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In: HABs, harmful algal blooms, Jordan Murray, Lake Talks, Public Health

The spring season of Wisconsin’s Sea Grant’s “Lake Talks” series concludes Thursday, May 12, from 7-8 p.m. The event will focus on “Harmful algal blooms and your health.”

The online event is open to everyone, though registration is required. (Register for this Zoom event now.) The hour includes time for audience questions.

Jordan Murray gestures at some blue-green algae that has accumulated along the shoreline of Lake Monona at Brittingham Park in Madison. (Submitted photo)

Featured speaker Jordan Murray is a Wisconsin Water Resources Science-Policy Fellow. She serves as Harmful Algal Blooms Program Coordinator at the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) in its Division of Public Health. Her fellowship is jointly supported by DHS and the Aquatic Sciences Center at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Murray will give an overview of the harmful algal bloom (HAB) program at DHS and describe her role as coordinator. She’ll also cover how HABs can affect health. You’ll learn practical steps you can take to avoid exposure and keep yourself, your loved ones and pets healthy while enjoying Wisconsin’s abundant lakes.

The timing of Murray’s presentation is apt, as blue-green algae season typically begins in May as temperatures warm.

The presence of the algae—natural organisms found in all Wisconsin water bodies—is not bad in and of itself. However, problems arise when the algae grows to high levels and forms blooms that are often “scummy” or pea soup-like in appearance and pose health hazards.

Murray holds a master’s degree in public health, with a concentration in epidemiology, from the University of Toledo.  A Toledo native, she remembers the period in 2014 when a major bloom in Lake Erie (source of the city’s drinking water) meant that residents were warned not to drink—or even touch—the water coming out of their taps.

“This public health issue is very personal to me,” she said, “so it’s fulfilling to do work around an issue that has so greatly affected my home and community.”

Murray’s scientific background and personal experience fuel her commitment to keeping people safe. With climate change leading to a warmer and wetter Wisconsin, bloom intensity is on the rise, making it important to raise public awareness about HABs.

For Lake Talks event and registration information, visit the Sea Grant website, or follow Wisconsin Sea Grant on Facebook or Twitter. You can register for Murray’s presentation on harmful algal blooms now.

For questions about this series, contact Wisconsin Sea Grant science communicator Jennifer Smith.

The post Learn how to stay safe from harmful algal blooms at “Lake Talks” presentation first appeared on Wisconsin Sea Grant.

Original Article

News Releases | Wisconsin Sea Grant

News Releases | Wisconsin Sea Grant

https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/news/learn-how-to-stay-safe-from-harmful-algal-blooms-at-lake-talks-presentation/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=learn-how-to-stay-safe-from-harmful-algal-blooms-at-lake-talks-presentation

Jennifer Smith

On:
In: algal blooms, cyanobacteria, Department of Health Services, DHS, HABs, Jordan Murray, Public Health

Jordan Murray is no stranger to the effects of harmful algal blooms (HABs). A native of Toledo, Ohio, she vividly remembers the period in 2014 when a major bloom in Lake Erie meant that residents were warned not to drink—or even touch—the water coming out of their taps. No cooking with it, no bathing, no brushing of teeth—all the things that most of us take for granted with our municipal water supply.

Now, as a Wisconsin Water Resources Science-Policy Fellow, Murray is working to protect the public from the effects that HABs can have. The fellowship springs from a partnership between the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Aquatic Sciences Center—which houses Wisconsin Sea Grant and the UW Water Resources Institute—and the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS).

“This public health issue is very personal to me,” she said, “so it’s fulfilling to do work around an issue that has so greatly affected my home and community.”

As Murray explained, the blue-green algae (also called cyanobacteria) behind HABs are natural organisms found in all water bodies in Wisconsin. Their presence, in and of itself, is not bad. Trouble arises when they grow to high levels and form blooms that pose health hazards to humans and pets.

Jordan Murray gestures at some blue-green algae that has accumulated along the shoreline of Lake Monona at Brittingham Park in Madison. (Submitted photo)

What’s more, a changing climate means the issue is growing in importance. “In Wisconsin, we have data to show that two factors that affect bloom intensity, temperature and rainfall events, are increasing. In other words, Wisconsin is getting warmer and wetter,” noted Murray. In turn, this means more chances for people and pets to come into contact with a bloom.

While that’s concerning, the good news is that Murray joins a robust program working to address these challenges. She is stationed at DHS’ Hazard Assessment Section in the Bureau of Environmental and Occupational Health, where DHS health educator Amanda Koch serves as her mentor.

There, Murray’s fellowship blends three roles in one: program manager, epidemiologist and outreach specialist.

In terms of program management, Murray helps ensure that the HABs program is meeting its goals and Center for Disease Control requirements. To that end, she works with a wide range of partners at the local, state and federal levels, such as local health and parks departments, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, the National Park Service and many more.

The epidemiology side of her role draws on Murray’s graduate training. She holds a master’s degree in public health, with a concentration in epidemiology, from the University of Toledo. After beginning her fellowship in late May, this aspect of her role took center stage over the summer, the most active season for blooms.

She follows up with blue-green algae-related health complaints that are reported to DHS. As a designated state disease investigator, she then gathers and analyzes case data and looks for trends in data. Sometimes that includes working with partners so that water samples are collected and tested at a particular water body; at other times, visual observation is sufficient. While not every human or animal illness suspected to be the result of a bloom actually is, Murray helps make those determinations so that people can take necessary steps to protect their health.

