Celebrating 70 years of the
Great Lakes Commission!
Our Work
Here’s some of the work we’re doing to ensure a healthy environment, strong economy and high quality of life for current and future generations.
Thank you!
Thank you for joining us for the 2025 Great Lakes Commission 70th Anniversary Annual Meeting, held October 28-30 in Duluth, Minnesota! Read more about the meeting here.
2024 Great Lakes Commission Annual Report
The 2024 Great Lakes Commission Annual Report is now available online! The GLC’s Annual Report includes highlights and key accomplishments under Chair Mary Mertz of Ohio, and Executive Director Erika Jensen.
2025 GLC Federal Priorities for the Great Lakes
The GLC released its 2025 agenda for the Great Lakes, calling for continued strategic investment in the lakes, which hold 95% of America’s fresh surface water and provide drinking water for more than 47 million people. Read more about our priorities here.
The Advisor
The October 2025 edition of the Commission’s e-newsletter, The Advisor, includes final registration information for the 2025 GLC Annual Meeting in Duluth and a recap of several recent program accomplishments.
A new Great Lakes Water Use Database
The GLC recently launched an updated Great Lakes Water Use Database website that is more secure and makes it easier for the public to access water use data.
Great Lakes Investment Tracker
The new Great Lakes Investment Tracker is an interactive mapping application developed by the Great Lakes Commission to showcase federally-funded projects in Great Lakes states.
Edmund Fitzgerald legacy: 50 years of safety advancements in Great Lakes shipping
The sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald remains a pivotal moment in maritime history, prompting significant safety advancements in Great Lakes shipping over the past 50 years. In the wake of the Fitzgerald disaster, the U.S. Coast Guard implemented stricter training...
Invasive aquatic plant confirmed in 2 locations near Lake Michigan
According to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, European frog-bit, an invasive aquatic plant, has been confirmed in two locations near Lake Michigan: in the lower Grand River, immediately upstream of Grand Haven, in Ottawa County, and in Pentwater Lake in...
Climate panel signs off on Lakefront Protection Ordinance draft
In Illinois, the city of Evanston’s Climate Action and Resilience Plan Implementation Task Force signed off on the current draft of a Lakefront Protection Ordinance to set a unified policy to regulate development and protect natural habitats and shoreline along Lake...
Great Lakes Commission passes resolutions on AI/computing infrastructure and water use; elects new leadership at meeting in Duluth
Duluth, Minnesota – At its Annual Meeting, held this week on the shores of Lake Superior in Duluth, Minnesota, the Great Lakes Commission (GLC) passed resolutions calling for advancement of non-potable water reuse and coordinated resource management in the development...
2024 Great Lakes Commission Annual Report
The 2024 Great Lakes Commission Annual Report includes highlights and key accomplishments from the year under the leadership of Chair Mary Mertz and Executive Director Erika Jensen.
The Advisor E-Newsletter: October 2025
The October 2025 edition of the Commission’s e-newsletter, The Advisor, includes final registration information for the 2025 GLC Annual Meeting in Duluth and a recap of several recent program accomplishments.
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GREAT LAKES EVENTS
For more events, visit the
Great Lakes Calendar
2025 Ontario Water Leaders Summit
November 132025 U.S. Water Leaders Summit
December 5International Conference on Water Management Modeling (ICWMM)
February 25, 2026 - February 27, 2026