1 / 8

North Carolina Algal Bloom Assessment Program Update

Stay informed about North Carolina's Algal Bloom Assessment Program, including potential harmful algal blooms (pHABs), cyanotoxin testing development, current focus and efforts, and contact information.

porbison
Download Presentation

North Carolina Algal Bloom Assessment Program Update

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. July 1, 2018 Algal Bloom Assessment Program UpdateDepartment of Environmental QualityDivision of Water Resources

  2. Algal Assessment Program Review • Water Sciences Section, Ecosystems Branch • Coordinate with: • Regional Offices • Public Health Dept. • Academic Institutions • Sea Grant • Fish and Wildlife • Wildlife Resources Commission • Private Citizens and more

  3. Potential Harmful Algal Blooms (pHABs) • DWR defines pHABS as: • Blooms of bluegreen algae that may produce toxins • Densities above 10,000 units/ml • PUBLIC HEALTH RISK = PUBLIC HEALTH DEPT. • Algal bloom investigations • Regional Offices • Estuarine Monitoring Team • Episodic (1 to 7 days) • 50 in 2017 • 20 considered pHABs • XX so far 2018 • XX considered pHABs • Chronic (1 to 3 months, returning annually) • Fontana Lake > 2015 • Chowan River/Albemarle Sound > 2015

  4. Cyanotoxin Testing Development • Field Staff/Regional Office • Abraxis cyanotoxin test strips • Rapid assessment • Field or office use • Limited results (no verification procedures) • Water Sciences Section Chemistry Laboratory • Abraxis Cyanotoxin Automated Assay System • ELIZA instrument • Quality assurance and Quality Control procedures • sample collection, handling & processing procedures

  5. Current Focus and Efforts • Draft pHAB and Cyanotoxins Sampling Protocols out for review • Staff and Interagency • Cape Fear River Partnership • Basinwide Lake Monitoring Program • Testing for Microcystin in Water Supplies • Special Studies • Split samples with DPH • Test strips vs ELIZA • National Rivers and Stream Assessment • Waterville • White Lake

  6. Fish Kill and Bloom Reporting APP • Developed as a Fish Kill reporting tool • Reconfigured to include reporting algal blooms • Downloaded to phone or via the web • 60 fish kills where reported with this app in 2017 • 10 algal blooms were reported since spring 2017

  7. Algal Bloom Occurrence in North Carolina

  8. Contact Information Water Sciences Section Chief Cyndi Karoly cyndi.karoly@ncdenr.gov Ecosystem Branch Supervisor: Brian Wrenn brian.wrenn@ncdenr.gov Algal Ecologists: Mark Vander Borgh mark.vanderborgh@ncdenr.gov Elizabeth Fensin elizabeth.fensin@ncdenr.gov Leigh Stevenson leigh.stevenson@ncdenr.gov

More Related