All times PST.
Program subject to change.
Workshop fees are separate from conference registration.
Conference registration is not required to attend a workshop.
Workshops are offered in person only.
Updated 28 October 2024

Registration closed on Friday, October 25th.

Algae and Cyanobacteria Blooms: Track, Identify and Predict
1:00 pm – 5:00 pm | $125 | Registration has closed

Ecology of Cyanobacteria
8:00 am – 5:00 pm | $225 | Registration has closed

Identification, Ecology, and Control of Algae
8:00 am – 5:00 pm | $250 | Registration has closed

Integrating Environmental DNA (eDNA) into Lake Management Strategies
8:00 am – 12:00 pm | $125 | Registration has closed

Lake Mapping with Consumer Sonar and BioBase: Survey Design and Analysis Tips
8:00 am – 12:00 pm | $125 | Registration has closed

Sediment Phosphorus Inactivation in Lakes and Ponds
8:00 am – 5:00 pm | $225 |Registration has closed

Using ArcGIS Dashboards to Share and Explore Lake Data
1:00 pm – 5:00 pm | $125 |Registration has closed

Using ArcGIS StoryMaps to Share Your Lake With the World
8:00 am – 12:00 pm | $125 |Registration has closed

Algae and Cyanobacteria Blooms: Track, Identify and Predict

1:00 pm – 5:00 pm | $125

Cyanobacteria have the potential to produce harmful toxins which can cause adverse health effects in humans and animals. Monitoring tools are needed to assess environmental conditions and stop blooms in their nascent stages. This workshop will provide a comprehensive introduction to integrated harmful algal bloom (HAB) monitoring, from the reservoir to the lab. Participants will gain practical skills in the use of three early-detection HAB screening systems that provide different and complementary information: an online multi-parameter measuring & reporting system, an automated flow imaging microscope and a quantitative PCR assay. The workshop will begin with introductions and a brief power point overview of each technology. This will be followed by a 30-minute presentation from a guest speaker utilizing all three technologies as part of their monitoring plan. Next, we’ll turn to the instruments and provide a hands on demonstration using live samples (where possible) so that attendees can compare the information provided by each method.

Samples of cyanobacteria in various concentrations will be analyzed to illustrate the hardware and software of the AlgaeTracker. Participants will learn how to calibrate field data to lab results and verify the accuracy of live readings obtained from samples. Throughout the workshop, attention will be given to potential challenges of fluorescence-based readings, with discussion focusing on potential and actual solutions. Tips for easy field deployment, maintenance, and data sharing will be discussed with group participation encouraged.

We will discuss variables like sampling methodology, preservation, location, and settings on FlowCam imagery and data. We will use the instruments software to identify dominant organisms in the sample and create libraries and filters. Participants will be encouraged to ask questions regarding the technology’s benefits and limitations. Throughout the workshop, we’ll point out similarities and differences between flow-through imaging and traditional microscopy, as well as basic plankton identification using semi-automated techniques.

Using the same technology for testing for Covid, workshop attendees will learn how to run a quantitative PCR test. The Phytoxigene™ CyanoDTec is a molecular (DNA) based technology (Real Time PCR) that detects and quantifies the presence of Cyanobacteria, blue green algae, and their toxin producing genes in aquatic environments. Not all Cyanobacteria species produce toxins, therefore the presence of an algal bloom does not immediately defer a risk of toxins being present. The Phytoxigene™ test quantitates both the amount of overall Cyanobacteria present in a water sample along with the number of genes that are responsible for the production of the toxins, including microcystin, cylindrospermopsin, saxitoxin, anatoxin* and guanotoxin* (*new assay in 2023)

Presenters

AquaRealTime: Chris Lee is co-founder and CEO of AquaRealTime. He has a PhD in Electrical Engineering and 15 years experience developing new monitoring products in the water and algae monitoring space. Chris is also a runner and skier, and loves spending time at his family cottage on Sparrow Lake north of Toronto.​

