Researchers Sheila Christopher and Kim Irvine received funding for two projects:
Sheila Christopher -- Great Lakes Research Consortium -- Phosphorus and Nitrogen Modeling -- $9,009
Symptoms of eutrophication have returned to Lake Erie in recent years. Unfortunately, large- scale monitoring of nutrients, particularly phosphorus (P), in Lake Erie, ceased after 2002. Also, little information is available for nitrogen (N) loading in Lake Erie. Several regional and national groups are advocating stronger management plans with respect to nutrient loads. In particular, baseline monitoring of tributaries to Lake Erie is needed to elucidate the major nutrient sources in watersheds, to develop lake-wide and watershed models, and to make sound management decisions. This project will provide baseline monitoring of P and N loading in the Cattaraugus Creek Watershed (CCW), a major tributary to Lake Erie, in order to calibrate and validate a nutrient loading model (Soil Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) Model). This project also will assess how land use and climate change will affect P and N loading, via SWAT model predictions. The model can then be used 1) as input to a lake-wide model and 2) for managers to make informed decisions about nutrient management such as developing remediation plans to reduce future excessive nutrient loading.
Kim Irvine -- Malcolm Pirnie Inc. -- Phase 2 Long Term Control Plan Receiving Water Quality Sampling Program -- $155,446
This work plan describes the locations and methodologies that will be used by the Buffalo Sewer Authority (BSA) to gather water quality data for the receiving water bodies. The water quality data collected under this plan will be used together with the receiving stream and combined sewer overflows (CSO) discharge water quality data collected under the initial project for calibration and validation of the receiving water quality models, in order to examine the impacts of CSOs on the water bodies.
