Recipient Organization
STATE UNIV OF NEW YORK
(N/A)
SYRACUSE,NY 13210
Performing Department
Chemistry
Non Technical Summary
Sodus Bay Lake Ontario suffers from extensive benthic and pelagic algal blooms. In August 2010, anextensive toxic cyanobacterial bloom (Microcystis sp.) occurred in the bay, resulting in canceled vacations,health advisories, water-use closures, and a major economic loss to the region. While nutrient inputs fromthe watershed may drive benthic algal production, the location and concentration of this Microcystis bloomin the waterfront and marina areas suggested localized inputs from the these activities may be providing adisproportionally large source of the nutrients supporting this bloom. Before requiring expensive land usechanges in the watershed or limits to marina or waterfront operations, managers need to know the movementof water and impact of nutrients from all sources entering the bay. This will be developed using a coupledhydrodynamic and biological growth model. One outcome obtained here will identify the relative impactsand the contribution of different nutrient sources to algal growth in this economically important bay.
Animal Health Component
(N/A)
Research Effort Categories
Basic
100%
Applied
(N/A)
Developmental
(N/A)
Goals / Objectives
(1) To develop a coupled biological and physical growth model to measure and evaluate algal dynamics;(2) To measure the parameters needed to drive that model and validate its output; and(3) To conduct what-if scenarios to evaluate the impact of potential changes in marina and village operations onthe occurrence of algal blooms in Sodus Bay.
Project Methods
1. Establish a continuous water quality monitoring and metrological station in Sodus Bay.2. Develop and apply EFDC/ A2EM, a linked hydrodynamic, water quality and lower food web mode,to the Bay, and couple with a whole-lake model.3. Predict system response to different management scenarios resulting from different sources andpatterns ofloading, evaluate the relative impacts of those sources, and determine the most effectivemeans of controlling inputs to avoid future blooms.