This project will provide a needed metric. The OEPA uses fish and macroinvertebrates to monitor the streams and rivers in Ohio. However, the OEPA is currently investigating other biologic indicators to use along with fish to monitor the nearshore water quality. This approach will overcome the historic problems with measuring algal degradation and result in a methodology that can be implemented in a routine nearshore monitoring program by the Ohio EPA to comply with Clean Water Act mandates.

The methodology for developing a Lake Erie nearshore diatom metric builds upon the work undertaken in the GLEI project (Reavie et al. 2006; Sgro et al. 2007). The GLEI project developed weighted average (WA) inference models that demonstrated: 1) the sensitivity of diatoms as indicators of total phosphorus; 2) that diatom periphyton community structure could be effective in assessing habitat condition and water quality based on TP loading in the Great Lakes nearshore; 3) that nearshore diatom community structure and watershed stressors can be statistically correlated .