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Excessive algae of many types can cause damage to aquatic ecosystems and create human health issues as harmful algae blooms (HAB). Best known in freshwater are the cyanobacteria, which can form surface scums, release toxins, and adversely alter water quality. Very real costs can be associated with contaminated drinking water, impaired recreational uses, loss of fish and wildlife, reduced property value and decreased tax base. HAB and the causes of them cross geographic and political boundaries and have similar impacts across the USA, making their management worthy of national attention. HAB are fueled by warmer water and increased nutrient levels, the latter both from watershed inputs and recycling of long-term legacy inputs within lakes. Monitoring initiatives over the last decade have gained valuable insights and we now have multiple tools for preventing or controlling HAB. Success with watershed management is possible but may be limited by intense land use. Management within lakes is entirely possible through multiple proven technologies. Implementation on a national scale is lagging, however, and requires greater support and coordination at the federal level.

Presenter: Ken Wagner, Ph.D., holds degrees from Dartmouth College and Cornell University, with his Ph.D. earned in Natural Resource Management in 1985.  He has over 40 years of experience working on a variety of water resources assessment and management projects, including lake, reservoir, river and watershed assessment, rehabilitation, and management, regulatory processes, and educational programs.  In 2010 he started Water Resource Services, a small company with a focus on water supply protection and lake management consulting. He is a former President of the North American Lake Management Society and former Editor in Chief of Lake and Reservoir Management, a peer-reviewed journal.