Data Buoy

While harmful algal bloom research has become more common in freshwater lakes recently, Stone Lab is one of the oldest research groups that have focused on studying microcystin and other toxins. For more than 100 years, Stone Lab has conducted biology research and provided science education and outreach to the region. Stone Lab’s Research Coordinator […]

Lake associations and individual researchers teaming up means more comprehensive and impactful monitoring programs. Lake Lillinonah in Connecticut has the benefit of being the subject of many researchers' work as well as being under the protection of Friends of the Lake (FOTL). Jen Klug, Professor of Biology in the College of Arts and Sciences at Fairfield […]

In regions impacted by water insecurity, water quality monitoring can be foundational in improving water treatment and informing environmental regulations that protect source water. Helen Baulch, an associate professor at the School of Environment and Sustainability at the University of Saskatchewan, relies on real-time water quality monitoring systems in her work, focusing on making the […]

Missouri reservoirs serve as critical water resources, yet these reservoirs suffer from harmful algal blooms, which can make water treatment difficult and influence the use of the water bodies. Understanding why lakes turn green is one of the first steps to learning more about HABs and how to better respond to them. Rebecca North, an […]

Coral reefs in the Caribbean are critical habitats for fish and other aquatic species that support the local and global food market. Despite their global significance, coral reef monitoring is often neglected due to the cost of installation and maintenance for monitoring networks. Albert Jones, Instrumentation Officer for the Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre (CCCCC), […]

Chicago’s beachgoers travel from near and far to enjoy Lake Michigan’s cool waters during the summer months. Like ocean beach fronts, resource managers work throughout the year to monitor water quality and environmental conditions on freshwater beaches to ensure that people are able to access the resource safely. Maggie Warren, the water quality project manager […]

Water is integral to all aspects of life, yet many people neglect to consider where their water comes from. Whether it is used for drinking or recreating, water feeds human and natural resources in the watershed. In order to protect all of the interconnected resources, keeping aquatic systems healthy is necessary, according to Sarah Dexter, […]

Leading up to the 21st century, the United States supported decades of dam construction in major waterways across the country. Many of these dams were hydroelectric facilities built in order to provide energy to nearby towns and cities. Unfortunately, these dams deteriorated the surrounding environment and harmed aquatic life. Many of these dams cut off […]

In 2022, Otsego Lake in New York became one of many lakes to experience its first cyanobacterial bloom. While the cause is still unknown, the blooms may be an indicator of various water quality issues resulting from invasive species, runoff events or other environmental stressors. To get to the bottom of the mystery, Kiyoko Yokota, […]

Beaches full of swimmers are a common sight during the warm summer months. Perhaps never more so than during the 2022 heat wave that swept across Europe and brought record-high temperatures to many areas. With warmer temperatures and more beachgoers looking to cool off with a swim in the sea, water quality at popular beach […]