Data were collected while developing a management plan for eliminating nuisance algal blooms in a chain of reservoirs along the Huron River in southeastern Michigan. Federal funding was provided by both the U.S. EPA and the USDA. The river-reservoir system is used for municipal drinking water, wastewater disposal, irrigation, industrial processes, hydroelectric generation, sport fishing, and recreation. The impoundments episodically developed surface scums of cyanobacteria, contained microcystin toxins, and emitted foul odors including hydrogen sulfide. Past management strategy had focused on external phosphorus loading but failed to prevent nuisance conditions. Data collection and analysis pointed to the overwhelming role of internal nutrient loading and resulted in a series of whole lake experiments that destratified Ford Lake during summer and eliminated the nuisance conditions.
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