Great Lakes Observing System (GLOS) User Needs Assessment

[Christine Manninen <manninen@glc.org>]

Beach Managers and Researchers,

My office, the Great Lakes Commission, is leading development of a Great 
Lakes Observing System (GLOS), which will provide critical real-time 
data for multiple users, including resource managers, researchers, 
educators, homeland security interests, the commercial shipping industry
and the recreational boating community, among others.

GLOS is a regional node of the national Integrated Ocean Observing 
System (IOOS) initiative. A fact sheet on GLOS is attached for more 
details or you can visit www.glc.org/glos or www.ocean.us

A GLOS Steering Committee and Regional Interest Group have been 
established, with broad participation from the region's data providers 
and user groups. The Steering Committee is focused on development of a
formal business plan for GLOS by October 2004.

As part of clarifying needs and resources, a comprehensive data 
inventory and user needs assessment is now being conducted, involving 
dozens of focus groups, surveys and GLOS presentations throughout the 
region. I spoke with some of you yesterday at the MEHA Recreational 
Swimming Waters Conference in Lansing. I had a GLOS poster and handouts 
there.

A brief overview of current data needs of the beach management community 
is attached. I welcome your input on this! The third page of the User 
Needs Assessment is a form asking for your specific input on unmet data 
collection/modeling needs. Your suggestions may include items such as 
added buoys or instrumentation in certain areas of the lakes, integrated 
data products and/or predictive modeling tools.

Hundreds of millions of dollars annually are anticipated to be 
appropriated to GLOS and the other Regional Observing Systems in FYs 
2007-12 so now is the time to suggest how GLOS can help to 
enable/enhance beach monitoring!

Please return the form to me by April 30. I also welcome a call.

Thanks very much for your input on this important initiative.

-- 
Christine Manninen
GLIN Webmaster: www.great-lakes.net
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Program Manager, Communications & Internet Technology
Great Lakes Commission
2805 South Industrial Hwy., Suite #100
Ann Arbor, MI 48104
Phone 734.971.9135 ext 112

factsheet_glos.pdf

beaches_userneeds.pdf