The Ohio Water Resources Center Newsletter
Issue 1 | Volume 6 | January 2024
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The Ohio Water Resources Center (Ohio WRC) is happy to introduce three new members of our team – Haleigh Fernandez, Erin Flanagan, and Alex Poling.
Haleigh Fernandez is the Graduate Associate at the Ohio WRC. She is a PhD student in the Environmental Science Graduate Program (ESGP) and a MS student in Civil Engineering at OSU, specializing in environmental engineering. Haleigh's research interests include water quality, transport and fate of contaminants, and innovative water treatment technologies. She is taking the lead on creating the Center's newsletters, organizing the Interdisciplinary Water Research Symposium, and managing outreach programs.
Erin Flanagan and Alex Poling are the Student Communication Assistants at the Ohio WRC. Erin and Alex are undergraduate students at OSU studying environmental policy and decision making. Both student communication assistants will be leading our efforts in creating written content for report summaries and for the Ohio WRC website, producing content for Ohio WRC social media, and making the Ohio WRC electronic communications more digitally accessible.
With the help of these amazing students, we are excited to communicate out the great work conducted by our funded researchers and begin making our content more accessible.
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Quantifying the Relationships between Algal Blooms and Carbon Budgets and Quality in Lake Erie | |
Dr. Rachel Gabor, an assistant professor at the Ohio State University, completed an Ohio Water Resources Center funded project via a 104B subaward. Harmful algal blooms (HABs) pose a serious threat to water quality due to their growing presence and the potential health effects from exposure to cyanotoxins produced during a HAB event. The Maumee River has a large influence on the Western Basin of Lake Erie. Prior research has investigated the link between nutrients and harmful algal blooms but the importance of carbon has been less studied. The goal of Dr. Gabor's project was to quantify the carbon budget from the Maumee River into the Western Basin of Lake Erie.
Dr. Gabor and her team determined how carbon changed spatially and temporally in spring, summer, and fall. Samples were collected and analyzed for dissolved inorganic carbon, dissolved organic carbon, and particulate carbon.
Results showed in the fall that carbon concentrations were higher in Maumee Bay than the rest of the basin and that it was dominated by inorganic carbon. In the summer, Maumee Bay achieved the highest concentrations of carbon in the form of particulate carbon (primarily algae) when the algal bloom was at its peak. In the fall, carbon concentrations in the Maumee Bay were similar to the rest of the basin. These results provide insight on the importance of carbon for HAB mitigation.
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Popular ice control products used at airports can increase phosphorus in nearby waterways | |
To achieve safe travel during winter, airports must remove ice and snow and prevent ice formation on runways and aircraft. The Federal Aviation Administration requires deicing products to be used during periods of ice and snow accumulation on aircraft. The deicing products enter stormwater which, at airports, is managed by airports and regulated by the states with guidance from the EPA.
A USGS study investigated how much phosphorus from the ice control products is entering nearby streams at an airport in Wisconsin. Results showed that water samples collected downstream during freezing weather contained phosphorus concentrations exceeding levels for a healthy aquatic ecosystem. The phosphorus detected in the streams were traced to the iced control products used at airports.
A part of an airport’s pollution prevention plan includes monitoring ice control product runoff. However, knowing the source of the phosphorus is difficult because many product formulations are proprietary. The study found that nine of the eleven ice control products contained phosphorus. Results also showed that 84% of the samples had phosphorus that could be linked back to the ice control products and 70% of the water samples contained phosphorus concentrations that exceeded the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources guidelines. Excess phosphorus can result in harmful algal blooms in warmer weather which have ecological, economic, and health consequences. More than 200 airports in the U.S. conduct deicing procedures each year.
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Recent EPA data Reveals PFAS in 854 Drinking Water Systems
Via EHS Daily Advisor, Dec. 15, 2023
After six decades, many upgrades are underway at the Mansfield water treatment plant
Via Mansfield News Journal, Dec. 18, 2023
Governor DeWine Announces New Grant Program to Reduce Road Salt Runoff, Water Contamination
Via Ohio Gov., Dec. 19, 2023
EPA announces new forever chemicals sampling agreement with Chemours
Via Marietta Times, Dec. 23, 2023
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Ohio EPA: Interested Party Review 'Amend' Rulemaking Governing Primary Drinking Water Standards
The Ohio EPA, Division of Drinking and Ground Waters (DDAGW) is soliciting comments on rules within Chapter 3745-81 of the Ohio Administrative Code (OAC). DDAGW has reviewed these rules to satisfy the five-year rule review requirements of section 106.03 and 106.031 of the Ohio Revised Code. OAC Chapter 3745-81 describes Primary Drinking Water Standards for Ohio PWSs. Comments are due by January 20, 2024 at 5 p.m. to dsw_rulecomments@epa.ohio.gov.
