ENS 201.03 Group 3
Life Below Water
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What is SDG 14?
What is SDG 14?
Preserve and responsibly manage ocean, seas, and marine materials and services for sustainable development. (EGLE, 2023)
How have other cities addressed this goal?
How have other cities addressed this goal?
The city of Toledo, Ohio, has dealt with similar issues regarding harmful algal blooms in Lake Erie. In response to the 2014 Toledo water crisis, caused by the presence of toxic microcystin produced by cyanobacteria, the state of Ohio formed the Harmful Algal Blooms Research Initiative (HABRI) (Ohio Sea Grant, 2023). This organization proposes and completes projects with the objective of researching and preventing HABs in the future.
Other goals of the HABRI include (Ohio Sea Grant, 2023):
Developing new water treatment techniques.
Studying the impacts of algal toxins on human health.
Collaborating with stakeholders to manage harmful algal blooms.
How can Muskegon address this goal?
How can Muskegon address this goal?
Considering the main factors of the harmful algae blooms in Muskegon, we have identified three mediation efforts to help prevent this issue.
Aeration near docks
The algae seems to be most prevalent near homeowner's docks and shorelines. We recommend using aerators to vertically circulate oxygen throughout the water column, to break up the stratification.
Continue decreasing phosphorus
Since Muskegon Lake was classified as an Area Of Concern, the surrounding farms have effectively diminished the amount of phosphorus used in fertilizer (Gellison, 2023). Continuing efforts to reduce phosphorus runoff will help prevent harmful algae blooms.
Pay closer attention to cyanobacteria levels
Muskegon Lake has a very advanced and thorough observatory buoy that surveys the lake's cyanobacteria levels. We suggest more closely monitoring the cyanobacteria levels so we can anticipate when a harmful algae bloom is imminent (EPA, 2018).
How do other SDG goals relate to this goal?
How do other SDG goals relate to this goal?
SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation
Algal blooms increasingly contaminate water sources, such as Muskegon Lake. This contamination can expand to water treatment facilities, resulting in difficulty in removing the toxins (EGLE, 2023). Algal blooms releasing toxins have a harmful impact on both humans and aquatic animals (EGLE, 2023). Impacting recreation and economic components of Muskegon such as fishing and tourism.
SDG 13: Climate Action
The increasing climate generated by climate change is causing Muskegon Lake water to become warmer, greatly contributing to more susceptible water for harmful algal blooms to occur. As the water gets warmer, the seasonal life-longevity of algal blooms is extended into later months, and the warmer water assists the cyanobacteria in outcompeting with the other algae and plant life (Gellison, 2023).
SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production
By producing materials in a responsible way, we can limit the extent to which algal blooms are present in the water. Due to the construction and production patterns of sawmills and other industries along the coast, waste has been dumped into the lake contributing to its pollution and algal bloom problem (Andrews, 2023).
References:
Andrews, L. (2023, October 4). Harmful algae bloom turns Muskegon Lake water green again. Great Lakes Commission. https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20231004-algaebloom
EGLE . (2023). Harmful Algal Blooms. Michigan.gov. https://www.michigan.gov/egle/faqs/water-quality-protection/harmful-algal-blooms#:~:text=Harmful%20Algal%20Blooms%20(HABs)%20typically
Gellison. Mlive.com, G. E. |. (2023, October 2). Harmful algae bloom turns Muskegon Lake water green again. Mlive. https://www.mlive.com/public-interest/2023/10/harmful-algae-bloom-turns-muskegon-lake-water-green-again.html
GLISA. Algal Blooms | GLISA. Algal Blooms . Retrieved November 20, 2023, from https://glisa.umich.edu/resources-tools/climate-impacts/algal-blooms/#:~:text=Warmer%20temperatures%20and%20stratified%20lake
GVSU. Muskegon Lake Buoy - Grand Valley State University. Www.gvsu.edu. Retrieved November 20, 2023, from https://www.gvsu.edu/wri/buoy/
Muskegon Lake - Google Drive. (n.d.). Drive.google.com. Retrieved November 20, 2023, from https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1H0zIyCzggQuMfc3-ThddTqY1EFueuGVz
Pochiraju, S. (2021, May 1). Erie’s Eerie Problem. ArcGIS StoryMaps. https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/336f42dd60414e2bb4795b85fcc18d07
United Nations. (2022). Goal 14 | Department of Economic and Social Affairs. United Nations; United Nations. https://sdgs.un.org/goals/goal14
EPA. (2018, August 20). Control Measures for Cyanobacterial HABs in Surface Water. Www.epa.gov. https://www.epa.gov/cyanohabs/control-measures-cyanobacterial-habs-surface-water#:~:text=Algaecides%20are%20chemical%20compounds%20applied
WZZM Editors. (2023). Muskegon, state investigating apparent algae bloom on Muskegon Lake. WZZM13.com. https://www.wzzm13.com/article/news/local/muskegon/muskegon-lake-algae-bloom-2023/69-b6612f3b-dd38-4e7b-b78b-73d64394b0fd
Ohio Sea Grant. (2023). (rep.). Harmful Algal Bloom Research Initiative 2023 Report. Retrieved from https://ohioseagrant.osu.edu/products/nyhe8/harmful-algal-bloom-research-initiative-2023-report
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