Ohio Sea Grant Releases Summary of First Year of ODHE Harmful Algal Bloom Research Initiative
Ohio Sea Grant, on behalf of The Ohio State University, the University of Toledo and the Ohio Department of Higher Education, has released the annual report for the first year of funding for the Harmful Algal Bloom Research Initiative (HABRI), which seeks solutions for harmful algal blooms in Ohio.
Following the Toledo water crisis in August 2014, ODHE offered $2 million in funding to universities in Ohio for collaborative research focused on reducing harmful algal blooms in Lake Erie and inland lakes. Matching funding from participating Ohio universities increased this investment to just over $4 million, demonstrating the state’s overall commitment to solving this problem.
The first 18 projects funded under this initiative have already provided needed answers that have helped water treatment operators, regulators, farmers and legislators deal with harmful algal blooms, predict future scenarios and lay a foundation for long-term bloom mitigation and prevention.