GLOS to Advance Great Lakes Intelligence and Coastal Resilience
with five-year NOAA Cooperative Agreement (2026-2031)
October 8, 2026
Ann Arbor, Michigan
The Great Lakes Observing System (GLOS) has been awarded a new five-year cooperative agreement from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System’s (IOOS®) Office to expand the critical observing infrastructure, data services, and decision-support tools that help keep the Great Lakes safe, resilient, and economically strong.
The award reinforces GLOS’s role as the regional hub for collecting, integrating, and delivering free, real-time Great Lakes information that supports public health and safety, ecosystem health, and maritime operations across the United States and Canada. GLOS data inform decisions made every day by emergency responders, harbor pilots, beach managers, resource agencies and recreational users.
“Great Lakes data is essential infrastructure that protects people in and on the lakes, supports commerce, and connects communities around one of the world’s largest freshwater systems,” said Jennifer Boehme, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer of GLOS. “This investment includes funding to close the Great Lakes winter data gap, improve the Great Lakes Operational Forecast System, and expand underwater glider operations and harmful algal bloom monitoring across the region.”
As the world’s largest freshwater ecosystem, the Great Lakes provide drinking water to approximately 40 million people, a multi-trillion-dollar regional economy, and a maritime transportation system that moves hundreds of millions of tons of cargo each year. GLOS and its partners deliver the real-time observations and data services needed to address five regional impact areas identified in its Strategic Plan: public health and safety, water security, coastal resilience, ecosystem health, and maritime operations. Through Seagull, GLOS integrates data from hundreds of platforms into one searchable location. Users can quickly access real-time conditions, historical data, forecasts, and decision tools, making complex Great Lakes information easy to find and use. GLOS will continue to evolve Seagull and expand the reach of the new Seagull Coast to give the region’s more than 4 million boaters, anglers, swimmers and beachgoers the real-time wind, wave and water information they need to make safe decisions and reduce drowning risk.
Founded in 2005 by a coalition of scientists, resource managers, and regional stakeholders, GLOS was established to provide a coordinated observing system capable of connecting data, technology, and people across an international watershed. Over the past twenty years, GLOS has evolved as the federally certified Integrated Ocean Observing System Regional Association for the Great Lakes. Federal certification signifies that GLOS delivers high-quality observations and data services that meet nationally recognized standards for quality, interoperability, and accessibility. Certification allows Great Lakes information to seamlessly integrate with the broader federal data systems, ensuring users can trust the data while supporting innovation through shared infrastructure and common standards.
The cooperative agreement is part of NOAA IOOS’s nationwide investment in regional observing systems that connect local priorities with a coordinated national network of people, technology, and data that improves our ability to forecast hazardous conditions, prepare for coastal disasters, and balance economic development with environmental stewardship. Over the next five years, GLOS will continue supporting the expansion of observing systems and the regional network of observation technologies, improving data services, and developing new tools that make Great Lakes data and information easier to find and use. The result will be a stronger, more connected Great Lakes region that is better prepared for the challenges ahead.
