Program subject to change.
Workshop fees are separate from conference registration.
Conference registration is not required to attend a workshop.
Both NALMS members and non-members are invited to participate.
All times EST.
Jump to Friday workshops.
Collection, Identification, Ecology and Control of Freshwater Algae
12:00 pm – 4:00 pm // Registration is closed
Algae are an important part of a properly functioning natural aquatic system, but when algae become abundant, water uses and habitat are often impaired. Toxicity of algae has become a “hot button” issue, and other water quality implications and aesthetic considerations remain prominent issues. All algae were not created equal, however, and proper collection and identification are essential to selecting a management strategy. This workshop is intended to provide information on how to collect and recognize common genera within major groups of algae, with emphasis on taxonomic detail and identification approaches. The workshop also covers basic algal ecology and the methods used to control algae, but with only 4 hours, we can only introduce participants to issues and options.
The workshop is taught by Drs. Ken Wagner and Ann St. Amand, experienced algal taxonomists and ecologists working in applied fields. Collectively they have many years of experience assessing algal problems, evaluating impacts and causes of algal nuisances, and developing algal management programs.
Presenters
Ann St. Amand (co-chair) holds a Ph.D. in Aquatic Ecology from the University of Notre Dame. She has 35 years of experience identifying and enumerating over 42,000 algal samples from all over North America. Her company uses a unique proprietary mounting method, and custom software containing information on nearly 34,000 different aquatic organisms.
Ken Wagner (co-chair) holds a B.A. in Environmental Biology from Dartmouth College and M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Natural Resource Management from Cornell University. He has taught an algal workshop in association with the North American Lake Management Society for over 25 years, working cooperatively with expert phycologists and ecologists.
Barry Rosen has a B.S. in Botany from University of Connecticut, Storrs, M.A. in Biology from St. Cloud State University, Minnesota, and Ph. D. in Biology from Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, Ohio. He has worked in algae in freshwater ecosystems for the past 40 years. Barry has been affiliated with several federal and state agencies, the private sector, and currently Florida Gulf Coast University. He has lived in several states including Virginia, Nebraska, Florida, Oregon, Vermont, Michigan, North Carolina and now Florida, working on HABs nationwide.
Andrew Chapman has been a phycologist with GreenWater Laboratories since its inception in 2001. Received B.S. in Biology from Susquehanna University in 1990 and a M.S. in Botany from the University of Oklahoma in 1993. Masters research was on freshwater dinoflagellates. Since moving to Florida in 1993 Andy has been particularly interested in the ecology and taxonomy of potentially toxic cyanobacteria.
Introduction to R for Aquatic Research (Beginners)
12:00 pm – 3:00 pm // Registration is closed
We are pleased to offer two R workshop sessions this year on Monday, November 16 and Friday, November 20. The Monday session will be an introduction to R as a functional, vectorized, and object-oriented programming language. It will cover R syntax (e.g., how to read and write R code), types of variables and objects, functions, basic data management (e.g., loading, referencing, manipulation, transformation, and subsets), basic descriptive statistics, and working with R packages. The Friday session will build on these techniques for an Intermediate R Workshop. Topics will include more advanced data management, an overview of common statistical tools in R, and plotting utilities. Those less familiar with R should plan on attending both sessions if interested in the Intermediate R workshop, but those who have some experience using R could consider skipping the Monday session and join on Friday. Laptop computers are required for both sessions. All software is freely available and should be installed prior to the workshop. Please see this page for software installation instructions.
Presenters
Sarah Burnet is a PhD candidate at the University of Idaho, and the former NALMS Student Director. Her research is focused on internal loading of phosphorus leading to algal blooms.
Dan Stich is an Assistant Professor in the Biology Department at SUNY Oneonta, where he teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in biometry, lake management, and ichthyology. He works extensively with R in research and teaching and maintains multiple R packages.
Smart Salting to Protect Lakes, Streams and Groundwater
12:00 pm – 4:00 pm // Registration is closed
Chloride from salt used in winter maintenance is polluting surface and groundwater. In Minnesota, 50 lakes and stream reaches are impaired for chloride, and road salt is the largest source. Modeled after the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency’s Smart Salting training, this workshop will cover the impacts of road salt, and policies and practices to reduce the environmental impacts of salt use. This workshop will provide a high level look at winter maintenance best management practices, covering information water resource professionals should know to help reduce chloride impacts from winter maintenance practices.