Yokogawa Fluid Imaging Technologies: Polly Barrowman is the Water Markets Manager at Yokogawa Fluid Imaging Technologies. She works closely with freshwater researchers and drinking water utilities worldwide, helping them to implement FlowCam technology into their phytoplankton research and monitoring programs. ​

Phytoxigene: Greg Ford is the Director of Development for Phytoxigene working with customers in Canada and the USA in this capacity since 2016. He started in the field of Aquatic Toxicology before working in biotech and diagnostics before joining Phytoxigene.

Ecology of Cyanobacteria

8:00 am – 5:00 pm | $225

This workshop demystifies cyanobacteria and the blooms they form. It includes a technical examination of how a handful of cyanobacteria use unique adaptations to take full advantage of the structure of lakes, thereby becoming a co-conspirator in the eutrophication process, inevitably leading to formation of surface blooms. The workshop begins by briefly outlining the three different groups of cyanobacteria, explaining how the specific adaptation of buoyancy regulation separates them from other phytoplankton. Buoyancy will be covered in detail, including the initial discovery and subsequent experimentation leading to our understanding of vacuoles, vesicles, formation triggers, and collapse curves. Buoyancy will be demonstrated as the primary adaptation enabling an organism to exert control over its environment.

Lake structure is explored next, through the lens of a lake as an environment for phytoplankton, including the specific aspects of thermal dynamics that cyanobacteria take advantage of. This section begins with a review of properties of water, including density, viscosity, redox, pH, light, oxygen, dissolved gases, and carbonate. It will then explore how the dynamics of heat and light are the pivotal structural aspects that regulate distribution and succession of all plankton. The density anomaly is considered specifically to illustrate its role as the master variable that regulates distribution of just about everything in lakes. The distribution of heat in lakes, including convection, turbulent flow, and density gradients, will be discussed to illustrate how wind and light stratify a lake by establishing an epilimnion. This section concludes with a review of community phytoplankton ecology, including law of the minimum, paradox of the plankton, competitive exclusion principal, Reynolds numbers, niche space, photosynthetic efficiency, r- vs K- selection, nutrient uptake rates, and predation.

The final section of the workshop will return to buoyancy and how cyanobacteria use it to regulate their position in the water column to maximize uptake of nutrients and light. Through the mechanism of buoyancy, cyanobacteria have the capacity to transform the elevated phosphorus levels associated with cultural eutrophication into the characteristic conditions observed in eutrophic lakes. This section of the workshop will present theoretical models for both the seasonal succession of phytoplankton in lakes and the theoretical bloom space models for predicting habitats suitable for cyanobacteria dominance. The different types of blooms will be discussed, along with the inevitability of shore scum, and how global warming is making it certain that there will be more blooms, that will last longer.

The workshop ends with a brief discussion of lake management alternatives used to mitigate cyanobacteria blooms. Concepts behind methods such as Alum, aeration, circulation, and algaecides will be discussed in the context of short-circuiting cyanobacteria growth.

Presenter

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. George moved back to Connecticut in 1985 to pursue a career in lake management working for Ecosystem Consulting Service until earning a PhD in limnology from Peter Rich at the University of Connecticut. That year he founded Northeast Aquatic Research in 1997, a limnological consulting firm specializing in assisting lake stakeholders understand and manage the threats of invasive aquatic plants and cyanobacteria. NEAR has worked on over 100 in Connecticut area lakes, some consistently for over 20 years.

