Winter Monitoring Can Address Great Lakes Blind Spots Proposed by International Joint Commission Great Lakes Science Advisory Board
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Winter has long been an overlooked season for Great Lakes monitoring and science. According to the International Joint Commission (IJC) Great Lakes Science Advisory Board’s new report, there are critical blind spots about what happens to the lakes during the winter. In their “Great Lakes Winter Science: Summary Report,” the board identifies key knowledge gaps and resource needs and proposes recommendations to strengthen cold weather science efforts.  

The board is hosting a one-hour public webinar on the report’s findings at 1 p.m. (ET) Thursday, May 15, 2025. Experts from the work group will summarize the report and answer audience questions. Advanced registration is required for this free public webinar via bit.ly/SAB-Winter  or https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_mlkyw1adQJGCihIF7qYqOQ#/registration 

“We know that winter conditions are changing, and the Great Lakes are changing in response,” said Marguerite Xenopoulos, project co-chair and a member of the board’s Science Priority Committee. 

“Without winter science, we’re making management decisions without the full picture of the Great Lakes ecosystem, and the impact of the shifting winter season,” added Xenopoulos, also professor of Biology at Trent University and Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in Global Change of Freshwater Ecosystems. 

“The insights provided by wintertime monitoring and data collection are applicable year-round,” said Michael Twiss, project co-chair and former member of the board’s Research Coordination Committee. “For example, winter science can help us better understand changes in the growth patterns of commercially important Great Lakes whitefish or how ice can complicate the clean-up of oil spills.”  

“One of the biggest barriers to collecting wintertime data is the difficulty of safely getting out on the lakes,” added Twiss, also professor of Biology at Algoma University. “Investments in ice-capable autonomous underwater vehicles and buoys would help to enhance our monitoring capabilities year-round. There is a great opportunity for collaboration and coordination on winter science across the Great Lakes basin.” 

The International Joint Commission is responsible under the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement to identify and report emerging Great Lakes water quality issues to the Canadian and United States governments. The Great Lakes Science Advisory Board assists the IJC by providing advice and guidance on scientific matters affecting the Great Lakes. 

Contact: Allison Voglesong Zejnati, IJC Great Lakes Regional Office Public Affairs Specialist, allison.voglesong-zejnati@ijc.org, 519-551-0952 

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