Lake Scientist

USDA initiative to reduce agricultural runoff

Kevin Rose — Wed, 16 May 2012 12:50:03 +0000

The USDA has developed a new program to improve water quality across the U.S. The initiative will assist farmers, ranchers and forest landowners in implementing conservation practices to control and trap agricultural runoff before it enters nearby watersheds. Nutrient and manure runoff are common causes of eutrophication, harmful algal blooms and high bacteria counts. Excess nutrients are blamed for poor water quality in over 50 percent of impaired lakes. Funding from the USDA is available for priority watersheds throughout the U.S.

Western water use far above what is sustainable

Kevin Rose — Tue, 15 May 2012 12:29:40 +0000

New research shows that human consumption in southwestern states accounts for 76 percent of all water usage in the Colorado River Basin. Reservoirs such as Lakes Mead and Powell provide some buffer against dry years, but due to high draws and low rainfall, those lakes now sit half empty. That’s bad news for an area that is expected to grow in population and water demand by nearly 50 percent over the next 20 years.

Where does the water go? Agriculture uses most of the water. For example, farming uses 77 percent of total water allocations in Arizona. The key to sustainable water use, scientists say, is either to cut back or increase efficiency of agriculture or urban use.

Maryland humans’ appetite bigger than invasive fish’s

Audrey Rabalais — Thu, 10 May 2012 20:32:49 +0000

While some states are scrambling for solutions to invasive aquatic species, Maryland is serving them for dinner. The snakehead fish entered the state’s water nearly 10 years ago and is now in high demand for its tender meat. The fish, nicknamed “Frankenfish” will eat nearly anything. Though they are not as detrimental to aquatic ecosystems at the infamous Asian carp, they are considered a threat to the ecosystem.

Army Corps moves up deadline for Asian Carp plans

Audrey Rabalais — Wed, 09 May 2012 14:39:47 +0000

The Obama administration has shortened the timeline for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to develop a plan preventing Asian carp from entering the Great Lakes. The Army Corps will now have a list of prevention options by the end of 2013 instead of 2015 with support from Congress.

The Asian carp is one of the most threatening invasive species in the Great Lakes.

Alaska lake monster may have identity

Audrey Rabalais — Tue, 08 May 2012 16:41:32 +0000

An Alaskan biologist may have identified the “lake monster” in the state’s Lake Iliamna that has had reported sightings since the 1940s. “Illie” could be a sleeper shark, said Bruce Wright, a biologist at the Aleutian Pribilof Islands Association in Anchorage. However, he said, sleeper sharks do not break the surface of the water during the day, leaving some doubt to the identity of the lake monster. This summer, Wright will explore the lake to determine if sleeper sharks do live there.

Great Lakes states need stricter oil rules, report states

Audrey Rabalais — Tue, 01 May 2012 19:55:55 +0000

A report by the National Wildlife Federation and the University of Michigan Law School says that Great Lakes states need to create legislation to protect the lakes against oil spills. Authors of the report found that federal laws do not adequately manage the routing of oil pipelines and do not require spills to be reported.

The report was written in response to the 2010 oil spill in the Kalamazoo River and Talmadge Creek that released over 800,000 gallons of oil.

Algae used to clean Baltimore’s Inner Harbor

Audrey Rabalais — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 17:28:23 +0000

Though often seen as a villain in the realm of water quality, algae is being used in some areas such as Baltimore’s Inner Harbor to clean and restore water. Water is pumped over a long wooden gutter coated in algae. The algae feed on the nutrients and sediment in the water and increase oxygen in it, acting as scrubbers before the water returns to the harbor.

The algae could have other beneficial implications such as organic fertilizer or biofuel. Scientists would like to eventually create a larger scale algae scrubber to clean the Chesapeake Bay.

Product Spotlight: PONSEL DIGISENS sensors

Audrey Rabalais — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 17:02:56 +0000

PONSEL’s DIGISENS physiochemical sensors provide affordable measurement solutions for four different water quality parameters. Available to measure pH/ORP, conductivity, turbidity, and optical dissolved oxygen, these compact, robust sensors boast an IP68 rating, meaning they are protected against dust and submersion up to 50 feet.

The PHEHT combination pH/ORP sensor with field-replaceable sensor cartridge provides quality data in pure and high conductivity waters.

The C4E four-electrode conductivity sensor simulatenously measures temperature, conductivity, salinity, and total dissolved solids even in highly ionized samples.

For dissolved oxygen measurements, the OPTOD optical dissolved oxygen sensor features stirring-independent, interference-free optical luminescent technology that requires no membrane maintenance and minimizes calibration drift. It features a stainless steel, corrosion-resistant housing for use under harsh conditions in long-term monitoring applications.

The NTU turbidity sensor features ISO 7027 compliant IR optical sensing technology with optical fiber that requires little maintenance in long-term deployments. It features a non-consumptive PVC sensor for energy efficiency.

Each sensor includes both built-in Modbus RS-485 and SDI-12 outputs for interfacing with many popular devices. CALSENS Software offers a user-friendly interface for calibrating the sensors via any Windows-Based PC, and calibration history is stored within the sensors for plug-and-play connection without the need to recalibrate.

Texas lakes less than half full after rains

Audrey Rabalais — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 14:02:09 +0000

The Highland Lakes near Austin, Texas are less than half full, even after a March full of plentiful rain. Texas has been in a period of drought since last year, though rains this winter and spring have brought much of the state closer to normal water levels. However, Lake Travis and Lake Buchanan are at 48 percent capacity, compared to 71 percent at this time last year. They were as low as 37 percent at the end of last year.

African groundwater much greater than surface water

Kevin Rose — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 13:28:49 +0000

In many parts of the world, water supplies for human use often originate in lakes, constructed reservoirs or municipal wells. In less developed countries, communities often depend more on surface waters such as lakes, rivers and streams for water. However, in Africa, there aren’t many surface water supplies, meaning that water for agriculture and human consumption is very limited.

New research shows that the amount of groundwater available in Africa is more than 100 times greater than what is available from lakes, rivers, and other surface waters. This discovery could be critical to addressing the challenges of increased food demands and water use, set to increase rapidly over the next few decades with population growth and development. However, digging wells to access this groundwater will take international support and collaboration and still presents important challenges, and groundwater distribution is not uniform throughout the continent.