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Publication Details

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Operational Lake Erie Hypoxia Forecasting for Public Water Systems Decision Support

Author(s): Stowe, Craig A.

NCCOS Center: CSCOR

Name of Publisher: NOAA Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory

Place of Publication: Ann Arbor, MI

Publication Type: Abstract

Date of Publication: 2016

Reference Information: CSCOR CHRP Project Summary

Extent of Work: 1 p.

Keywords: hypoxia; Lake Erie; dissolved oxygen; forecasting; public water systems; potable water; drinking water; public health

Abstract: In Lake Erie, it is common for strong water quality differences to exist between surface and bottom water during summer stratification. Weather-driven dynamics during stratification can cause water intakes to be alternately exposed to surface or bottom water, requiring public water systems to adapt treatment processes to changing raw water quality. Surface water has higher pH, and may have high concentrations of phytoplankton, dissolved organic matter, and algal toxins. In contrast, the bottom water is usually hypoxic, with a low pH and elevated iron and manganese concentrations, requiring expensive treatment. To give public water systems advance warning of lake circulation events that are likely to cause changes in raw water quality the development of an operational dissolved oxygen forecast model for Lake Erie, coupled to an existing real-time, fine-scale hydrodynamic model is proposed. This coupled system will allow drinking water managers to prepare when conditions that promote hypoxic water movement into the vicinity of water intakes occur.

Availability: Available from NCCOS Publications Explorer and from the author.

Related Attachment: Download file (.pdf)


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