New Jersey Section of American Water Resources Association (NJ-AWRA)
Innovative Monitoring and Management Strategies for Cyanobacteria Harmful Algal Booms (HABs)
Virtual Seminar
Time: 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm
Date: Thursday, June 20th, 2024
Fred S. Lubnow, Ph.D. - Princeton Hydro
It has been recognized that many planktonic and benthic forms of cyanobacteria, the group of algae that have the potential to produce both surface scums and cyanotoxins or other similar compounds, frequently originate from the sediments. Additionally, climate change and the associated extreme weather events contribute to larger and more frequent HAB events, occurring earlier in the spring and lasting well into the fall and even early winter. Driving all of this growth is the availability of nutrients such as phosphorus and nitrogen. Given these circumstances, some innovative monitoring and management measures should be considered, in addition to more conventional options such as watershed-based nutrient reduction and increased circulation / flushing. This presentation will review a number of innovative monitoring approaches to HABs such as assessments of overwintering algae, remote sensing, drones, the use of supplemental pigments and qPCR. In turn, these approaches can lead to innovative management strategies such as in-reservoir nutrient reduction, treatments that occur earlier in the year, the use of non-copper-based products and benthic applications.
This Virtual Seminar is qualified for 1 AICP CM self-reporting credit
This meeting is a virtual meeting, link to be provided to attendees via email upon registration.
Speaker Bio:
Dr. Fred S. Lubnow is the Senior Technical Director of Ecological Services at Princeton Hydro, and the office manager of the Exton, Pennsylvania office. Dr. Lubnow received his Bachelor of Science in Biology from Susquehanna University (1988), his Master’s degree in Environmental Sciences (1992) and his Ph.D. in Limnology (1994), both from the University of California Davis. Dr. Lubnow has been an environmental consultant for 30 years. His areas of expertise include the management of Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs) and their associated cyanotoxins, in-lake management strategies and the development of watershed-based management plans. Dr. Lubnow is an adjunct professor at Delaware Valley University, Doylestown, PA where he has been teaching a course and laboratory on Watershed Management since 2016. He is also an adjunct professor at Villanova University, PA where he teaches a graduate course on Freshwater Ecology.
In addition, Dr. Lubnow developed a professionally credited course for PA DEP on the Management and Monitoring of HABs and Cyanotoxins in Raw Water Supplies. Dr. Lubnow is also one of the members of New Jersey’s HAB Expert Team who are conducting data and literature reviews on HABs in order to develop strategies on how to holistically address such conditions in freshwater systems in New Jersey.
