Lake Superior evaporation: A long-term eddy covariance dataset at Stannard Rock Lighthouse (2008–2022)

Abstract

Robust, accurate, and direct measurements of evaporation and related energy fluxes on the Laurentian Great Lakes are necessary to understand the large historical range in water levels, regional climatology, lake hydrodynamics, and lake-effect snowfall, all of which inform water management. Despite the societal and scientific importance of this information, few long-term, full-year, in situ measurements exist due to logistical, financial, and safety-related challenges. We present 15 years (2008–2022) of eddy covariance data from Stannard Rock, a historic lighthouse on Lake Superior located 38 km southeast of Manitou Island and 72 km north of Marquette, Michigan. We provide information about the site and instrumentation, as well as data availability and processing. Analysis of this unique long-term dataset, available through the AmeriFlux network (US-GL1), will improve our ability to understand the drivers and patterns of large-lake surface energy fluxes and will advance predictions of evaporative regimes over Lake Superior.