Open Government Portal

Environmental quality data from water, fish and sediments in 20 lakes across Canada. Measurements include mercury, methylmercury, physical-chemical parameters such as pH and alkalinity, stable isotopes, fish biological data, nutrients, ions, and metals. The data collection includes sites with a period of record ranging from one year to eight years, starting in 2008. Fish analysed at each site include at least one top predator species and one prey species.

Water quality and ecosystem health data used to conduct a cumulative effects assessment of Lake Superior nearshore waters in support of the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement are included in this dataset. Data related to nearshore stressors is integrated into an overall assessment in a three-phased approach: 1) classification of the nearshore into Regional Units using physical processes and lake characteristics; 2) overall assessment of the state (cumulative stress) of each Regional Unit; and 3) integrate additional information related to nearshore areas of high ecological value. Assessment data is presented within a 100 metre depth zone along the coast. For purposes of determining stress on nearshore waters it is necessary to consider the zones of influence and zones of impact.

Water quality and ecosystem health data used to conduct a cumulative effects assessment of Lake Erie, St. Clair River, Lake St. Clair and Detroit River nearshore waters in support of the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement are included in this dataset. Data related to nearshore stressors is integrated into an overall assessment in a three-phased approach: 1) classification of the nearshore into Regional Units using physical processes and lake characteristics; 2) overall assessment of the state (cumulative stress) of each Regional Unit; and 3) integrate additional information related to nearshore areas of high ecological value. Assessment data is presented within a 15 metre depth zone along the coast. For purposes of determining stress on nearshore waters it is necessary to consider the zones of influence and zones of impact.

Since 2009, the Watershed Hydrology and Ecosystems Research Division of Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) has coordinated spring time multi point ice thickness and composition surveys at up to 15 lake sites in the Northern Hemisphere. Data collected includes on ice snow depth, total ice thickness, depth of white ice, depth of black ice and hydrostatic water level. A review of open data, literature and data request sources identify additional ice thickness, composition and phenology datasets for the locations. This report summarizes the work undertaken to compile these Lake Ice (LI)- Thickness, Composition(TC) and Phenology(P) datasets for upload to a government of Canada open data portal.

Water quality and ecosystem health data are collected in the nearshore zone of the Great Lakes to address the problem of nuisance benthic algae. Monitoring data include physical and chemical water quality data as well as biological data, primarily from Cladophora and dreissenid mussels on the lakebed. Monitoring is conducted (i) to improve understanding of the factors impacting nearshore water quality, algae growth, and ecosystem health; (ii) to develop ecosystem health indicators for the nearshore; (iii) to provide validation and calibration data for modelling; (iv) to support the development of a binational nearshore assessment and management framework; and, (v) to measure the success of ongoing and future phosphorus reduction targets to support a healthy ecosystem.

As part of research projects in Environment and Climate Change Canada, historical physical limnology observations have been collected in Canadian Lakes since 1968. These observations include one or more concurrent measurements of water temperature profiles, directional velocities (east-west and north-south directions) profiles, conductivity, turbidity, and dissolved oxygen at different depths, in Lake Erie, Lake Ontario, Lake Huron, Georgian Bay, and Lake Winnipeg. These observations are in raw (original) and organized formats. The organized observations have gone through basic QA/QC processing steps (e.g., excluding air-water periods or anomalies in the records).

The Bay of Quinte is a long and narrow "Z" shaped inlet located on the northern shore of Lake Ontario. The bay and the surrounding drainage basin were listed as an Area of Concern in 1987 under the GLWQA as 10 of the 14 beneficial use indicators of ecosystem health were deemed impaired. Excess nutrient runoff from agricultural lands, wastewater treatment plants and storm water contributed to extensive algae growth; one of the biggest challenges of the Bay of Quinte Remedial Action Plan was the management of phosphorus loads into the watershed. The goal of this project is to determine the effect of extreme rain events versus base flow on the nutrient levels for two tributaries flowing into the Bay of Quinte.

The Bay of Quinte is a long and narrow "Z" shaped inlet located on the northern shore of Lake Ontario. The bay and the surrounding drainage basin were listed as an Area of Concern in 1987 under the GLWQA as 10 of the 14 beneficial use indicators of ecosystem health were deemed impaired. Excess nutrient runoff from agricultural lands, wastewater treatment plants and storm water contributed to extensive algae growth; one of the biggest challenges of the Bay of Quinte Remedial Action Plan was the management of phosphorus loads into the watershed. The goal of this project is to determine the effect of extreme rain events versus base flow on the nutrient levels for two tributaries flowing into the Bay of Quinte.

Sediment quality data from the Great Lakes collected to determine baseline status, long term trends and spatial distributions, the effectiveness of management actions, determine compliance with sediment quality objectives and identify emerging issues are included in this dataset.

Annual freshwater quality monitoring data for 20 lakes across Canada. Parameters include total mercury, methylmercury, pH, alkalinity, specific conductance, colour, chlorophyll, nutrients, ions, dissolved inorganic and organic carbon, and total metals. In most years surface samples were collected from three locations on each lake, following nationally standardized protocols. Sampling occurred from 2008 to 2016, with six core lakes sampled throughout the eight-year period.