Beyond lake sampling:
Analyzing data & sharing results on the LakePulse Portal!
The NSERC Canadian Lake Pulse Network was created to provide a national portrait of lake health. To help bridge the gap between science and information usable by the public and decision-makers, the LakePulse Portal is a collective effort by researchers and trainees to share results from the 3-year lake sampling campaign across Canada.
The Portal responds to the public’s need for access to information about the health and general characteristics of lakes. The Portal will provide a place where users can find data about lakes, watersheds, land use, and land cover. Interactive tools and maps will allow users to visualize and compare information on lake health.
Over the next 2 years, LakePulse researchers and trainees will be busy analyzing data and disseminating their findings. At this AGM, they will present early results from the 2017 and 2018 sampling campaigns and their research projects.
In addition, they are asked to work with the Geomatics team based at the Université de Sherbrooke to identify which of their findings are relevant to a wide audience and to explain them in plain language with maps and charts. Contributions from each project will be shared on the LakePulse Water Portal.

Integration & Upscaling Projects
LakePulse was designed with 2 main phases to provide a national portrait of lake health for a wide audience:
- Critical first step: We just completed a 3-year (intense!) sampling campaign to create the unprecendented LakePulse dataset.
- Making a lasting contribution: We are entering a 2-year (just as intense!) phase of data analysis, sharing results, and development of the LakePulse Portal.
LakePulse researchers, trainees & postdocs will provide maps, integration results, upscaling work, etc. for the LakePulse Portal to share with the public and policymakers.
Students, Postdocs & Researchers
The annual meeting is the perfect time to
- Present your early results,
- Plan a working group (for Day 3), and
- Plan your contributions to the LakePulse Portal.
Your contributions to the collective LakePulse Portal are essential for this major Network deliverable that presents LakePulse achievements to the public and policymakers.
NSERC requires LakePulse to demonstrate that it influences policy, and the Portal is designed to achieve our metrics of success.
Geomatics Team in Sherbrooke
The development of the LakePulse Portal is coordinated by Yannick Huot and the Geomatics team at the Université de Sherbrooke.
The Sherbrooke team is building a GIS web portal to share LakePulse results on the health status of lakes in Canada. The Portal will provide public access to information on lakes and their watersheds.
The Portal will offer interactive tools and 2-way communication to encourage feedback from the public, governments and policymakers to help researchers improve the communication of scientific information.
LakePulse Partners
The LakePulse Portal is being developed so that scientists and trainees can share their research findings with the public. The Portal will present information on lakes and watersheds across Canada, which will be an excellent source of scientific information and an effective way to raise awareness of lake heath across Canada.

General travel information for the meeting:
- Location and suggestions for where to stay in Longueuil (2 hotels are within a 5-minute walk).
- Travel and meal reimbursements: After the meeting, you will need to send scanned receipts for your travel (including boarding passes for plane travel) and accommodation to Catherine, our Network Manager, with this form. The Network provides reimbursements for our students, postdocs, research professionals, co-PIs, Scientific Committee, Board of Directors; NSERC rules do not permit reimbursements for our partners, collaborators or summer student interns.