Algae and water quality issues in Ohio affect—and are affected by--more than Lake Erie and the big reservoirs.
That’s why scientists from Ohio State and several conservation agencies have launched a pilot project to work with group-owned ponds and small lakes. The idea is to provide them management tools and expertise commonly available for water-quality monitoring in major lakes and, due to special programs, individually owned ponds.
Eugene Braig is program director of Aquatic Ecosystems at Ohio State.
“This under-represented, under-served population of private ponds and lakes that have multiple owners are in between sizes. So, they don’t necessarily have access to professional management.
"This project is an effort to start reaching out to this group and hopefully help them manage their sites.”
Helps two ways
The project will train and provide easy-to-use tools for local monitoring and reporting of small-lake water quality, which can also help with management of the region’s watershed.
It’s free and is offered through the OSU Extension Services.
