Portage River Contamination

During my time at Bowling Green State University, through the SETGO summer research program, I conducted research on harmful agal blooms with the Chemistry department.

Since the mid 1900s, nutrients from rivers have fed and enhanced algal blooms in Lake Erie. Large algal blooms can cause harmful affects to organisms, harm aesthetics, as well as many other issues. In this study, we analyzed Portage River water samples for Phosphate, Ammonia, Nitrate, and E. Coli concentrations. Additionally, we analyzed macroinvertebrates to characterize long term effects of high nutrient concentrations.

Due to this research, we identified a stretch of the river blocked by natural log dams. These dams just downstream of a wastewater treatment plant created the perfect environment for large algal mats (3ft+ in height) to grow. This area was identified as a local deadzone with an identified toxic strain of algae and methane production from algal mat decomposition.

The Portage River is a medium sized river flowing into Lake Erie. While small, the Portage River can act as a model for how to analyze larger rivers flowing into Lake Erie. This study was supervised by Dr. Midden at BGSU and is current ongoing research.


Bike rusting in the river main branch1 Corn field in Wood county2 Nadya disposing E. coli biohazard bags3 Identifying macroinvertibrates4 Log dam in the middle branch5 Nadya, Dr. Midden, and I at the SETGO symposium6 Collecting macroinvertibrates7 NaturalLogDamKelsey8 Natural log dam in the Portage river9 Portage water team: Nadya, Sherman, and me10 Tree collecting algae in the main branch11 Waterfall creating a jet scour12 Sampling water in the Portage river, Ohio13 Wheat field in Wood county, OH14
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