Scientists have learned a great deal about the Great Lakes over the past several decades by doing long-term studies and monitoring. To get a better understanding of this complex system the United States and Canada committed to a collaborative, binational scientific effort in the Great Lakes in 2002. The effort is known as the Cooperative Science and Monitoring Initiative, or CSMI. CSMI rotates from lake to lake on a 5-year cycle and aims to promote, organize, and unify different research and monitoring efforts by local, state, provincial, federal, First Nations, academic, and non-governmental groups.


Credit: Loriann Cody

The objective of CSMI is to provide the best information possible to help develop Lakewide Action and Management Plans under the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement.