Modeling Aquatic Habitat Condition within the Great Lakes Basin

In 2009, the Great Lakes Basin Fish Habitat Partnership (FHP) was established as a recognized partnership of the National Fish Habitat Partnership (formerly National Fish Habitat Action Plan). Shortly thereafter, the Great Lakes Basin FHP’s Science and Data Committee began to evaluate methods and approaches to assessing the current condition of both coastal and tributary habitats within the Great Lakes basin.  Also in 2009, the Great Lakes Basin FHP began working with Downstream Strategies to develop predictive models of the cumulative impacts of anthropogenic stressors on various tributary habitats and fish species/species assemblages.  In the end, the Great Lakes Basin FHP chose 5 models and response variables most representative of the major tributary habitats and fish species/assemblages within the basin: brook trout, coldwater species, walleye, large river species, and lithophilic spawners. Using Great Lakes Aquatic GAP data, along with landscape-scale, anthropogenic stressor data, modeling endpoints were developed for all 5 models.  Results of the individual modeling endpoints, along with the cumulative impacts of each model can be used by the Great Lakes Basin FHP to not only establish the current baseline of tributary habitat condition, but also to better inform future, strategic habitat restoration efforts.