Identification, Ecology, and Control of Algae

8:00 am – 5:00 pm | $250 | Registration is full

The algae workshop has been given at most NALMS conferences since 1991 and while it has evolved over time to meet current needs, it remains an introduction to algae as pertains to lake management. The workshop provides an introduction to the groups of algae that occur in fresh water, how they are identified, the ecology that governs how blooms may occur, and possible means for control. Lectures are interspersed with microscope time to allow participants to view specimens and get personal instruction regarding identification. The typical lectures given include methods for collection and analysis of algae samples, taxonomy of each algal group (such as cyanobacteria, chlorophytes, etc., with microscope time devoted to each major group), the ecological processes that determine algae abundance, common blooms in macroscopic and microscopic view, cyanobacteria structures and toxins, and methods of algae control in lake management. The workshop is open to all, but those with a science background will get more out of it. As the amount of material covered is substantial, the workshop is tailored to the interests of attendees, so early sign up is encouraged to allow us time to find out what you most need. Extensive materials, including the lectures and supporting documents, are provided on a flash drive to each attendee.

Presenters

Ken Wagner holds degrees from Dartmouth College and Cornell University. His focus has been on aquatic ecology and water resource management for over 50 years. He has taught an algal workshop in association with the North American Lake Management Society for over 30 years, working cooperatively with expert phycologists and ecologists to make this difficult area of study accessible to professionals in water management businesses and agencies. Dr. Wagner currently directs water resources projects mostly in the areas of water supply and recreational lakes.

Barry Rosen works on the taxonomy and physiology of cyanobacteria, with current emphasis on Florida and the Everglades. He is conducting studies on the survival, community dynamics and the onset of toxin production by cyanobacteria. Cultures are used for collaborative research projects such as understanding the environmental queues of toxin production and standardization protocols for toxin extraction and analyses. He is currently a full professor at the Florida Gulf Coast University and has participated in many NALMS algae workshops.

Andrew Chapman is currently the phycologist on staff with GreenWater Laboratories. He received his BS in Biology from Susquehanna University and an MS in Botany from the University of Oklahoma. He has studied dinoflagellates in Oklahoma but began concentrating on cyanobacteria once in Florida. His main interests are the ecology and taxonomy of freshwater algae, subjects which he has consistently lectured on over the years including participating in several webinar series and past NALMS algae workshops.

Integrating Environmental DNA (eDNA) into Lake Management Strategies

8:00 am – 12:00 pm | $125

This workshop will offer participants hands-on experience and in-depth knowledge on how to effectively incorporate eDNA into their lake management strategy, including:

1. Benefits and Limitations of eDNA: Understanding when and where to use eDNA as a method for monitoring aquatic ecosystem
2. Using eDNA as Complementary Data: How to integrate eDNA results with other ecological and geospatial data sources to form a comprehensive picture of lake ecosystems.
3. Creating a Sampling Plan: Designing an effective eDNA sampling strategy to yield meaningful and actionable data.
4. Sampling Techniques: Participants will gain practical experience by visiting Lake Tahoe for hands-on sampling, learning the necessary protocols to collect high-quality samples.
5. Interpreting Results: Understanding what to expect from eDNA results, and how to analyze and interpret them without requiring genetic expertise.
6. Long-term Management Strategies: Integrating eDNA into monitoring and management plans to track ecosystem health, detect invasive species, and support restoration initiatives.

Target Audience:
This workshop is designed for lake management professionals, ecologists, environmental consultants, and policy makers seeking to enhance their monitoring and management strategies through the innovative use of eDNA technology. Participants will leave with the tools and knowledge to apply eDNA techniques, ensuring sustainable management of lake ecosystems and promoting holistic ecological health.

Presenters

Rachel Meyer is the director of the CALeDNA, a community science program and eDNA lab and an adjunct assistant professor in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of California Santa Cruz where she teaches molecular ecology and leads research projects on population genomics, paleogenomics, and ethnobotany. She also runs training in bioethics and science policy around digital sequence data and broadening genomics capacity in developing countries. Most recently, she also took on the role of Chief Science Officer at eDNA Explorer.

Julie Stanford is the CEO of eDNA Explorer, a platform for researchers and land managers to process, analyze and collaborate on eDNA data. She is also a human computer interaction lecturer at the Stanford Computer Science department and Stanford d.school where she teaches students and industry practitioners how to design technology for greater impact and ease of use.

