Freshwater Science: Lake Erie Algae in the Depth of Winter
Channel: Ohio Sea Grant
Date: 2022-08-30

Although harmful algal blooms happen in the summer, the algae themselves are year-round residents of the water bodies they inhabit – but very little is known about other times in the annual cycle of blooms. For Lake Erie, ice cover and extreme weather conditions in winter and spring prevent regular monitoring and safe sampling.

By partnering with the U.S. and Canadian Coast Guards, Dr. Mike McKay at the University of Windsor can take advantage of those ships’ ice-breaking capabilities to sample offshore waters in winter and early spring, before state and federal agencies start their monitoring efforts.

Event archive: https://ohioseagrant.osu.edu/news/calendar/2022/08/30/n2xhf/freshwater-science