The U.S. Geological Survey is collaborating with State and local partners to develop models that provide real-time estimates of Escherichia coli (E. coli) (for pathogens) and (or) microcystin (for freshwater cyanotoxins) levels at Great Lakes beaches and drinking-water intakes.
Near real-time water quality conditions in Lake Erie are available during local beach season via Great Lakes NowCast.
Related Science
NWQP Research on Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs)
Are Naturally Occurring Algal Toxins in Water Resources a Health Hazard?
Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs)
Datasets and Apps
Lake Erie NowCast Map App (operates during local beach season)
Nowcast Beach Status
Nowcast predicts water quality conditions at select beach swimming areas in the Great Lakes. Nowcast estimates conditions by merging environment and climate data with variables measured at a beach by 8 AM each morning and entering them into a computer program which provides a probability from 1 to 100 as to whether or not the beach has exceeded the bathing-water standard of 235 units of E. coli.
Multimedia
Related USGS Publications
Real-time assessments of water quality—A nowcast for Escherichia coli and cyanobacterial toxins
Detecting algal toxins and organic contaminants of concern in the environment
Cyanotoxin mixture models: Relating environmental variables and toxin co-occurrence to human exposure risk
Toxic cyanobacterial blooms, often containing multiple toxins, are a serious public health issue. However, there are no known models that predict a cyanotoxin mixture (anatoxin-a, microcystin, saxitoxin). This paper presents two cyanotoxin mixture models (MIX) and compares them to two microcystin (MC) models from data collected in 2016–2017 from three recurring cyanobacterial bloom locations in Ka
Harmful algal blooms
Cyanobacterial harmful algal blooms and U.S. Geological Survey science capabilities
Estimating microcystin levels at recreational sites in western Lake Erie and Ohio
Cyanobacterial harmful algal blooms (cyanoHABs) and associated toxins, such as microcystin, are a major global water-quality issue. Water-resource managers need tools to quickly predict when and where toxin-producing cyanoHABs will occur. This could be done by using site-specific models that estimate the potential for elevated toxin concentrations that cause public health concerns. With this study
Developing and implementing the use of predictive models for estimating water quality at Great Lakes beaches
Predictive models have been used at beaches to improve the timeliness and accuracy of recreational water-quality assessments over the most common current approach to water-quality monitoring, which relies on culturing fecal-indicator bacteria such as Escherichia coli (E. coli.). Beach-specific predictive models use environmental and water-quality variables that are easily and quickly measured as s
Harmful algal blooms
Nowcast Beach Status
NowCast – A daily nowcast of recreational water quality conditions
Nowcast predicts water quality conditions at select beach swimming areas in Lake Erie and Lake Ontario. Predictions are only posted during the beach swimming season in Ohio, Pennsylvania, and New York.
Related News
Partners
- Overview
The U.S. Geological Survey is collaborating with State and local partners to develop models that provide real-time estimates of Escherichia coli (E. coli) (for pathogens) and (or) microcystin (for freshwater cyanotoxins) levels at Great Lakes beaches and drinking-water intakes.
Near real-time water quality conditions in Lake Erie are available during local beach season via Great Lakes NowCast.
New technology is helping the USGS monitor harmful algal blooms Harmful algal blooms and their toxins can kill wildlife and also pose health risks for humans. Photograph credit: Jennifer Graham, USGS - Science
Related Science
NWQP Research on Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs)
Harmful algal blooms (HABs) are caused by a complex set of physical, chemical, biological, hydrological, and meteorological conditions. Many unanswered questions remain about occurrence, environmental triggers for toxicity, and the ability to predict the timing, duration, and toxicity of HABs.Are Naturally Occurring Algal Toxins in Water Resources a Health Hazard?
