The bill mandates a high-resolution survey and map of the Great Lakes lakebeds by 2030, making the data publicly accessible and allocating $50 million annually from 2025-2029.
Lisa McClain
Representative
MI-9
The Great Lakes Mapping Act of 2025 mandates the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to complete a high-resolution survey and map of the Great Lakes lakebeds by 2030, coordinating with various stakeholders. The collected data will be made public and integrated into nautical charts. The Act allocates $50 million annually from 2025 to 2029 for this initiative.
Great Lakes Get High-Res Scan: $250 Million Bill Funds Underwater Mapping by 2030
The Great Lakes Mapping Act of 2025 directs the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to get busy mapping the bottoms of all five Great Lakes. The goal is a complete, high-resolution survey by December 31, 2030. Think of it like creating a super-detailed Google Maps, but for the lakebeds. This involves collecting bathymetric data (that's the fancy term for underwater depth and terrain measurements), pulling together existing info, and making it all publicly accessible.
Charting the Depths: What's Under the Surface?
This isn't just about pretty pictures of the lake floor. Section 2 of the bill mandates NOAA to coordinate with a whole crew, including Great Lakes state governors, relevant agencies, and existing mapping groups like the Lakebed 2030 initiative. The plan is to gather detailed data on the underwater landscape. As parts of the map get finished, they'll be released to the public, with the full dataset available within 180 days of the project's completion in 2030. This detailed information is set to be integrated into official nautical charts and other NOAA products.
Making Waves: How This Map Changes Things
So, why map the Great Lakes in such detail? It's about safety, science, and smart management. Updated nautical charts mean safer passage for the massive ships moving goods through the lakes, reducing the risk of groundings. For scientists and environmental managers, this high-res data is gold, offering unprecedented insight into fish habitats, underwater geology, and the overall health of these vital ecosystems. It could help track sediment shifts, identify areas needing protection, or even locate submerged historical artifacts. Essentially, it gives anyone working on or relying on the lakes a much clearer picture of what's going on beneath the surface.
The Bottom Line: Funding and Access
The Act authorizes $50 million per year for five years (fiscal years 2025-2029), totaling $250 million, specifically for this mapping project. That funding is earmarked to stay available through 2030 to see the job through. While taxpayers foot the bill, the payoff is intended to be broad: improved safety, better resource management, and a wealth of publicly available data. The bill is pretty straightforward (low vagueness) about what needs to be done, by when, and who's involved, aiming for a significant upgrade in our understanding of these critical freshwater bodies.