February 22, 2024
by Gabrielle Farina
Comments Off on Q&A with NOAA scientists: Causes and impacts of 2024’s historically low Great Lakes ice cover
Many people have questions about the historically low Great Lakes ice cover this winter, and we’ve got answers! NOAA GLERL’s Bryan Mroczka (Physical Scientist) and Andrea Vander Woude (Integrated Physical and Ecological Modeling and Forecasting Branch Chief) answer the following … Continue reading
December 19, 2022
by Gabrielle Farina
Comments Off on Underwater robots significantly advance our ability to study Lake Erie’s harmful algal blooms
Newly published research from the NOAA Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory (GLERL), the Cooperative Institute for Great Lakes Research (CIGLR), and partners reveals that using underwater robots could significantly advance scientists’ ability to study the harmful algal blooms (HABs) that … Continue reading
December 14, 2022
by Gabrielle Farina
Comments Off on Decades in the making, NOAA’s newest Lake Superior and Lake Ontario forecast systems become fully operational
Did you know that NOAA operates a forecasting system that predicts water conditions on the Great Lakes? Whether you’re wondering about a lake’s temperature, currents, or water level changes, NOAA’s got you covered! This fall, NOAA implemented newly updated versions … Continue reading
October 26, 2022
by Gabrielle Farina
1 Comment
Every summer, NOAA GLERL scientists travel far and wide across the Great Lakes region to study the biological, chemical, and physical properties of these amazing lakes. A portion of this fieldwork contributes to a larger project called the Cooperative Science and Monitoring Initiative – or CSMI – which helps us take a deeper dive into studying a different Great Lake each year. 2022 was Lake Huron’s turn to shine, and GLERL’s efforts focused on benthic and spatial surveys in Thunder Bay and Saginaw Bay. Continue reading
August 10, 2022
by Gabrielle Farina
Comments Off on New under-ice observing capabilities could lead to new discoveries in the Great Lakes
In the world of Great Lakes research, the start of winter traditionally signals the end of fieldwork for the year…This break leads to a several-month gap in most of GLERL’s field data, but this project aims to fill that gap using the high-tech SAAB Sabertooth AUV. Continue reading
October 12, 2021
by Margaret Lansing
1 Comment
The NOAA Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory (GLERL) and Michigan Technological University (MTU) Great Lakes Research Center recently teamed up on the deployment of a wave glider in Lake Superior. The chemical and biological data collected will help researchers understand … Continue reading
September 14, 2021
by Gabrielle Farina
2 Comments
Four years ago, NOAA’s Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory (GLERL) and the Cooperative Institute for Great Lakes Research (CIGLR) began providing an Experimental Lake Erie Hypoxia Forecast Model to warn stakeholders of low-oxygen upwelling events that can cause water quality … Continue reading
June 22, 2021
by Gabrielle Farina
1 Comment
The NOAA Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory (GLERL) and partners recently deployed a buoy in Lake Champlain that will measure the lake’s wave heights to assess the accuracy of a new experimental model for the lake. This is part of … Continue reading
April 23, 2021
by Gabrielle Farina
9 Comments
It’s no secret that the Great Lakes had a wild ride in terms of ice cover this past winter. From a slow start that led to near-record low ice cover in January, to the sudden widespread freeze just a few … Continue reading
February 4, 2021
by Gabrielle Farina
2 Comments
Understanding the major effects of ice on the Great Lakes is crucial. Ice cover impacts a range of societal benefits provided by the lakes, from hydropower generation to commercial shipping to the fishing industry. The amount of ice cover varies … Continue reading