Cyanobacteria Project- North Carolina Reservoirs
The Center for Applied Aquatic Ecology is working with the the City of Raleigh and the City of High Point to collect real-time monitoring data for environmental conditions in several potable water supply reservoirs. The CAAE is also characterizing the cyanobacteria species assemblages and abundances in selected reservoirs. The projects are an extension of the CAAE’s Real-Time Remote Monitoring Project.
Falls Lake is a primary drinking water source for the Triangle area. The system monitors for the presence of cyanobacteria (blue-green algae), which can cause taste-and-odor problems in water supplies. Some cyanobacteria species also produce toxins that can negatively impact human health. The real-time monitoring data, along with the cyanobacteria assemblage data, will serve as an early warning system to help water quality managers manage water supplies to protect public health in response to blooms.