Ohio EPA: Public notice - Proposed rulemaking governing monitoring requirements for disinfectant residuals
The Ohio EPA Division of Drinking and Ground Waters (DDAGW) has proposed “Rescind” and “New” to Monitoring requirements for disinfectant residuals in chapter 3745-81 of the Ohio Administrative Code (OAC) to Joint Committee on Agency Rule Review (JCARR). The rule was reviewed as a result of the five-year rule review requirements of Section 106.03 of the Revised Code. There will be a virtual and in-person public hearing on the rules on January 8, 2024. Register for virtual or in person attendance at the Lazarus Government Center in Columbus, Ohio. Written comments may be submitted during the public hearing or emailed in advance to ddagw_rulecomments@epa.ohio.gov by January 8, 2024.
Ohio EPA: Tuscarawas River and Select Tributaries Draft Biological and Water Quality Report
The Ohio EPA Division of Surface Water (DSW) is seeking comments on the draft biological and water quality reports for the Sugar Creek and select tributaries and the report for the Tuscarawas and select tributaries. The watershed was assessed for recreation, public drinking water, human health, and aquatic life beneficial uses. Comments are due by 5:00 P.M. on January 5, 2024 to EPATMDL@epa.ohio.gov.
Ohio EPA: Sugar Creek and Select Tributaries Draft Biological and Water Quality Report, 2017
The OEPA conducted a biological and water quality survey in the Sugar Creek and select tributaries watershed in 2017. The watershed was assessed for recreation, human health, and aquatic life beneficial uses. Comments are now being accepted on the draft report. Comments are due by 5:00 P.M. on January 5, 2024 to EPATMDL@epa.ohio.gov.
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Request for Applications: Knauss Fellowship 2025
Ohio Sea Grant is accepting fellowship applications for the 2025 Dean John A. Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship which offers a unique experience to graduate students interested in ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes resources and the national policy decisions affecting those resources. Reach out to fussel.20@osu.edu for program eligibility and submission requirements. Ohio Sea Grant asks that all applicants contact the office at least a month prior to the application deadline. Application deadline is February 15, 2024.
Request for Applications: Sea Grant FY 2024 National Aquaculture Initiative
Funds will be available for research projects and programs that will develop and refine methods, protocols, techniques, and/or strategies to enhance the production of one or more life stages of aquaculture species with the overall goal of improving the efficiency, output, and profitability of commercial coastal, marine, or Great Lakes region aquaculture businesses. A letter of intent is due by January 17, 2024 and the full proposal is due April 3, 2024. More information can be found here.
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Request for Applications: Undergraduate Summer Research Fellowship at Stone Lab
Stone Laboratory welcomes college undergraduates to apply for its 2024 Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) Fellowship Program. Students selected receive a $5,500 stipend and free room and meals for the eight-week fellowship experience at Stone Lab, The Ohio State University’s island campus on Lake Erie. Undergraduates from any U.S. college may apply for this competitive research opportunity. The students chosen will learn how to conduct scientific research in the field alongside top scientists. The fellowship runs from June 3 through July 26, 2024. Applications are due by February 26, 2024.
Request for Applications: Stone Lab Scholarship
High school and college students can now apply for scholarship support to attend classes at Stone Laboratory, The Ohio State University’s island campus on Lake Erie. Stone Lab offers more than 20 college credit courses and workshops each summer on topics ranging from algae identification to ecology. The deadline for college students to apply for scholarships is February 15, 2024.
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Webinar: Harmful Algal Bloom Research Symposium
January 4-5, 2024 • Virtual
The 4th Annual Harmful Algal Bloom Research Symposium is hosted by the Algal Bloom Action Team. This virtual event will focus on the latest harmful algal bloom research, including effective bloom management and the latest technologies being used.
Webinar: Freshwater Science - Microplastic Removal During Drinking Water Treatment
January 24th, 2024 • Virtual
During this webinar, hosted by Ohio Sea Grant, Stone Lab, and the Harmful Algal Bloom Research Initiative, researcher Dr. John Lenhart will discuss his research determining how effectively certain drinking water treatment processes remove microplastics and if certain configurations are better than others at removing microplastics. Registration is open.
Webinar: Great Lakes Data Sharing
February 13, 2024 • Virtual
Hosted by Michigan Sea Grant, Ohio Sea Grant and other partners, this webinar will discuss tools that exist to help researchers share their data to improve regional collaboration and knowledge such as GLOS and GLAMR and other databases. Attendees will also get insights into upcoming changes to the National Science Foundation’s RCR and data management requirements.
Virtual Conference: Emerging Contaminants in the Environment Conference
April 24-25, 2024 • Virtual
The conference will feature 15-minute presentations and lightning talk sessions on the latest in emerging contaminant research, policies, and outreach in the soil, water, and air. Registration is open.
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Get in Touch
Email: OhioWRC@osu.edu
Phone: 614-292-2807
Website: https://wrc.osu.edu
Address: 475 Hitchcock Hall
2070 Neil Avenue
Columbus, OH 43210
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