A growing number of human gastrointestinal, respiratory, dermatologic, and neurologic effects, as well as dog and livestock illnesses and deaths, in the United States have been linked to exposures to algal blooms in recreational lakes and stock ponds. Some of the blooms contain cyanobacteria, which have the potential to produce cyanotoxins in freshwater systems. However, the connection between...Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs)
The USGS collaborates with local, state, federal, tribal, university, and industry partners to conduct the science necessary to understand the causes and effects of toxic HABs and inform water management and public health decisions. USGS is characterizing the life cycle of HABs, their asociated toxins, and the genes responsible for cyanotoxin production. This work is enhancing the ability of Great... - Data
Datasets and Apps
Lake Erie NowCast Map App (operates during local beach season)
Nowcast Beach Status
Nowcast predicts water quality conditions at select beach swimming areas in the Great Lakes. Nowcast estimates conditions by merging environment and climate data with variables measured at a beach by 8 AM each morning and entering them into a computer program which provides a probability from 1 to 100 as to whether or not the beach has exceeded the bathing-water standard of 235 units of E. coli.
- Multimedia
Multimedia
- Publications
Related USGS Publications
Real-time assessments of water quality—A nowcast for Escherichia coli and cyanobacterial toxins
Threats to our recreational and drinking waters include disease-causing (pathogenic) organisms from fecal contamination and toxins produced by some species of cyanobacteria (cyanotoxins) that can cause acute and (or) chronic illnesses. Because traditional laboratory methods for detecting these threats take too long for prompt public health protection, tools for real-time assessments are needed toDetecting algal toxins and organic contaminants of concern in the environment
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Kansas Water Science Center Organic Geochemistry Research Laboratory (OGRL) was established in 1987. The OGRL is a multidisciplinary program that contributes knowledge about the distribution, fate, transport, and effects of new and understudied organic compounds that may affect human health and (or) ecosystems. The OGRL consists of two units: Algal and Other EnvirCyanotoxin mixture models: Relating environmental variables and toxin co-occurrence to human exposure risk
Toxic cyanobacterial blooms, often containing multiple toxins, are a serious public health issue. However, there are no known models that predict a cyanotoxin mixture (anatoxin-a, microcystin, saxitoxin). This paper presents two cyanotoxin mixture models (MIX) and compares them to two microcystin (MC) models from data collected in 2016–2017 from three recurring cyanobacterial bloom locations in Ka
Harmful algal blooms
This postcard provides details about "Cyanobacterial Harmful Algal Blooms and U.S. Geological Survey Science Capabilities, "Open File Report 2016-1174, where you can find details about how U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) scientists use traditional methods and emerging technologies in collaboration with numerous partners to lead a diverse range of studies addressing harmful algal bloom (HAB) issues iCyanobacterial harmful algal blooms and U.S. Geological Survey science capabilities
Cyanobacterial harmful algal blooms (CyanoHABs) are increasingly a global concern because CyanoHABs pose a threat to human and aquatic ecosystem health and cause economic damages. Despite advances in scientific understanding of cyanobacteria and associated compounds, many unanswered questions remain about occurrence, environmental triggers for toxicity, and the ability to predict the timing, duratEstimating microcystin levels at recreational sites in western Lake Erie and Ohio
Cyanobacterial harmful algal blooms (cyanoHABs) and associated toxins, such as microcystin, are a major global water-quality issue. Water-resource managers need tools to quickly predict when and where toxin-producing cyanoHABs will occur. This could be done by using site-specific models that estimate the potential for elevated toxin concentrations that cause public health concerns. With this study
Developing and implementing the use of predictive models for estimating water quality at Great Lakes beaches
Predictive models have been used at beaches to improve the timeliness and accuracy of recreational water-quality assessments over the most common current approach to water-quality monitoring, which relies on culturing fecal-indicator bacteria such as Escherichia coli (E. coli.). Beach-specific predictive models use environmental and water-quality variables that are easily and quickly measured as s
Harmful algal blooms
What are Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs)? Freshwater and marine harmful algal blooms (HABs) can occur anytime water use is impaired due to excessive accumulations of algae. HAB occurrence is affected by a complex set of physical, chemical, biological, hydrological, and meteorological conditions making it difficult to isolate specific causative environmental factors. Potential impairments include redu - Web Tools
Nowcast Beach Status
NowCast – A daily nowcast of recreational water quality conditions
Nowcast predicts water quality conditions at select beach swimming areas in Lake Erie and Lake Ontario. Predictions are only posted during the beach swimming season in Ohio, Pennsylvania, and New York.
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