If you’ve ever wondered about the health of your local river or lake, seven million open data points are now at your fingertips. Information ranging from lake temperatures to levels of nitrates in the water is available on Great Lakes DataStream, a new online platform for sharing water quality data from across Ontario and Quebec.
“From daily COVID-19 rates to water quality at the beach, we’re seeing a global trend towards more data being made accessible to everyone,” said Carolyn DuBois, who heads Great Lakes DataStream. “Open data is powerful— it helps people make more informed choices.”
Because DataStream is open access, anyone, including scientists and policymakers, can explore the data while being confident in its integrity thanks to blockchain technology. In 2020, data accessed on DataStream helped fill gaps in the WWF Watershed Reports.
“Having the ability to dig in, and look, and try to understand water quality through data can be a very empowering experience,” explained Larissa Holman of Ottawa Riverkeeper, one of many water monitoring groups to have shared their data on the platform. “The power of providing people with relevant information about their local waterway should never be undervalued. It can be an incredible way to motivate them to either protect or to improve it.”
“Behind every data point is a person,” added DuBois. “We work with community-based monitoring programs, Indigenous Nations, watershed groups, and all levels of government. We’re excited to be working with passionate water champions from Thunder Bay to Montreal.”
With Great Lakes DataStream joining existing data hubs in the Mackenzie River Basin, Atlantic Canada, and the Lake Winnipeg Basin, DataStream is Canada’s largest independent water data platform. I has data from 12 of Canada’s provinces and territories.
Great Lakes DataStream can be accessed here.
