Harmful Algal Blooms:
Facing a Rising Threat The summer of 2019 will long be remembered for the epidemic of harmful algal blooms (HAB) that caused lengthy closures at the summer tourist destinations of Lake Hopatcong and Greenwood Lake, and the Manasquan Reservoir, a critical drinking water source for several Jersey Shore towns. The growing frequency of HABs presents a threat with both economic and public health dimensions, as the toxins produced by the microorganisms in these events have been known to cause fish kills, make humans sick and even kill pets upon contact. With grant support from the Jules J. Plangere, Jr. Family Foundation, Dr. Jason Adolf and student researchers from his Phytoplankton and Harmful Algal Bloom Lab (PHAB Lab) are working with Monmouth County communities and the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection to study the problem in coastal lakes and their tributaries. Their research is helping build a better understanding of why blooms occur in these waters so future events can be predicted and prevented.
Residents from several Shore communities took part in a spring Coastal Lakes Summit at Monmouth University to kick off the Coastal Lakes Observing Network project.
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//URBAN COAST INSTITUTE
Through a citizen science initiative called the Coastal Lakes Observing Network (CLONet), Adolf and his students are training Shore residents to conduct regular water sampling and file their results to an online database, where each lake’s data could be analyzed. In the summer and fall, the volunteers collected nearly 200 water samples from Deal Lake, Lake Como, Lake Takanassee, Spring Lake, Sunset Lake, Sylvan Lake and Wesley Lake, recording information including water temperatures, oxygen levels, pH and weather conditions at the time of their sampling. Conferences were held on campus in the spring to kick off the project and the fall for the citizen scientists to share lessons learned.
