LAGOS-US is an open-access research platform for studying populations of US lakes across space and time. The LAGOS-US platform includes 479,950 lakes ≥1 ha and watersheds within the continental US lakes, and the hydrologic, geomorphic, climatic, and human impact characteristics (i.e., ecological context) needed to holistically study lakes across broad environmental gradients. This open-access, research-ready, and extensible research platform has three core modules, each consisting of a combination of data tables, metadata, GIS layers, R scripts, and user guides. The LOCUS module contains lake-specific data, GEO provides multi-scaled ecological context data for natural and anthropogenic features, and LIMNO consists of harmonized and quality-assured lake water quality data collected between 1975 and 2021 that were derived from national-scale publicly-available sources. These modules are interoperable with each other and with four extension modules that provide: lake depths (DEPTH), reservoir identifications (RESERVOIR), lake-stream network configurations (NETWORKS), and satellite-derived estimates of water quality (LANDSAT). The LAGOS-US platform provides users with curated, comprehensive, research-ready data on the multi-scaled lake and watershed ecological context characteristics and water quality response variables that are critical for macroscale studies of lake ecosystems. Therefore, LAGOS facilitates an interdisciplinary and broad-scale understanding of lakes that can inform lake research, management, environmental policy, and public engagement.

Authors:

Kendra Spence Cheruvelil, Michigan State University  (ksc@msu.edu)

Patrick Hanly, Michigan State University  (hanlypat@msu.edu)

Patricia Soranno, Michigan State University  (soranno@msu.edu)

Katherine Webster, Michigan State University  (katherine.e.webster@gmail.com)