Advances in Large Lakes Science, Technologies & Innovations
Aquatic Invasive Species Research
Invasive species are a leading threat to native species and biodiversity, are an important driver of global ecological and evolutionary change, restructure food webs, and have caused significant economic damage to ecosystems. This session welcomes presentations reflecting a broad array of aquatic invasive species research in large lakes of the world, including ecological, social, economic, education and evaluation research. We encourage presenters to connect their research to recent international, national, regional or local management-driven research prioritization lists and gap analyses such as the Aquatic Nuisance Species Task Force’s National Priorities List. Chaired by: Rochelle Sturtevant, Michigan Sea Grant
Ecological Modeling and Physical-Biological Interactions in Large Lakes and Their Watersheds, Part I of II
This session will highlight ecological modeling and empirical studies of biological-physical interactions and biogeochemistry in the pelagic and benthic zones of large lakes as well as streams and rivers in their watersheds. We encourage contributions that address important ecological functions as well organismal responses to abiotic factors using process-based numerical models, data-driven models, ecological experiments, physiological or molecular tools, and in situ observations. Chaired by: Reza Valipour, Environment and Climate Change Canada Mark D Rowe, NOAA Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory Casey M Godwin, CIGLR, University of MichiganJosef D Ackerman, University of Guelph
Great Lakes Region Green Energy Opportunities Supporting U.S. and Canadian 2035 Targets
The USA and Canada both have ambitious targets for 100% carbon pollution-free electricity by 2035. The Great Lakes region is blessed with extraordinary potential to take a leadership role in enabling these targets to be achieved, while building infrastructure, creating jobs, boosting the economy and maintaining environmental stewardship. This session is intended to showcase a variety of Great Lakes region opportunities including wind energy, solar energy, hydropower and energy storage. In Ontario plus the US Great Lakes states, approximate current wind power capacity is 28 GW, solar power capacity 16 GW, hydropower capacity 10 GW, and energy storage capacity 4 GW that is dominated by pumped hydro. All of these have opportunities to grow dramatically by 2035. One unique growth example is a Lake Ontario to Erie pumped hydro energy storage that could add up to 400 GW capacity for diurnal storage and generation, which would make it the largest energy storage system in the World and a major enabler for the stated US and Canadian targets for 100% carbon-pollution free electricity by 2035. US-Canada collaboration and systematic engagement of all stakeholders will be critical to realize tremendous synergistic benefits for both nations, building on a strong portfolio of green energy systems in the Great Lakes region. Chaired by:Mithra Sankrithi, RIC Enterprises
Overview of Lake Huron CSMI Activities During the 2022 Field Year
The binational Cooperative Science and Monitoring Initiative (CSMI) under Annex 10 (Science Annex) of the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement coordinates agency science and monitoring in support of management of the Great Lakes ecosystem. The process includes enhanced monitoring and science-based field activities which are conducted in one Great Lake per year and tied to the information needs identified by the Lake Partnerships. The 2022 Lake Huron CSMI investigations by federal agencies and partners addressed key knowledge gaps among five broad themes including chemical contaminant pollution, nutrient and bacterial pollution, habitat and species, invasive species and other stressors. Presenters will share preliminary results from the 2022 field year and knowledge gained during the CSMI effort. Chaired by:Paris D Collingsworth, Illinois - Indiana Sea Grant Annie Scofield, EPA Great Lakes National Program Office
PFAS Loading to and Discharges from Water Treatment Plants
This session invites presentations that provide an improved understanding of the loading, transport, and/or fate of PFAS compounds into and through municipal water and/or wastewater treatment plants for a variety of source water (river, lake, ground) and sewerage tributary area types (separate, combined, hybrid). Sessions that pertain to the analysis of PFAS samples derived from these systems and the selection of analyte focus and sampling frequency are also invited. Chaired by: Carol J Miller, Wayne State University Tracie R Baker, University of FloridaJohn W Norton, Great Lakes Water Authority
Toward a Great Lakes Microbial Water Quality Assessment
The International Joint Commission (IJC) conducted a large-scale investigation of the extent of fecal pollution contaminating the transboundary waters of the Great Lakes in 1913. Today, over 100 years later, the IJC’s Health Professionals Advisory Board is building on this landmark study, and seeking to encourage a binational and multi-agency collaboration to conduct a large-scale Great Lakes Microbial Water Quality Assessment using modern molecular (e.g. PCR) and genomics (e.g. metabarcoding and metagenomics) technologies. Multi-stakeholder IJC workshops in 2022 identified there is much capacity in the Great Lakes basin to apply these technologies to advance fecal pollution source tracking, harmful algal bloom assessment, and ecosystem health assessment from a One Health perspective. This session invites presentations that can provide a demonstration of the value of applying molecular and genomics technologies for better understanding the human health risks associated with changing microbial water quality in the Great Lakes from aspects such as releases of sewage and storm water, septic wastes, livestock wastes, waterfowl fecal droppings, beach postings, harmful algal blooms, the spread of antimicrobial resistance, and changes to microbial communities at the base of food chains and important biogeochemical cycles. Chaired by: Tom Edge, McMaster UniversityJoan Rose, Michigan State University