Presenters
Connie Fortin is the president and owner of Fortin Consulting, an environmental consulting firm. Her company works in a variety of ways to protect water quality. Fortin Consulting has developed the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency’s nationally recognized winter maintenance training programs and training materials, 22 ClearRoads winter maintenance training modules, developed training for the State of Michigan and the City of Madison Wisconsin. Fortin Consulting has trained over 15,000 professionals in winter maintenance with reduced environmental impacts. Connie initiated the “Road Salt Symposium” 20 years ago which has evolved into the Salt Symposium as the topics have expanded to include salt reduction strategies for fertilizer, water softening, dust suppressants and deicing. Connie believes that all voices and points of views are necessary in order for us to reduce our salt use. Industry and government must work together to forge a sustainable path forward and she actively works to bring these entities together to work on the chloride problem.
Carolyn Dindorf is a limnologist and Vice President of Fortin Consulting, Inc. She holds a BA with double majors in biology and chemistry and an MA in biology with a limnology emphasis. Carolyn worked for the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and a Soil & Water Conservation District prior to joining Fortin Consulting, where she has worked for 17 years. Carolyn has been working on chloride issues and best management practices for over 25 years. She develops and teaches professional training for winter and turfgrass maintenance with the purpose of reducing chloride and other pollutants. Carolyn has also authored or co-authored several publications on winter and turfgrass maintenance and other topics.
Brooke Asleson has worked at the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency since 2007 where she works collaboratively with federal, state, local partners, and research institutions to protect Minnesota’s water resources. Since 2009 Brooke has been working on chloride and water quality issues at the MPCA. The core of that work has been developing partnerships with a wide variety of professionals to develop strategies that reduce chloride while maintaining public needs. Prior to working for the MPCA, she obtained her Master’s degree in Water Resources Science from the University of Minnesota.
Stormwater Management for Lake Managers
12:00 pm – 4:00 pm // Registration is closed
This workshop is designed for students, lake managers, lake community residents and applied limnologists interested in learning more about the management of stormwater management for lake communities.
The objectives of the workshop are as follows:
Provide attendees with a basic introduction to the hydrologic and hydraulic principles of stormwater management.
Identify the role and fundamental importance of stormwater management as part of a long-term lake restoration plan.
Present and discuss the common green infrastructure stormwater management techniques that can be implemented in lake communities at both lot-specific (small) and community-wide (regional) scales.
Discuss the basic design and construction specifications and the maintenance requirements for the more commonly implemented green infrastructure stormwater management techniques used in lake communities.
Provide real world examples of the more commonly implemented green infrastructure stormwater management techniques.
The overarching goal of the workshop is to demonstrate the importance of implementing ecologically appropriate, cost-effective green infrastructure stormwater management techniques as part of a comprehensive lake restoration plan.
Through this workshop attendees will:
Increase their understanding of how stormwater impacts lake ecosystems and the application of green infrastructure stormwater management techniques to lessen those impacts.
Be introduced to the hydrologic and applied ecology principles of green infrastructure stormwater management.
Gain an understanding of the application of hydrology, hydraulics and stormwater management in the long-term restoration of lake ecosystems.
Learn about the green infrastructure techniques used in urban and suburban settings to control and abate stormwater impacts, with emphasis placed on applications being utilized by lake managers, landscape architects, and water resource engineers throughout the country.
Presenter
Dr. Stephen J. Souza is the owner of Clean Waters Consulting, LLC. Steve is the founder of Princeton Hydro, LLC and served as the company’s president prior to his recent retirement in 2019. He has over 35 years of project experience managing and restoring lakes, ponds and reservoirs. Dr. Souza received his B.S. from the University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth, his M.S. from Rutgers University, and his Ph.D. from the University of Connecticut.
Steve is a past president of the North American Lake Management Society (NALMS) and the Pennsylvania Lake Management Society (PALMS). He was the recipient of the NALMS Lake Management Success Story Award (2017) and the NYS Federation of Lake Association Lake Tear of the Clouds Award (2018).
