Seagull Platform
Stored: Seagull Platform
| 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 | Seagull Platform, run by system via centralized data management, aggregates, visualizes, & shares real-time & historical Great Lakes data, boosting accessibility for stakeholders & aiding safety, science, & resource management with scalable, open-access interface. |
| Program Start | May 25, 2021 |
| Initial Funding | $1 million (development budget) |
| Duration | Ongoing |
| Historic | No |
Seagull Platform is a data management and visualization system developed 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 unify Great Lakes observation data. The Seagull Platform serves as a centralized data management system to aggregate, visualize, and share real-time and historical Great Lakes observation data, enhancing accessibility for stakeholders, aiming to streamline data integration and support decision-making for safety, science, and resource management across the Great Lakes region through a scalable, open-access interface. Key features include its integration of over 9,000 data streams from 2,000+ sensors as of 2025, its role in the Smart Great Lakes Initiative, and its support for initiatives like Lakebed 2030, with tools like customizable visualizations and APIs driving over 1 million data queries annually.
Goals
- Provide a unified platform for accessing Great Lakes data, targeting seamless integration of real-time and historical observations.
- Enhance stakeholder decision-making with user-friendly tools, aiming for improved safety and environmental monitoring outcomes.
- Support regional initiatives like Lakebed 2030 and HABs forecasting by offering scalable data infrastructure.
Organization
The Seagull Platform is managed by the Great Lakes Observing System nonprofit, based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, certified by NOAA as an IOOS Regional Association in 2016. GLOS oversees development and maintenance, aggregating data from IOOS partners (NOAA, USGS), state agencies, and academic institutions, hosted on cloud infrastructure with contributions via APIs. Funding includes a $1 million initial investment from IOOS and GLOS in 2021, with ongoing support of $500,000–$1 million annually from NOAA grants and partner funds. The program’s leader is the GLOS CEO, Jennifer Boehme as of 2025, with technical oversight from a data team.
History
The Seagull Platform was launched on May 25, 2021, under the Integrated Coastal and Ocean Observation System Act of 2009, which formalized IOOS, evolving from GLOS’s earlier data portal (discontinued in 2020) as part of the Smart Great Lakes Initiative. It debuted after a 2019–2021 development phase spurred by the need for a modernized, interoperable system post-GLOS’s 2016 certification. Milestones include its 2023 expansion to 9,000 streams and 2024 integration with Lakebed 2030 bathymetry data. Plans for 2025–2030 focus on enhancing API access and climate data tools, pending funding stability.
Funding
Initial funding of $1 million in 2021 from IOOS and GLOS covered development, with ongoing costs of $500,000–$1 million annually sustained by NOAA grants, Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funds, and member contributions as of 2025. Funding has no end date, though a 2024 IOOS budget cut proposal to $10 million regionally pressures future enhancements. Additional investments support specific features, like HABs monitoring.
Implementation
Seagull operates by ingesting data from buoys, gliders, and sensors across the Great Lakes since its May 25, 2021 launch, hosted on a cloud platform with continuous updates via APIs and manual uploads. It rolled out with 6,000 streams, growing to 9,000 by 2025, supporting applications like spill response and Lakebed 2030 mapping, with no fixed end date, tied to GLOS’s observation mission.