Great Lakes Water Quality Monitoring and Surveillance Data

Ship-based surveys are conducted during spring and summer seasons on the Great Lakes. The number of stations ranges from 50-100 per lake but varies based on program requirements and field constraints. Primarily using the Canadian Coast Guard Ship (CCGS) LIMNOS, whole water and filtered samples are collected from various depths; surface, multi-depth discrete, and integrated from surface to 2 m above bottom. Cruises are conducted on Lakes Ontario, Erie, Huron, and Superior as well as Lake Huron. Sampling instruments include a multi-bottle array (Rosette) or single bottle samplers (Van Dorn bottle) for discrete depth samples, an integrator for depth-integrated samples, PoPCart for persistent organic pollutants, and ISOMET for trace metals and mercury. These water samples are analysed for a broad suite of compounds including nutrients, major ions, physical parameters, trace metals, pesticides and organic contaminants at ECCC’s National Laboratory for Environmental Testing (NLET) in Burlington, ON using methods accredited by the Canadian Association for Laboratory Accreditation (CALA). Additional variables are analysed at other accredited ECCC or external labs. The most recent variable and methods table can be downloaded here: https://open.canada.ca/data/en/dataset/cfdafa0c-a644-47cc-ad54-460304facf2e Selected methods and recent results published in: Dove, A., S.M. Backus and K. Sharp King, 2021. Tritium in Laurentian Great Lakes Surface Waters, Journal of Great Lakes Research. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jglr.2021.06.007 Dove, A. and S.C. Chapra, 2015. Long-term trends of nutrients and trophic response variables for the Great Lakes. Limnology and Oceanography. 60(2): 696-721. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/lno.10055. Venier, M., A. Dove, K. Romanak, S. Backus and R. Hites, 2014. Flame Retardants and Legacy Chemicals in Great Lakes Waters. Environmental Science and Technology 48(16): 9563−9572. http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/es501509r Chapra, S.C., A. Dove and G.J. Warren, 2012. Long-term trends of Great Lakes major ion chemistry, Journal of Great Lakes Research 38: 550-560. doi:10.1016/j.jglr.2012.06.010 Dove, A., B. Hill, P. Klawunn, J. Waltho, S. Backus and R.C. McCrea, 2012. Spatial distribution and trends of total mercury in waters of the Great Lakes and connecting channels using an improved sampling technique, Environmental Pollution 161: 328 - 334, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2011.06.004. Dove, A., 2009. Long-term trends in major ions and nutrients in Lake Ontario, Aquatic Ecosystem Health Management 12(3): 281-295. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/14634980903136388