Working with Sensors and Analyzing Sensor Data
12:00 pm – 2:00 pm // Registration is closed
This will be a shorter update session of our 2019 workshop where knowledge and expertise were shared by researchers and monitoring professionals working with automated sensors and analyzing, visualizing, and QAQC’ing continuous data in R, including rLakeAnalyzer, ContDataQC, and other tools. PDFs from the 2019 workshop will be provided in advance to registered participants to review the workshop coverage from last year if they wish. The workshop will target a technical audience at an advanced level, including participants who are already working with sensors and/or monitoring and research networks or are interested in getting more involved.
Presenters
Jen Stamp is an aquatic ecologist with Tetra Tech’s Center for Ecological Sciences, where she has worked since 2007. She works on a wide range of projects, including the Regional Monitoring Networks (RMNs), bioassessment, climate change, condition assessments in coastal and freshwater ecosystems, causal assessment/stressor identification, statistical analyses and GIS mapping. Prior to working at Tetra Tech, she worked for the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation, Biomonitoring and Aquatic Studies Unit. She received her MS at Ohio University and her BA from Dartmouth College.
Erik Leppo has worked for Tetra Tech for over 25 years. He analyzes data and provides technical support to clients in all aspects of data management, data quality management, GIS data processing and analysis, data analysis, taxonomic quality control, and field collection. Recent projects have involved using R programming and shiny apps on national conductivity, index calculation, causal assessment, continuous data QC, and USEPA’s Data Discovery Tool. He is experienced with taxonomic quality control comparisons, data QA/QC, developing reference condition benchmarks, data analysis, and tool development for biological condition gradient.
Kellie Merrell is an aquatic ecologist with the Vermont Lakes and Ponds Management and Protection Program. She has been monitoring Vermont’s inland lakes for compliance with the Clean Water Act since 2001. Prior to working on lakes she worked for EPA monitoring estuaries as part of the Mid-Atlantic Integrated Assessment. She also worked in Environmental Consulting. She received her MS at University of Maryland’s Horn Point Laboratory studying the freshwater plant Vallisneria americana.
Tim Martin is the Long-Term Monitoring Data Specialist for the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (MNDNR) Sentinel Lakes Program. He is responsible for planning, coordinating, directing, and implementing the management, sharing, and visualization of the data collected through this program as well as data analysis and assisting in field work and program management. Prior to working for the MNDNR, he was a GIS Project Manager. He received his MS in Water Resources Science at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities and his BS from Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama.
Leslie J. Matthews, Ph.D., has worked in the Vermont DEC Watershed Management Division since 2005, most recently in the Lakes and Ponds Management and Protection Program. When not in the field monitoring lakes, she focuses on organizing and analyzing Vermont’s inland lake data and creating web-based tools for data access and visualization.
Nicole Ward is a Ph.D. Candidate at Virginia Tech. She studies human-freshwater interactions and is particularly interested in the intersection of decision-making, land use, and water quality. Currently, Nicole’s research is focused on Lake Sunapee, where she has been working with the Lake Sunapee Protective Association (LSPA) to bridge ecosystem science and watershed management. Nicole earned a M.S. degree in Water Resources Science and Management at the University of Idaho, where her research focused on agricultural land management, hillslope hydrology, and farm policy.
Kiyoko Yokota is a limnologist with a particular interest in phytoplankton population dynamics. She teaches undergraduate and graduate limnology, lake management, and other biology courses at State University of New York at Oneonta and volunteers for Otsego Lake Association. She graduated with a B.S. (biology w/ ecology emphasis) from Saint Cloud State University in Minnesota and qualified as an Associate Professional Engineer (As.P.E.Jp) while working for a civil engineering consultancy in Tokyo, Japan, on projects related to new dam construction proposals and management of existing reservoirs. Kiyoko earned a Ph.D. in Ecology, Evolution and Behavior from University of Minnesota and completed a short-term postdoctoral training at Netherland Institute for Ecology (NIOO-KNAW) before she started to teach full time.
