Developing a Financially Sustainable Early-Warning System for Harmful Algae

Session: Smart Lakes: Real-Time Monitoring, Networking, and Analytics Across the Great Lakes (2)

Max Herzog, Cleveland Water Alliance, [email protected]

Abstract

Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs) that occur in Lake Erie are a persistent annual problem that has threatened human health, economic stability, and ecosystem integrity in Lake Erie. However, it is generally acknowledged that current sampling methods and satellite remote sensing are insufficient to fully understand and capture the toxin dynamics of blooms in Lake Erie, and thus our ability to predict toxicity and its impacts has been limited.  A public-private partnership comprised of Great Lakes Observing System, Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory, Cleveland Water Alliance, and Limnotech is working under a three-year NOAA grant to implement and commercialize an integrated monitoring solution to this challenge.

This project will create a reliable funding and operations plan for DMAC support structure for (1) an existing operational real?time sensor network whose components are owned and operated by Ohio drinking water utilities, and (2) a related research sampling and monitoring network in Lake Erie. This will allow all stakeholders to have timely and optimized access to critical monitoring data to help inform management decisions that are affected by the presence of HABs, as well as making this information available to the general public. The project will also expand the capabilities of the existing in-water monitoring network.

Twitter handle of presenter
@CLEH2Oalliance