Lakebed 2030
Stored: Lakebed 2030
| Type | Program |
|---|---|
| Sponsor Organization | Great Lakes Observing System (nonprofit) |
| Top Organization | Department of Commerce |
| Creation Legislation | Integrated Coastal and Ocean Observation System Act of 2009 |
| Website | Website |
| Purpose | Lakebed 2030 maps the Great Lakes floor by 2030 with high-res data, boosting safety, management, and science by filling topography gaps. |
| Program Start | 2019 |
| Initial Funding | Not publicly specified; part of GLOS budget |
| Duration | Ongoing |
| Historic | No |
Lakebed 2030 is an ambitious mapping initiative spearheaded by the Great Lakes Observing System (GLOS), a nonprofit Regional Association of NOAA’s Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS) under the Department of Commerce, to fully document the Great Lakes lakefloor at high resolution.
Lakebed 2030 aims to create a comprehensive, high-resolution map of the Great Lakes lakefloor by 2030, integrating new and existing bathymetric data for public access, seeking to enhance safety, environmental management, and scientific understanding of the lakes by addressing critical knowledge gaps in lakebed topography and features.
Notable efforts include collecting over 25 million soundings in Lakes Erie and Ontario since 2022, revealing features like sinkholes and shipwrecks, with only 15% of the 94,250-square-mile lakebed mapped to modern standards as of 2025, driving a collaborative push to complete the "Great Map" amid climate change pressures.
Goals
- Produce a complete, high-density bathymetric map of the Great Lakes by 2030, targeting full coverage of all five lakes.
- Improve coastal safety and resource management by documenting hazards, shipwrecks, and underwater features, aiming for measurable resilience gains.
- Foster open data access and collaboration, encouraging contributions to close the 85% mapping gap.
Organization
Lakebed 2030 is led by the Great Lakes Observing System nonprofit, based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, certified by NOAA as an IOOS Regional Association in 2016. GLOS coordinates a consortium of federal (NOAA, USGS), state, academic (e.g., Northwestern Michigan College), and industry partners, using technologies like LiDAR, sonar, and autonomous vehicles. Funding blends IOOS grants, member dues, and project-specific awards like the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, with an estimated $200 million needed for completion. The program’s leader is the GLOS CEO, Jennifer Boehme as of 2025, overseen by a board of directors.
History
Lakebed 2030 began in 2019 as a grassroots effort under GLOS, leveraging the Integrated Coastal and Ocean Observation System Act of 2009, which formalized IOOS, to address the patchwork state of Great Lakes mapping—only 12% complete at modern standards then. It gained traction with the 2021 Lakebed 2030 Conference and Seagull platform launch, advancing through TechSurge events and partnerships. By 2025, progress reached 15% mapped, with a 2024 Great Lakes Mapping Act proposed (still pending) to secure $200 million. The program continues, shifting focus to "Building the Great Map" for sustained effort beyond 2030 if needed.
Funding
Initial funding, unspecified but part of GLOS’s IOOS-supported budget since 2019, launched the initiative, with annual funding of $3–4 million from NOAA and partners. The total estimated cost is $200 million, with partial support from the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and state grants, ongoing with no end date. A 2024 congressional bill aims to fully fund it, though its fate under new administration priorities remains uncertain as of February 2025.
Implementation
Lakebed 2030 deploys satellites, LiDAR, sonar-equipped vessels, and submersibles, started in 2019, to collect high-density bathymetric data across the Great Lakes, integrating it into the Seagull platform. Implementation progresses incrementally—e.g., 0.14% added from a 2024 Lake Superior survey—relying on crowdsourced and partner data, with no fixed end date beyond the 2030 target, tied to GLOS’s long-term mission.