Autonomous underwater glider observations of nearshore-offshore gradients in southern Lake Ontario during 2018 CSMI
Citation:
McKinney, P., T. Hollenhorst, T. Brown, AND J. Hoffman. Autonomous underwater glider observations of nearshore-offshore gradients in southern Lake Ontario during 2018 CSMI. International Association for Great Lakes Research, Brockport, NY, June 10 - 14, 2019.
Impact/Purpose:
Nearshore waters are the most highly used and visible parts of lakes. Understanding these dynamic habitats requires a holistic approach that reflects their complexity. This research advances nearshore monitoring approaches and our understanding of land-based influences on nearshore dynamics and water quality at multiple scales.
Description:
High resolution, continuous observations of water quality are required to improve understanding of the rates and mechanisms of mixing between nearshore and offshore areas in the Great Lakes, however obtaining observations required for this understanding is difficult using traditional sampling methods. To address this challenge, USEPA, assisted by partner agencies, deployed an autonomous Slocum Glider in southern Lake Ontario and the Niagara River plume as part of the 2018 CSMI. The glider was outfitted with sensors that continuously measured temperature, conductivity, dissolved oxygen as well as optical backscatter (a proxy for Total Suspended Matter) and chlorophyll-a and CDOM concentrations during two 3 week missions. Results reveal differences in the scales of variability between nearshore and offshore areas in early summer prior to lake-wide stratification versus late summer.