2023 Early Hearing Detection & Intervention Conference

March 5-7, 2023 • Cincinnati, OH

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5/20/2019 | 3:00 PM - 3:15 PM | DOWNSTREAM DYNAMICS OF RESERVOIR-BORN CYANOBACTERIAL BLOOMS IN THE KLAMATH RIVER, CA | 150 DEF

DOWNSTREAM DYNAMICS OF RESERVOIR-BORN CYANOBACTERIAL BLOOMS IN THE KLAMATH RIVER, CA

Cyanobacterial blooms are often associated with lentic systems but cyanobacteria cells and cyanotoxins exported from upstream lakes or reservoirs can enter high-gradient rivers affecting ecosystem function and public health. The Klamath River experiences annual blooms dominated by toxigenic Microcystis aeruginosa that originate in warm, nutrient-rich hydroelectric reservoirs with epilimnetic outflows and persist in the river for over 300 km to the estuary. We explored longitudinal and temporal trends of M. aeruginosa cell densities, microcystin toxin, and phycocyanin fluorescence in the Klamath River from 2007 to 2017. Blooms occurred every year of the study and peaked in the river in August and September. Cell density and toxin concentration decreased longitudinally below the source reservoir due to both tributary dilution and cell loss. Cell density and toxin concentrations were often highly variable between regular weekly sampling events and within a single day. We developed relationships between the probability of toxin concentrations exceeding public health thresholds and real-time phycocyanin data that can be used to indicate changing bloom conditions in real-time. Understanding cyanobacterial dynamics in receiving waters is important for predicting the effect of source blooms on riverine ecosystem processes and public health.

Dams
Eutrophication
Phytoplankton

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Presenters/Authors

Laurel Genzoli (), University of Montana, laurel.genzoli@umontana.edu;