On July 17th, 2023, NEMWI hosted a webinar focused on the federal, regional, and state efforts to reduce HABs throughout the Great Lakes region, and conservation efforts authorized through the farm bill aimed at reducing nutrient runoff through agricultural production across the region. This webinar is part of NEMWI’s Great Lakes Primer and Orientation Program, supported by the Erb Family Foundation, which provides in-depth overviews of critical issues impacting the health of the Great Lakes.
Record HABs driven by nutrient loadings have affected water quality, fish populations, tourism, and the economy across the entire Great Lakes region. A bloom in western Lake Erie in August 2014 resulted in a drinking water advisory for the city of Toledo, Ohio, restricting water use for 400,000 people for three days. These events throughout the region severely impacted the quality of life to all living in the Great Lakes community.
Speakers included:
Sandra Kosek-Sills, Environmental Specialist, Ohio Lake Erie Commission
Matt Otto, Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) Coordinator, Natural Resources Conservation Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture
Nicole Zacharda, Program Manager, Great Lakes Commission
A recording of the webinar can be accessed here.