INCREASING PUBLIC AWARENESS FOR RECOGNIZING, REPORTING, AND PREVENTING HARMFUL ALGAL BLOOMS: CASE STUDY OF SOUTH CAROLINA RESIDENTIAL STORMWATER PONDS

Dianne I. Greenfield1,2,3, Rick DeVoe4, Susan Ferris-Hill4, Shawn Stormer3

1Belle W. Baruch Institute for Marine and Coastal Sciences and the 2Marine Science Program, University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC 29412 3Marine Resources Research Institute, South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, Charleston, SC 29412; 4South Carolina Sea Grant Consortium, Charleston, SC 29401

Abstract The construction of detention ponds as catchments for stormwater runoff is a common management practice in coastal residential and recreational (golf course) developments across the southeastern US, with >12,000 in South Carolina (SC) alone. These poorly-flushed systems accumulate nutrients thereby providing ideal environments for dense, toxic, and pervasive harmful algal blooms (HABs). For example, ~1 in 4 SC fish kills are associated with algal blooms, primarily HABs. Yet, reports of human or veterinary illnesses are rare, suggesting a communication gap. In response, we began a HABs and health educator (HHE) outreach initiative as a liaison between researchers and the general public. Through this effort, we directly engage stakeholders (homeowners associations, aka. HOAs, managers, etc.) as seminars at HOA Board meetings and other forums to educate people on how to recognize, report, and prevent a HAB. Here we describe 1) our HAB monitoring and response program, 2) communications of HAB awareness to homeowners, 3) a workshop entailing a panel of scientists and managers, and 4) future outreach directions.

References 1. Lewitus, A.J. and others. 2003. Population and Environment. 24: 387-413. 2. Lewitus, A.J. and F.A. Holland. 2003. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment. 81: 361-371. 3. Drescher, S., Messersmith M., Davis B. and D. Sanger. 2007. State Knowledge Report: Stormwater Ponds in the

Coastal Zone, South Carolina Sea Grant Consortium. 4. Siewicki, T.C. and others. 2007. Journal of Environmental Management. 82: 120-132. 5. Smith, E. 2012. Proceedings from the 2012 South Carolina Water Resources Conference. 6. Lewitus, A.J., Brock, L.M., Burke, M.K., DeMattio, K.A. and S.B. Wilde. 2008. Harmful Algae. 8: 60-65. 7. Greenfield, D.I. and others. 2012. Proceedings from the 2012 South Carolina Water Resources Conference. 8. Greenfield, D.I., Jones, W.J., Hogan, S. and C. Keppler. 2013. 7th Symposium for Harmful Algae in the US. 9. Kempton, J.W. and others. 2002. Harmful Algae. 1: 233-241.

Acknowledgments We thank Norm Shea and the Kiawah Island Community Association for permission to access their facilities. We also thank the members of the Greenfield lab for help with field monitoring and sample analyses. This project was funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention #5U38EH000343-02 awarded to the SC Sea Grant Consortium and by South Carolina state appropriate funds (State Recreational Fisheries Advisory Committee).

• Monitoring of coastal ponds occurs mid-ebb monthly (Nov-April) or bimonthly (May–Oct). Water quality (temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen, pH), phytoplankton community composition and biomass (chlorophyll a), toxin (ELISA or LC/MS), and nutrients (nitrogen, phosphorus) are evaluated.

• Fish kills and blooms are reported by managers, residents, agencies, and others. Event response involves the above metrics, site descriptions, and follow-up sampling. Communication includes reporting to stakeholders and distributing findings through an e-list serve (>100 members).

Fig. 1. Example of a stormwater detention pond by a golf course (1 Sept, 2011) during a toxic (~15 ppb microcystin) cyanobacteria bloom from (A) ~15 m distance, (B) at the pond’s edge, and (C) a bloom sample compared to sub-bloom and non-bloom samples (left to right).

Description of Problem • Detention ponds as catchments for runoff are commonly

constructed in residential and recreational (golf course) developments (1-3). In coastal South Carolina (SC) alone, pond numbers increased from 8,000 in 1999 to >12,000 currently (4, 5).

• Due to low flushing and high residence times, ponds frequently accumulate nutrients fostering pervasive and toxic harmful algal blooms (HABs) (Fig. 1; 1, 6-8). Fish kills are common in these and similar systems, particularly during summer (Table 1; 1, 3, 9).

• 5-yr (2008-2013, CDC-funded) multi-agency initiative responded to HABs, fish kills, and related events in SC. Most HABs were toxic cyanobacteria as well as raphidophytes and dinoflagellates.

