosynthetic activity that is invisible to the naked eye.
USGS Landsat 8 image showing algal bloom in Lake Erie in September of 2017. Landsat’s spectral bands allow researchers to see photosynthetic activity that is invisible to the naked eye.
Great Salt Lake, declining water level
Great Salt Lake, declining water level
Great Salt Lake, declining water level
What's the Deal with Wisconsin's Walleye?
This video was created as part of the Climate Change Science and Management Webinar Series hosted by the U.S. Geological Survey's National Climate Change and Wildlife Science Center and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's National Conservation Training Center.
This video was created as part of the Climate Change Science and Management Webinar Series hosted by the U.S. Geological Survey's National Climate Change and Wildlife Science Center and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's National Conservation Training Center.
Excess nutrients flowing into Lake Erie can cause serious algal blooms
Toxic Algal Bloom, Lake Eire, 2011
Toxic Algal Bloom, Lake Eire, 2011