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 (Cyanobacteria) 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 Microcystin (FDF) Anatoxin Lyngbyatoxin Aplysiatoxin Anabaena toxins Lyngbya toxins Microcystin Saxitoxin Cylindrospermopsin 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 Cyanotoxin 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] .