Finally, on the outreach side, she helps health departments around the state with signage, press releases, social media messaging and other tools for communicating vital information to the public. One product in the works is a dog safety sign to be posted at dog swim areas throughout Wisconsin. Once approved, this sign will inform dog owners about what to be on the lookout for and what practices they should adopt to protect their canine friends.

In addition to working with her mentor Koch at DHS, Murray also works with Sea Grant’s Julia Noordyk, who is based in Green Bay as a water quality and coastal communities outreach specialist. One future project they hope to tackle is a blue-green algae workshop in the Green Bay/Fox River area. More details about that will be forthcoming.

While Murray is thriving on the diverse duties and partnerships involved in her fellowship, she’s also finding time to explore the Madison area after moving to the capital city in July. She enjoys being out on the water or trying new activities like rock climbing. A former college volleyball player, she’s interested in both indoor and beach volleyball opportunities. And she’s also a dog owner, with a rottweiler named Leo to accompany her on adventures.

Once her fellowship period concludes, she’d be happy to find a permanent role doing similar work, she says, since she finds it so rewarding. “I wake up every day and I look forward to going to work,” said Murray. “The public health sector is incredible. It’s been a dream working here, so definitely something in this field would be the goal.”

The post Public health is personal for fellow working on harmful algal blooms first appeared on Wisconsin Sea Grant.

Original Article

News Releases | Wisconsin Sea Grant

News Releases | Wisconsin Sea Grant

https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/news/public-health-is-personal-for-fellow-working-on-harmful-algal-blooms/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=public-health-is-personal-for-fellow-working-on-harmful-algal-blooms

Jennifer Smith

On:
In: funding, HABs, harmful algal blooms, PFAS, research funding, research opportunities

There are three current funding opportunities through the University of Wisconsin Water Resources Institute (WRI), each with a deadline to apply of 5 p.m., CST, Tuesday, June 15. Any interested Wisconsin investigator is urged to contact Melissa Boyce, maboyce@aqua.wisc.edu, as soon as possible for submittal guidance through WRI’s online proposal system. Boyce is WRI’s chief financial officer.

Grant proposals in these national calls are being accepted that would address local, state and regional water challenges. Each proposal would provide funding for one to three years and up to a level of $250,000. Successful applicants must match each dollar of the federal grant with one dollar from non-federal sources. The government’s obligation under this grant program is contingent upon the availability of funds. Proposals involving substantial collaboration between the U.S. Geological Survey and university scientists are encouraged. Details on the three open calls are:

  1. Proposals are sought on the topics of improving and enhancing the nation’s water supply and availability, and promoting the exploration of new ideas that address or expand our understanding of water problems, including the following specific areas of inquiry (levels of priority are not assigned, and the order of listing does not indicate the level of priority):

Socioeconomics and water use – includes the development of water use models that require understanding of what drives the timing and location of water being withdrawn and used and how those relations change when climate impacts the use or conservation/management strategies (culture/societal/economics) are implemented.

Water related hazards and public health – exploration of the intersections of land/water use, disease vector mechanisms, and water hazards, climate change, and/or irrigation practices. Research may include advancing our understand of these connections as they affect the development rates of pathogens impacting public health.

Exploration and advancement of our understanding of harmful algae blooms (HABs) -Proposals are sought that focus on innovations in monitoring the occurrence of HABs and algal toxins, research on factors that result in algal toxin production, and improvements in near-real time modeling and forecasting of toxin-producing blooms.

  1. Proposals are sought to support research on per-and polyflouroalkyl (PFAS) substances on water resources. This national competition recognizes water quality issues of a regional or interstate nature, beyond those of concern only to a single state.

The challenges and opportunities of understanding the impact of PFAS on water resources are poorly understood, despite the real and growing impact of this group of man-made substances on water quality. Research is needed to better understand these interactions and guide management decisions that will improve water resources at the regional scale or national scale. Proposals are sought on the following specific areas of inquiry (levels of priority are not assigned, and the order of listing does not indicate the level of priority):

Research on the fate, persistence, transport, and impacts of per-and polyflouroalkyl (PFAS) substances on changes to water quality and/or ecosystem dynamics, in water resources, including surface water and groundwater.

Social and/or economic assessment of the spread, detection, impacts, solutions, and management of PFAS in surface and/or groundwater.

  1. Proposals are sought on the following specific areas of inquiry (levels of priority are not assigned, and the order of listing does not indicate the level of priority):

Improve our understanding of the impacts of aquatic invasive species on lakes and rivers in the Upper Mississippi River basin, including changes to water quantity, quality and ecosystem dynamics.

Identify lake and river characteristics that infer resistance and resilience to establishment and impacts of aquatic invasive species in the Upper Mississippi River basin. Research is needed to better understand these interactions and guide management decisions that will improve water resources at the regional scale.

Social and/or economic assessment of the spread, detection, impacts, solutions, and management of aquatic invasive species in the Upper Mississippi River basin.

Any investigator at an accredited institution of higher learning in Wisconsin is eligible to apply for these grants through a WRI, which was established under the provisions of the Water Resources Research Act of 1984, as amended (http://water.usgs.gov/wrri/index.php).

 

The post June deadline for three new grant opportunities first appeared on WRI.

Original Article

News Release – WRI

News Release – WRI

https://www.wri.wisc.edu/news/june-deadline-for-three-new-grant-opportunities/

Moira Harrington