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High Frequency monitoring of cyanoHABs and cyanotoxin production to characterize periods of greatest risk on an inland reservoir
Citation:
Allen, Joel, J. Shoemaker, M. Elovitz, C. Nietch, J. Lu, A. Delacruz, M. Varner, K. Daniels, AND T. Neyer. High Frequency monitoring of cyanoHABs and cyanotoxin production to characterize periods of greatest risk on an inland reservoir. Presented at 8th Symposium on Harmful Algal Blooms in the U.S, Long Beach, CA, November 15 - 19, 2015.
Impact/Purpose:
Purpose is to present preliminary findings regarding High Frequency monitoring of cyanoHABs and cyanotoxin production to characterize periods of greatest risk on an inland reservoir under StRAP 4.01A.
Description:
A monitoring approach combining wet chemistry and high frequency (HF) water quality sensors has been employed to improve our understanding of the ecology of an inland reservoir with a history of cyanoHAB events. Lake Harsha is a multi-use reservoir managed by the USACE in southwest OH that has experienced an increase in cyanoHAB frequency and intensity. Nutrient, algal taxa, chlorophyll-a, and physico-chemical data have been collected on the lake since 2010 at three week intervals. Beginning in 2014 in cooperation with Clermont County Drinking Water Division, a high frequency monitoring program was implemented to complement the tri-weekly data and provide DWTP operators time-relevant information regarding source water quality. High frequency data included in-vivo fluorescence and physico-chemical parameters and were collected at two locations. These data, coupled with limited microcystin (MC) analyses demonstrated the utility of HF data for tracking the cyanoH AB status of the reservoir. It was also apparent that MC concentrations were potentially underestimated as MC sampling did not coincide with bloom peaks indicated by the HF data. To better characterize the cyanobacterial population and both intracellular and extracellular MC production, an intensive sampling regime was developed for 2015 including LC-MSMS analysis of select MCs, cylindrospermopsin, and anatoxin-a, MC ELISA quantification, transcriptomic analyses, protein phosphatase inhibition assay, nutrients, chlorophyll-a, and total organic carbon. Samples were collected weekly except during the initial bloom in June, when samples were collected daily. This approach allowed for the characterization of the cyanobacterial population dynamic and greatest periods of MC production. Data and observations from both 2014 and 2015 will be presented.
