Great Lakes Nearshore Algae and Water Quality Data Since 2012

Monitoring data from the nearshore zone of the Great Lakes collected since 2012 by Environment and Climate Change Canada. It includes physical, chemical, and biological measurements focused on nuisance benthic algae like Cladophora and dreissenid mussels. The data supports understanding of ecosystem health factors, indicator development, and validation for modeling phosphorus reduction targets.

Use Cases

• Modeling phosphorus impact on algae growth based on water quality data
• Developing ecosystem health indicators for the nearshore based on biological monitoring data
• Calibrating nearshore water quality models based on validation data
• Assessing the success of nutrient reduction targets based on long-term monitoring

Strengths

• Data collection began in 2012, providing a multi-year time series
• Includes multiple data types: physical, chemical, and biological parameters
• Managed by a national environmental agency, Environment and Climate Change Canada

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment

Provenance

Source

Environment and Climate Change Canada

Collection Method

Field monitoring in the nearshore zone of the Great Lakes

Time Range

2012 onwards

Freshness

Last updated 2026-07-20 18:21:23.672691; freshness should be verified

Geography

Nearshore zone of the Great Lakes