Hypoxia in the nearshore waters of Lake Erie: observations and three-dimensional modeling

Session: Oxygen Cycling and Hypoxia: Processes, Impacts, and Management

Reza Valipour, Environment and Climate Change Canada, [email protected]

Abstract

Nearshore observations in Lake Erie’s central basin show that offshore hypoxic waters can be transported to the shore via upwelling events, deserving supportive numerical model studies for further clarification (Rao et al., 2014). Here, we investigate the development of nearshore hypoxic areas across the lake using a calibrated high-resolution three-dimensional water quality model and field observations. The model results were used to quantify the extents of nearshore hypoxia compared to offshore conditions. We identify nearshore hotspot zones prone to the development of nearshore hypoxia across the lake. The model results also show that the intrusion of hypoxic offshore waters via upwelling events can significantly change the nearshore nutrient