1. Lake Erie CSMI: Assessment of Nutrient/Eutrophication Dynamics in Western Lake Erie

2. Project Description
Nutrient loading to the western basin of Lake Erie has been recognized as a pivotal component in the re-occurrence of harmful and nuisance algal blooms.
Objective: Improve current understanding of the roles of external and internal nutrient loading, especially as influenced by weather forcing events.
Project includes:
in situ experiments
laboratory studies
modeling
Outputs and Outcomes:
Nutrient mass budgets for the western basin
Internal nutrient cycling budgets
Improved understanding of the causes of algal blooms
Training future scientists

3. Participants Lead Investigator: Lake Erie Commission (Gail Hesse)
Science coordinator: Tom Bridgeman
Education and Outreach Coordinators: Jeff Reutter (Ohio Sea Grant), Jan Ciborowski (U. Windsor)
Participating investigators
Case Western Reserve: Gerald Matisoff
Limnotech: Joe DePinto, Ed Verhamme
The Ohio State University: Justin Chaffin, Matt Thomas & divers
NCWQR: Laura Johnson, Rem Confesor, Pete Richards
USGS - Great Lakes Science Center: Mary Anne Evans & divers
U. Toledo: Ricky Becker, Christine Mayer, Youngwoo Seo, Song Qian

4. Three Subprojects
Sub-Project 1: Quantifying the internal nutrient loads to the water column in the western basin
Benthic (bottom) chamber studies
Lab-based sediment core incubations

5. Subprojects
Sub-Project 2: : Evaluating the important factors of river hydrology and/or seasonality of loads to harmful algal bloom formation and dynamics in the western basin of Lake Erie, including the effects of storm and other meteorological/climatological forcing events
Quantify N and P loads using:
Bayesian Hierarchical SPARROW model (BH-SPARROW) fit for the Great Lakes region
SWAT models calibrated for the Maumee and Sandusky River basins

6. Subprojects
Sub-Project 3: Developing a nutrient mass budget for the western basin of Lake Erie which includes sub-watersheds AND overall modeling synthesis
Apply the Western Lake Erie Ecosystem Model:
Use input data generated by Subprojects 1 and 2
Output transport and fate of Phosphorus
TP due to point sources dropped following the GLWQA. Met target of 11K