Ecology of Cyanobacteria
12:00 pm – 4:00 pm // Registration is closed
This workshop explores the complex interactions that regulate the growth, distribution, and productivity of cyanobacteria in lakes. With the increasing predominance of cyanobacteria blooms around the world, understanding the ecology of these organisms and their relationship to other phytoplankton is more important than ever before. This workshop dissects cyanobacteria blooms from the inside out. Beginning with the physiology of phytoplankton and how cyanobacteria stand out with specific physiological advantages (such as gas vacuoles) over the other plankton groups. The success both tactically and strategically of cyanobacteria to use advantages requires an understanding of the complex interaction between the phytoplankton and lake water. The workshop switches gears to discuss the unique properties of water that make lakes what they are and how the fate of heat and light are the pivotal structural aspects that regulate distribution and succession of all plankton. The final section of the workshop will organize the presented material into a concise set of conditions that lead to blooms, the different types of blooms that can form, how cyanobacteria blooms perpetuate themselves, and how global warming is making it certain that there will be more blooms, that will last longer in the future.
Presenters
George W. Knoecklein stated his limnological education at Unity College in Unity Maine, where he took part in one of the first studies of Unity Pond. George continued his education at Michigan State University where he earned a Master of Science in limnology while working on US EPA Clean Lakes projects at Lake Lansing, Michigan, and Skinner Lake, Indiana. After finishing his MS degree, George moved to the desolation of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan in January of 1982 where he was involved in quantifying impacts to the St. Mary’s River ecosystem due to ice breaking winter shipping lanes. George moved back to Connecticut in 1985 to pursue a career in lake management. In 1997, George earned a PhD in limnology from Peter Rich at the University of Connecticut. That year he founded Northeast Aquatic Research, a consulting firm specializing in assisting lake stakeholders understand and manage the threats of invasive aquatic plants and cyanobacteria.
Hillary Kenyon Garovoy is a Certified Lake Manager and Soil Scientist with Northeast Aquatic Research. She holds an undergraduate B.S. Environmental Science degree from the University of Connecticut and a M.S. Plant and Soil Science degree from the University of Massachusetts. She finds all topics in natural sciences fascinating, but Hillary’s favorite limnological subject is internal nutrient loading from subaqueous soils and sediments. When not out on lakes for water quality monitoring or aquatic plant surveying, Hillary is usually either hiking, diving, or gardening.
Introduction to R for Aquatic Research (Advanced)
12:00 pm – 3:00 pm // Registration is closed
We are pleased to offer two R workshop sessions this year on Monday, November 16 and Friday, November 20. The Monday session will be an introduction to R as a functional, vectorized, and object-oriented programming language. It will cover R syntax (e.g., how to read and write R code), types of variables and objects, functions, basic data management (e.g., loading, referencing, manipulation, transformation, and subsets), basic descriptive statistics, and working with R packages. The Friday session will build on these techniques for an Intermediate R Workshop. Topics will include more advanced data management, an overview of common statistical tools in R, and plotting utilities. Those less familiar with R should plan on attending both sessions if interested in the Intermediate R workshop, but those who have some experience using R could consider skipping the Monday session and join on Friday. Laptop computers are required for both sessions. All software is freely available and should be installed prior to the workshop. Please see this page for software installation instructions.
Presenters
Sarah Burnet is a PhD candidate at the University of Idaho, and the former NALMS Student Director. Her research is focused on internal loading of phosphorus leading to algal blooms.
Dan Stich is an Assistant Professor in the Biology Department at SUNY Oneonta, where he teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in biometry, lake management, and ichthyology. He works extensively with R in research and teaching and maintains multiple R packages.
Telling Your Lake Story with Story Maps
12:00 pm – 4:00 pm // Registration is closed
The scientific, volunteer, and lake management communities have historically invested significant time and money into collecting and analyzing data about lake characteristics. While graphs, charts, and traditional reports have their role in sharing information about your lake or watershed, stories are a more powerful way to engage a range of audiences and stakeholders. Using a tool like Esri Story Maps to connect with audiences in a compelling online format for free (or nearly so) without any coding knowledge can dramatically enhance and expand your ability to communicate about your lake.
This session will focus on helping participants learn to share information about their lakes and watersheds through Esri Story Maps (for examples, see http://bit.ly/StoryMapTypes). Participants will learn the basics about how to create Story Maps and will have the chance to either build a demo map using provided content or start building their maps with their own content. No previous experience in GIS or Story Maps is required to attend this session.
