Blue-Green Algae Research Study
Blue - Green Algae Research Study at the Irishtown Nature Park Reservoir Summer 2009
In response to the blue-green algae bloom in the reservoir in 2007/2008 the City of Moncton has taken a scientific and educational approach to solving the problem by partnering with Dr. Alyre Chiasson of the Biology Department of the Universite’ de Moncton and the Petitcodiac Watershed Alliance. Our goal is to protect the ecological integrity of the park while providing the visitor with an enjoyable and educational experience while benefiting from all the natural resources this park has to offer.
This initiative is being led by Heather Hawker from the City of Moncton with funding from the Environmental Trust Fund, Youth Engagement Funding Program and the Canadian Wildlife Service. This funding will assist the team in finding answers to why the algae is returning and how it can be reduced to acceptable levels using a scientific and educative approach.
The research project ran from early May until late October 2009 with five water quality monitoring stations being visited weekly to confirm the presence of blue-green algae. Over 10 different water quality parameters were being measured and analyzed weekly to determine baseline water quality information. An additional study to access the impact to the fish community and sediment tests also took place at the same time.
This scientific aspect will lead to a better understanding of how nutrients are circulating within the reservoir, their source(s) and how they evolve during the summer to result in algal blooms. This information is required to effectively treat, control, and eliminate the problem. Examining impacts to water quality, such as oxygen depletion as well as changes to plankton and fish communities was part of this study.
Results of this research project will become part of the educational programs offered at the Irishtown Nature Park in the future and be available online in November 2009.
Blue-green algae blooms are becoming an increasingly common problem in Canada, mirroring what has happened in Europe. There is an excellent opportunity to provide guidance to other communities and municipalities as to identify this problem and provide approaches to correcting the algae bloom outbreak and hopefully avert similar incidents elsewhere in New Brunswick in the future.