Harmful Algal Bloom Research Initiative

Thomas Bridgeman, PhD University of Toledo Nov 30, 2016

Toledo Water Crisis, August 2014

 Algal toxin in treated Toledo water exceeded 1.0 ug/L limit recommended by the WHO  ‘Do not drink’ advisory Aug 2-4  500,000 residents temporarily without potable water Lake Erie Water Intake

Toledo Blade

CBS News Ohio Department of Higher Education Response Major algal groups in Lakes

Diatoms Greens Blue-greens () Common Harmful “Algae” (Cyanobacteria)

Anabaena Aphanizomenon Microcystis (Dolichospermum)

Planktothrix

Lyngbya Lyngbya wollei and Microcystis sp.

D. Hartsen T. Crail Why are harmful algae harmful?

Microcystis toxins Planktothrix toxins (FDF) Anatoxin Lyngbyatoxin Aplysiatoxin

Anabaena toxins Lyngbya toxins Microcystin Lyngbyatoxin Anatoxin (VFDF) Aplysiatoxin Saxitoxin

Aphanizomenon toxins Cylindrospermopsin Anatoxin Saxitoxin

Freshwater HABs are increasing worldwide

Lake Taihu, China

Lake Winnipeg Baltic Sea Lake Erie and Grand Lake St. Marys 13-Year Record of HABs

August 2002

August 2003 Microcystis HABs in Lake Erie

Western Lake Erie Harmful Algal Blooms

40000

35000 Catastrophic

30000

25000

20000

15000 Unacceptable

10000

5000 (ml/m2/y) Biovolume Microcystis Microcystis Biovolume (ml/m2/y) Biovolume Microcystis Acceptable 0 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2011 bloom from the International Space Station

2003

Michalak et al. 2013 2014: Winds and water currents concentrated the bloom along the Ohio shore

Toledo Water Intake Not a Lake Problem, it’s a LAND problem Ohio Drainage Not just a Northern Ohio Problem

Cincinnati Water Intake (H. Raymond, OEPA) The Greening of Lake Erie (Eutrophication)

• Between1920 and 1964 Lake Erie algae biomass increased nearly 6 fold. • Diatoms were replaced by cyanobacteria. • Harmful algal blooms led to passage of the 1964 GLWQA 1920 • Mandate on

Phosphorus control Davis 1964

Focus on Phosphorus •High Phosphorus concentration leads to -high algal biomass -dominance by cyanobacteria

Golden algae

Diatoms

Green algae

(Kalff 2001) Total Phosphorus Loads: A success story

Ohio Lake Erie Phosphorus Task Force II Final Report 1970s-1990s: Phosphorus controls led to Lake Erie recovery Algae

Conroy & Culver 2005 Mid-1990s: Return to eutrophic conditions and harmful algal blooms Algae Algae

Conroy & Culver 2005 Maumee River Watershed

USGS What Happened? Dissolved phosphorus loads from tributaries have been increasing

Ohio Lake Erie Phosphorus Task Force II Final Report Proposed Response to HABs: Reduce external P loading by 40%

U S

Water Quality Monitoring stations Agriculture Response: The 4 Rs

Right Time

Right Rate

Right Product Right Place S. Davis State of Ohio Response

 Ohio Clean Lakes Initiative ($3.55M, BMPs)  Healthy Lake Erie Initiative ($10M, dredging altern.)  USEPA GLRI awards (storm water, septic, streams)  National Water Quality Initiative (NRCS, BMPs)  Water Pollution Control Loan Fund ($292M, sewage control)  Ohio Phosphorus Task Force  Senate Bill 150  Water quality monitoring programs  Public Water System Harmful Algal Bloom Response Strategy  Ohio Department of Higher Education Harmful Algal Bloom Research Initiative

Ohio Department of Higher Education Response 55 HABs Related Projects Total

• OSU CFAES, “F2F” Projects = 5 (~$1,000,000) • Ohio Department of Higher Education I = 18 (~$2,000,000) • Ohio Department of Higher Education II = 14 (~$2,000,000) • Ohio Sea Grant Funded Projects = 9 + 9 ($1,821,000)

~60 @ Heidelberg University o University Funded/Submitte o 50 @ $5,728,000 d OSU 5 / 7 o 19 @ $2,684,000 1 Feb. 2014 – 31 Jan. 2016 University of Toledo 4 / 5 o BGSU 2 / 4 1 Feb. 2016 – 31 Jan. 2018 o University of 1 / 2 Cincinnati Heidelberg University 1 / 1 University of Akron 1 / 1 ODHE Focus Areas and Priorities

• Focus Areas (ODHE I): o Track Blooms from the Source o Produce Safe Drinking Water o Protect Public Health o Engage Stakeholders • Priority categories (ODHE II): o Treatment Optimization o Toxicity Research o Reservoir Management o Bloom Dynamics o Analytical Methods o Nutrient Load Reduction Methods LimnoTech, U of M, University of Amsterdam, Akron Water Supply, U.S. Geological Survey, Charles River Laboratory, USDA-ARS, and University of Kentucky OHIO SEA GRANT AND STONE LABORATORY U. Toledo Monitoring Sites: 2002-2016

Toledo Water Intake “Crib” UT early warning sites: 2015-16 Maumee Bay Water Quality Buoy

YSI EXO measures: green and blue algal pigments pH, turbidity, temperature, conductivity, Dissolved oxygen, depth

HAB Update 2016 2015 Bloom vs. 2016 Bloom

U. Toledo Maumee Bay Buoy

Habs.glos.us 2015 Bloom vs. 2016 Bloom

Toledo Water Crib Buoy

Habs.glos.us 2015 Bloom vs. 2016 Bloom

Put-In-Bay Buoy

Habs.glos.us NASA Collaboration

U. Toledo and BGSU Lake Erie sampling trips were coordinated with NASA flights in order to improve remote sensing capabilities for HABs ODHE Projects: Round 1 ODHE Projects: Round 2 For details see Full Report

https://ohioseagrant.osu.edu/research/collaborations/habs

Questions?

• For more information: ‐ Dr. Thomas Bridgeman ‐ Phone: 419-530-5499 ‐ E-mail: [email protected]