Presenter
Shane Bradt is a specialist in geospatial technologies and water quality for Cooperative Extension at the University of New Hampshire. He has been teaching geospatial workshops for Extension since 2001 and started his specialist position in 2006. Shane is also part of the Lakes Lay Monitoring Program and the Cyanobacteria Monitoring Collaborative and is a member of the Department of Geography and the Department of Biological Sciences at UNH.
Volunteer Lake Monitoring: A Train-the-Trainers Workshop
12:00 pm – 2:00 pm // Registration is closed
During this workshop, we introduce newly refined tools used by volunteers to monitor lake health and harmful algal blooms, and we provide an opportunity for community science organizations to compare approaches to organizing, training, and supporting volunteers.
Tools featured include the NALMS Secchi Dip-In AWQMS database and the Cyanobacteria Monitoring Collaborative’s bloomWatch app. Volunteers can use the AWQMS database to import their Secchi Dip-In results from all over North America and then compare their data with that of others through the use of various visualization tools. The bloomWatch app has the capability to capture real-time information about cyanobacteria and other Harmful Algal Blooms through the convenience of your smartphone.
Community science and monitoring programs featured during the workshop range from well-established to newly-organized. We hope participants will contribute descriptions of their own programs, including both success and challenges. Throughout this virtual workshop there will be opportunities for participants to interact with workshop leaders.
Presenters
Alex Heppner has been with the AWQMS team for over seven years. With a BS in Environmental Science and years of sampling and reporting experience as a staff scientist in his home state of Pennsylvania, Alex gives a unique “real world” perspective when it comes to all things AWQMS. He has facilitated the migration of millions of records to the Water Quality Portal and has assisted organizations across the country QA/QC, assess, analyze, and submit their environmental data.
Maggie Reilly has been an intern for the North American Lake Management Society and the Kentucky Division of Water since June 2020. She graduated from the Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources at the University of Vermont with a major in Environmental Science and concentration in Water Resources. During 2020, she has been working with community volunteers to aid with the AWQMS database and the bloomWatch app.
Angela Shambaugh is an aquatic biologist recently retired from the Lakes and Ponds Program (VT Dept. of Environmental Conservation). Since moving to Vermont in 1986, she has been working in the fields of water quality and plankton ecology for private consultants, the University of Vermont, and the State of Vermont. In those roles, she participated in the development of a cyanobacteria monitoring protocol for Lake Champlain, one of the largest and most physically diverse lakes in the northeastern US. In its current form, the monitoring protocol is used for all waterbodies in Vermont and aspects of it have been adopted by other states in the region. Angela currently serves as co-chair of the NALMS Inland HABs Committee. In the image above, Angela is shown facing us. Meg Modley is modeling a shawl Angela created for the NALMS 2019 Silent Auction.
Lori Fisher serves as Executive Director of the Lake Champlain Committee, a bi-state, non-profit organization working to improve and protect the health of Lake Champlain for all those who depend on the lake for drinking water, recreation, and transportation. Lori is the author of Volunteer Coordination and Training for the Lake Champlain Cyanobacteria Monitoring Program (Lake Champlain Basin Program, 2019).
Lisa Borre has worked for 30 years to conserve and manage lakes and wetlands around the world. She is currently a Senior Research Specialist at the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies where she is coordinator of the Global Lake Ecological Observatory Network (GLEON) and the Lake Observer mobile app project. Lisa is president-elect of NALMS.
Perry Thomas is an aquatic ecologist who brings to her work a passion for connecting organizations with research findings and innovative tools to inform clean water actions. She is currently an environmental scientist with the Kentucky Division of Water, an active member of the Ohio River Basin Alliance, and technical advisor to the Kentucky Volunteer Lake Monitoring Program. Perry is the outgoing president of NALMS.
Tracy Lizotte is an Environmental Analyst for the CT Department of Energy and Environmental Protection Water Bureau’s Monitoring and Assessment Section. As an Environmental Analyst, Tracy works on various projects that include managing the Bathing Beach Water monitoring program, Cyanobacteria monitoring, and monitoring to determine if Connecticut’s rivers, streams, and lakes comply with the Clean Water Act. Tracy is also part of the Cyanobacteria Monitoring Collaborative. Before joining CT DEEP, she worked for New England Bioassay for 9 years, managing and working on various aspects of performing aquatic toxicology work.