The Ohio Water Resources Center Newsletter
Issue 12 | Volume 6 | December 2024
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The Ohio Water Resources Center hosted the Second Annual Interdisciplinary Water Research Symposium on November 8, 2024. This event was organized by graduate students with the goal of fostering collaboration between students, faculty, and practitioners throughout Ohio interested in water research. The event was kicked off by the City of Columbus' Director of Public Utilities, Kristen Atha, who gave the keynote address. Throughout the day, approximately 130 people attended the oral presentations, flash talks, and posters.
Katie Hartzell and Seyed Mohammad Pishnamazi received best presentation awards. Katie presented research results investigating the use of clay and water-soluble chitosan materials to control cyanobacterial harmful algal blooms. Seyed described his work with low energy water desalination using carbon electrodes. A poster session with students from eleven universities and dozens of posters resulted in many animated discussions between water resources researchers throughout Ohio.
Thank you to the graduate student organizing committee, sponsors, and attendees! We look forward to next year!
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Towards Large-Scale Riverine Phosphorus Estimation Using Remote Sensing and Machine Learning | |
Dr. Dongmei Feng from the University of Cincinnati recently completed an Ohio Water Resources Center project via a United States Geological Survey 104(b) subaward. Using satellite imagery and machine learning, the research team estimated the total phosphorus levels in rivers across the contiguous United States. An approach that can be used to complement gage measurements to enhance understanding of river water quality.
The researchers found that the model was sensitive to site-specific characteristics such as elevation, river area, soil erosion, and human impacts. The approach worked best for large rivers with high levels of soil erosion, an extensive human footprint, and low elevation.
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Reclamation joins innovative water management partnership | |
The Bureau of Reclamation is joining the Integrated Water Resources Science and Services, in an innovative partnership of federal agencies. The partner federal agencies include the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Geological Survey, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and Federal Emergency Management Agency. The goal of the partnership is to address significant challenges in water management and science.
The agreement will allow the participating agencies to work together on sharing water information more efficiently. The goals of the agreement are to coordinate water resources programs within current authorities, enhance stakeholder communications, increase availability of data and information, enhance collaboration on water resources mapping and modeling, along with other goals to address challenges in water management and science. “The USGS is excited to see our colleagues from the Bureau of Reclamation joining the IWRSS partnership. Together, all five agencies can leverage our unique strengths to solve complex water resources challenges--all for the benefit of our Nation,” said Bill Werkheiser, USGS Associate Director for Water Resources Mission Area.
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Ohio EPA: Early Stakeholder Outreach - NPDES Rules for Nutrient Assessment Protocol Implementation (OAC 3745-33-01 and -06)
The Division of Surface Water (DSW) announced that rules regarding an implementation process related to the Nutrients Assessment Protocol (NAP). The intent of the rulemaking is to formalize a structure to determine what, if any, NPDES permit conditions are appropriate when Ohio EPA has determined that a discharger’s receiving stream or river is impaired or threatened for the aquatic life use due to excessive nutrients. DSW seeks comments on a plan to file Surface Water Monitoring rules. Comments are due by December 6, 2024 and can be submitted to dsw_rulecomments@epa.ohio.gov.
Ohio EPA: Interested Party Review - Credible Data Program Rules (OAC Chapter 3745-4)
The Division of Surface Water (DSW) is planning to amend rules for the Ohio Administrative Code (OAC) Chapter 3745-4. The Chapter contains Ohio’s standards for the credible data program. This program was designed to encourage and oversee the collection, analysis and use of water quality data collected voluntarily by individuals and organizations. The interested party review (IPR) process is designed to allow interested parties, stakeholders or citizens to make comments regarding the rule prior to adoption. Comments are due by December 31, 2024 and can be submitted to dsw_rulecomments@epa.ohio.gov.
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Call for Abstracts: IAGLR 2025 Conference
IAGLR invites you to submit an abstract to their session on Microplastics, PFAS, and Other Emerging Contaminants. We welcome presentations on the characterization, fate, and transport of microplastics, PFAS, and other contaminants in rivers, lakes, and other freshwater ecosystems. Submissions covering fundamental and applied research—including field studies, laboratory experiments, and modeling—on emerging contaminants and natural or anthropogenic organic matter in water, sediment, biota, and engineered systems are all welcome. IAGLR 2025 will take place in Milwaukee, Wisconsin from June 2-6, 2025. Abstracts are due December 16, 2024.
Request for Proposals: H2Ohio Methods to Identify High Phosphorus Loss Sites Research Grant
H2Ohio's Phosphorus Removal Structures Program, is seeking proposals for projects that focus on identifying the measurable site parameters most indicative of dissolved phosphorus losses from Ohio cropland, specifically in the Western Lake Erie Basin. This investment in research will aid ODA in identifying high phosphorus losses from agricultural sites and recommend processes to identify sites suited for removal structures. Proposals are due December 31, 2024. Proposals are due December 31, 2024.
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Call for Applications: LOREX Program
ASLO is excited to announce that we are now accepting applications for the Limnology and Oceanography Research Exchange (LOREX) Program! These paid research exchanges for graduate students are part of an initiative funded by the National Science Foundation to provide professional development in international research collaboration. The LOREX international exchanges will allow up to 12 graduate students to travel to host institutions in Australia, Canada, Israel and Sweden to conduct collaborative aquatic science research that they propose this summer. Applications are due January 13, 2025.
2025 Ohio Section AWWA Scholarship Program
The OAWWA will award Undergraduate Graduate/Continuing Education scholarships for the 2024-2025 academic year. Eligible applicants are any student residing in Ohio and attending an Ohio-accredited institution of higher learning during the scholarship year, in a water industry-related program (i.e. science, engineering, management, computer information systems, or other water-related field). The scholarship award will be paid directly to the recipient’s program to be applied to tuition-related costs. Applications are due February 21, 2025.
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Webinar: Impacts of Applying Drinking Water Residuals with Algal Toxins to Ohio Soils
December 17, 2024 • Virtual
The Freshwater Science Speaker Series, hosted by Ohio Sea Grant, has Dr. Nicholas Basta of the School of Environment and Natural Resources at The Ohio State University talking about how his research on whether applying lime residuals containing microcystin to farmland could threaten crop quality or ground water.
Register to receive the Zoom link
Conference: ACS 2025 Spring Conference
March 23-27, 2025 • San Diego, California and Virtual
The American Chemical Society is hosting its annual spring conference. This conference is great for anyone in chemistry or any interdisciplinary overlap. The ACS holds two major conferences a year with sessions focusing on fields ranging from agriculture to medicine and so much more. This is a great networking and learning opportunity for everyone.
Register here
Conference: ASLO 2025 Conference
March 26-31, 2025 • Charlotte, North Carolina
The Association for the Sciences of Limnology and Oceanography is hosting its annual conference. This year’s meeting focuses on the connectivity between all water systems and how we are connected to those systems. Presentations will cover a broad range of water related research, management, extension and education.
Register here
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Get in Touch
Email: OhioWRC@osu.edu
Website: https://wrc.osu.edu
Address: 473 Hitchcock Hall
2070 Neil Avenue
Columbus, OH 43210
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