Blue-Green Algae Harvest Mechanism (Brown County)
Problem statement
In recent years, Brown County has seen outbreaks of blue-green algae blooms on the Fox River and surrounding waterways. This algae fouls the waterways and releases toxins that can be harmful to Brown County residents [1], their pets, and also the wildlife that depend on the river’s habitat. Eliminating toxic algae formation is a long-term goal, but will take decades. There is an immediate need to remove as much of the algae as possible from the Fox River. Removing at least 50-70% of blue-green algae will create visibly clearer and cleaner waterways, along with leading to an increased quality of life for local residents who will be able to fish, swim, boat, and recreate on the river [2]. In a previous report commissioned to study this task, startup costs for the extraction of blue-green algae were estimated to be over $600,000 [3]. Our team will assess extraction options to optimize the most efficient and cost-effective means of removing blue-green algae from the Fox River in a manner that can be implemented elsewhere. ————————————————————————————————————- [1] H. K. Hudnell, A. Lajtha, and R. Paoletti, Cyanobacterial Harmful Algal Blooms: State of the Science and Research Needs. New York, NY, UNITED STATES: Springer New York, 2008. [2] S. Stroming, M. Robertson, B. Mabee, Y. Kuwayama, and B. Schaeffer, “Quantifying the Human Health Benefits of Using Satellite Information to Detect Cyanobacterial Harmful Algal Blooms and Manage Recreational Advisories in U.S. Lakes,” GeoHealth, vol. 4, no. 9, p. e2020GH000254, 2020, doi: https://doi.org/10.1029/2020GH000254. [3] University of Wisconsin-Madison, “CBA of Blue Green Algae Report compressed[2612].” Accessed: Feb. 10, 2021. [Online]. Available: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1FkWOAwU9rThCd-H6pAOhV_X9wyQ0Ra9ol1OOHlZj1BM/edit?usp=drive_web&ouid=100369783730989603659&usp=embed_facebook.
Team members
John Lund – leader
James Tyrrell – communicator
Taylor Rosenthal – accountant
Thomas Laarman – admin
Michael Brinkman
Client
Alex Prokopowicz & Tyler Handel, Manitou