• Long-term data analyses revealed that 1 in 4 summer fish kills since 2001 were bloom-related (hypoxia was the primary cause).

• Despite >350 fish kills and numerous toxic HABs, virtually no adverse human or veterinary events have been reported in SC suggesting a communication disconnect between researchers, health professionals, and the general public about HAB awareness.

Project Goal Bridge monitoring and research with education to develop a successful outreach program that directly engages stakeholders about HABs, public health impacts, and water quality management.

HAB Monitoring and Event Response

Table 1. Water quality and bloom phytoplankton associated with fish kills in Charleston, SC (2009-2011). ‘K’ stations denote detention ponds and species in red are HABs. Metrics include chlorophyll a (Chl a); dissolved oxygen (DO) where red = anoxic (≤2 mg/L), orange = hypoxic (2.01-4 mg/L), black = normoxic (4.01-10 mg/L), and blue = hyperoxic (>10 mg/L); temperature (T); salinity (S, dimensionless); pH. ND = not detected.

Station DateChl a(ug/L)

DO (mg/L) T (OC) S pH Bloom Species

Cells/ml (x 103)

Microcystin(ppb)

Pemberton 8-Jul-09 21 2.21 29.2 22.6 7.2 Heterocapsa rotundata 7.7

K 2 13-Jul-10 255 1.79 29.2 12.6 8.6 Aphanizomenon sp. 9,504 0.15

Teal Marsh 20-Jul-10 ND 14.70 32.5 8.8 9.1 Aphanizomenon sp. 77.3 ND

Chlamydomonas sp. 1,077Oscillatoria sp. 520.6

K 36 23-Jul-10 222 1.60 31.8 20.7 8.1 Aphanizomenon sp. 157.6 0.16

Chlorophyte 1,645.5K 41 28-Jul-10 2,314 0.09 30.2 15.9 8.2 Chattonella subsalsa 55.1K 74 17-Aug-10 262 2.90 30.6 22.6 8.5 Anabaenopsis sp. 142.3 0.93

Oscillatoria sp. 34.2K 7 23-Aug-10

1,2308.86 31.6 19.1 8.1 Chattonella subsalsa

Microcystis (< bloom) 37.7 0.21K 118 30-Jun-11 35 9.19 31.4 25.3 9.5 Anabaena circinalis 472 0.30K 115 30-Jun-11 554 11.79 34.3 24.5 9.9 Anabaenopsis sp. 275.5 0.38K 5 29-Aug-11 401 5.72 29.3 3.3 9.2 Aphanizomenon sp. 19 NDK 50 8-Sep-11 ND 14.02 29.0 13.2 8.8 Chattonella subsalsa 7.2K 50 21-Sep-11 ND 15.70 30.1 12.8 9.3 Chattonella subsalsa 13.2

K 100 28-Sep-11 768 12.73 30.9 17.3 8.8 Chattonella subsalsa 17.9

HABs and Health Educator (HHE) • Liaison between the public and researchers.

• Collaborates with property managers, gives presentations and brochures (Fig. 2) to homeowners associations (HOAs) and the general public about how to recognize, report, and prevent a HAB (e.g., decrease fertilizer use and other nutrient-reduction strategies).

• Uses layperson terms to describe blooms (water color, odor), HAB-related illnesses, and symptoms.

Fig. 2. Educational brochure distributed to HOAs, property managers, health professionals, and the general public that includes descriptions of HABs and the causative organisms, typical HAB-related illnesses and symptoms, bloom prevention strategies (particularly improving water flow and reducing nutrient input), as well as contact information for environmental and health responses in the event of a fish kill and/or algal bloom.

Workshop for the General Public • Half-day event geared to HOAs, managers, public health officials,

and other interested parties about stormwater ponds, HABs, and related health considerations (Fig. 3).

• Featured 2 panels: scientific and management experts.

• Format incorporated presentations and extended question and answer (Q&A) session.

Fig. 3. Workshop material including (A) invitation distributed to the general public (Charleston and surrounding SC coastal areas) and (B) examples of slides that included clear and easy to understand messages for educating people about HABs and bloom prevention. A

B

C

Ongoing and Future Outreach • Continued monitoring and surveillance for water quality and

HABs as well as interagency coordination for fish kill and bloom responses.

• Increase contact list of HOAs and property management representatives.

• Continue to provide educational seminars aimed at a general audience.

• Integrate efforts within other state outreach and education networks.

How to reduce your impact

A

B