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U.S. Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (MI-12) today announced that the Great Lakes Observing System Regional Association in Ann Arbor will receive a $585,702 grant to improve early warning systems for Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs) on Lake Erie.

“In Michigan and across the region, harmful algal blooms are threatening the safe drinking water our communities get from Lake Erie,” said Dingell. “This vital support for the Great Lakes Observing System will help us better monitor toxic algal blooms and take action to lessen their effect.”

“The Great Lakes Observing System is partnering with an extensive network of providers to increase access to environmental data,” said Great Lakes Observing System Executive Director Kelli Paige. “Getting that information into the hands of water treatment facilities and policy makers will improve management outcomes in the future.”

The grant, from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), will build on the recent success of bringing together the key organizations that are leading the annual monitoring, reporting, and dissemination of HABs data as well as representatives from the user groups affected by HABs, especially drinking water treatment plant operators. This improved system will allow all water managers and researchers in the Lake Erie region to have timely and user-friendly access to critical monitoring data during future blooms to help them make informed decisions about activities and resources affected by HABs presence and toxicity. This is the second time NOAA has awarded such a grant to Great Lakes Observing System.

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