Lake Mapping with Consumer Sonar and BioBase: Survey Design and Analysis Tips

8:00 am – 12:00 pm | $125

The automated cloud mapping platform BioBase (biobasemaps.com) is used by Lake Management researchers, professionals, and citizen scientists across the globe for a broad range of mapping needs ranging from storm water storage volume, to tracking invasive aquatic plant growth and management, to mapping fisheries habitat. Although the platform is easy to use with off-the-shelf consumer depth finders, there are a range of map and data exports and survey design techniques that are not obvious to the casual user. The classroom portion of the workshop will take users through the basics of how sonar is processed by BioBase algorithms but quickly moves to helpful survey design and analysis tips and tricks. Fortuitously, the conference center is within a few miles of the Tahoe Keys where a long-term aquatic plant management project has been underway for several years. BioBase has been used to track the rise and fall of native and invasive aquatic plant species in response to a range of management practices. We will have a couple of boats available for workshop participants and will do a field visit and tour of the Tahoe Keys. Dr. Lars Anderson and staff from the Tahoe Keys Property Association will be our tour guides through the keys while we passively record our sonar and create a map of current conditions. The BioBase team will have the maps processed and available for users to review at their exhibitor booth during the conference. The field workshop requires a separate sign up and it will depend on the fickle November Tahoe weather. Let’s hope for calm and sunshine!

Presenters

Ray Valley spent the first half of his career as an Aquatic Ecologist and Fisheries Biologist with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Passionate about lakes, aquatic plants, and technology, he led the development of biobasemaps.com, making aquatic measurement easy. Now, under independent investors, Ray heads a small team dedicated to maintaining and enhancing BioBase for water resource conservation.

Dr. Lars Anderson is an Aquatic Biology/Ecology Consultant with 40+ years experience in aquatic invasive species management research, rapid response planning and implementation, coordination and collaborations with local, state, federal and international agencies and related regulatory issues. Research areas: aquatic plant physiology; aquatic botany, integrated aquatic species management, rapid response planning. Project Manager and Research lead with the Tahoe Keys Property Association.

Eli Kersh is a Certified Lake Manager and licensed Agricultural Pest Control Adviser in California and president of Lake Tech Inc. Eli develops lake management plans, lake design and construction, permitting, perform water quality testing, bathymetric mapping and advice on vegetation & algae management.

Sediment Phosphorus Inactivation in Lakes and Ponds

8:00 am – 5:00 pm | $225

Internal phosphorus (P) loading because of sediment P release is widely recognized as a critical source of P that must be reduced to meet water quality goals and reduce nuisance, and sometimes harmful, algae blooms in lakes and ponds. One of the more common approaches for controlling sediment P release is the application of metal salts to bind sediment P, minimizing its recycling potential. Some of the more common metal salts include aluminum, lanthanum, and calcium which can be applied in many forms and different strategies to accomplish P reduction goals. The successful use of these inactivation agents requires a thorough knowledge of sediment chemistry and P release dynamics, dosing, and application strategies, However, all of these materials share similar data requirements and calculation approaches to develop an effective strategy to minimize sediment P release. The purpose of this workshop is to develop an understanding of data requirements, dosing methods, and application strategies to develop a successful sediment P inactivation project. While the workshop will cover dosing and application strategies for the most commonly used sediment P activation agents, the use of aluminum sulfate will be the focus since it is historically the most widely used approach in the US.

