Water quality and ecosystem health data collected in the Great Lakes and priority tributaries to determine baseline water quality status, long term trends and spatial distributions, the effectiveness of management actions, determine compliance with water quality objectives and identify emerging issues are included in this dataset.

This dataset provides water quality analyses of lake surface samples and river samples collected throughout the ice-free season (May/June to October) from 2016 to 2019 from the Lake St. Clair nearshore, with a focus on the Thames River discharge area. Data includes nutrients and related biological parameters, including: • Phosphorus • Nitrogen • Suspended solids • Chlorophyll • Bacteria • Algal toxins Samples were collected by Ontario’s Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks (MECP) staff. Work was conducted in collaboration and partnership with Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC), the Great Lakes Institute of Ecosystem Research (GLIER, University of Windsor), Lower Thames Valley Conservation Authority (LVTCA) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Keywords: Lake St. Clair, Thames River, Detroit River, Lake Erie, Water Quality, Nearshore, Cyanobacteria, Cyanotoxins, Phosphorus, Nutrients, Eutrophication, algal blooms

Long-term freshwater quality monitoring data for sites in the Maritime Coastal basin for the past 15 years or longer for nutrients, metals, major ions, and other physical-chemical variables are included in this dataset. Monitoring is conducted by Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) and Parks Canada as well as through the Canada-New Brunswick Water Quality Monitoring Agreement, the Canada-PEI Water Annex, and through collaborative work with the province of Nova Scotia to assess water quality status and long-term trends, detect emerging issues, establish water quality guidelines and track the effectiveness of remedial measures and regulatory decisions.

Water quality and suspended sediment monitoring and surveillance data collected from the connecting channels of the Great Lakes to determine baseline water quality 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. The Great Lakes are joined together by river systems known collectively as connecting channels, including the St. Marys River, the St. Clair River (and Lake St. Clair), the Detroit River, the Niagara River, and the St. Lawrence River. Uniquely, the connecting channels originate from the outflow of one or more large, oligotrophic lakes rather than the accumulation of a network of tributaries.

Water quality monitoring data collected in priority tributaries to provide nutrient concentration data to estimate nutrient loads to the waters of the Great Lakes. Data is collected to advance the science to understand and address the complex problem of recurrent toxic and nuisance algae in the Great Lakes. The majority of the data is focused on Lake Erie, the smallest, shallowest of the Great Lakes, and most susceptible to nearshore water quality issues. Water quality monitoring is conducted to establish current nutrient loadings from selected Canadian tributaries; to enhance the knowledge of the factors that affect tributary and nearshore water quality, ecosystem health, and algae growth; to establish binational lake ecosystem objectives, phosphorus objectives, and phosphorous load reduction targets, and to support the development of a binational nearshore assessment and management framework.

Long-term freshwater quality monitoring data for two sites in the Winnipeg River basin for the past 15 years or longer for nutrients, metals, major ions, and other physical-chemical variables are included in this dataset. Monitoring is conducted by Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) as well as through the Lake Winnipeg Basin Initiative to assess water quality status and long-term trends, detect emerging issues, establish water quality guidelines and track the effectiveness of remedial measures and regulatory decisions. Supplemental Information http://www.ec.gc.ca/eaudouce-freshwater/default.asp?lang=En&n=50947E1B-1