This workshop provides a systematic overview of the planning, diagnostic, monitoring, dosing and application technologies for using alum (and other inactivation agents) for P control. Application strategies for deep and shallow lakes include a) water column P stripping, b) P interception, c) maintenance dosing, d) sediment P inactivation, and e) P control in ponds. We provide overviews of the history of alum use, long-term efficacy, aluminum chemistry, diagnostic and modeling tools, a decision matrix for the appropriate alum use strategy, dosing calculations, application technologies and monitoring requirements. While the use of aluminum is the focus of the workshop, we will also briefly cover other inactivation agents where possible. We will discuss numerous case studies and welcome participants to present their lakes’ concerns. The workshop is interactive and there is ample time for discussion.

Presenters

Shannon Brattebo is an environmental engineer. Shannon’s work has focused on lake and reservoir water quality, restoration, and management both in the Pacific Northwest and across the nation. Shannon has designed and/or evaluated alum treatment phosphorus inactivation projects on well over 20 lakes and ponds. Shannon has been a member of NALMS since 2001, served as NALMS Region 10 Director and is currently the NALMS Treasurer.

Joe Bischoff is a limnologist with Barr Engineering, Inc. whose work focuses on phosphorus cycling in deep and shallow lakes, reservoirs and ponds. Joe has completed over 30 successful sediment phosphorus inactivation projects and analyzed sediments from hundreds of lakes and has published multiple peer reviewed papers on the use of alum for sediment phosphorus inactivation. Joe is currently President of the newly formed Minnesota Lake Management Association.

John Holz is a limnologist who leads SOLitude Lake Management’s nutrient remediation efforts, specializing in both small and large-scale alum applications. John is a longtime NALMS member and has served on the NALMS board of directors.

Using ArcGIS Dashboards to Share and Explore Lake Data

1:00 pm – 5:00 pm | $125

Driven by Esri’s ArcGIS Online, ArcGIS Dashboads can be used to visualize, explore, and better understand relationships between data you have collected on lakes, rivers, reservoirs, and/or watersheds.

ArcGIS Dashboards allow you to create interactive, online webpages that allow users to view, filter, and explore data and maps without needing to have any type of GIS background or access to software. As a result, ArcGIS Dashboards empower stakeholders to explore data on their own, helping to achieve improved outreach, increased transparency, and greater insight into lake and watershed dynamics.

This workshop will provide with an overview of the technology behind ArcGIS Dashboards and help participants to start creating ArcGIS Dashboards of their own using a hands-on approach. No previous GIS experience is strictly required to attend, but participants will get more out of the workshop if they have previous experience with GIS (particularly ArcGIS Online).

Presenter

Shane Bradt leads the geospatial technology outreach program for Cooperative Extension at the University of New Hampshire. He is responsible for developing, coordinating, and leading a range of training opportunities on mapping topics, including desktop GIS and online mapping. Shane is also an Extension Professor in the UNH Department of Biological Sciences and is the outreach leader of the Cyanobacteria Monitoring Collaborative.

Using ArcGIS StoryMaps to Share Your Lake With the World

8:00 am – 12:00 pm | $125

Driven by Esri’s ArcGIS Online, ArcGIS StoryMaps are a great way to share tell the story of your work with lakes, rivers, reservoirs, and/or watersheds to a wide variety of stakeholders.

ArcGIS StoryMaps allow you to combine text and media in a structured format to inform, educate, and inspire a range of audiences, all without the need to have experience in GIS or web coding. While standard graphs and tables in PDF reports and PowerPoint presentations may communicate information effectively to select groups, a far wider range of people would be more responsive to stories, images, videos and maps that they can interact with on their own terms.

This workshop will provide with an overview of the technology behind ArcGIS StoryMaps and help participants to start creating ArcGIS StoryMaps of their own using a hands-on approach. No previous GIS experience is necessary to attend.

Presenter

Shane Bradt leads the geospatial technology outreach program for Cooperative Extension at the University of New Hampshire. He is responsible for developing, coordinating, and leading a range of training opportunities on mapping topics, including desktop GIS and online mapping. Shane is also an Extension Professor in the UNH Department of Biological Sciences and is the outreach leader of the Cyanobacteria Monitoring Collaborative.