Determine if Nutrient Criteria for Virginia Section 187 Lakes/Reservoirs Are Protective of Recreational Uses (Microcystin Project – Phase 2)

Abstract

This report details the activities and findings of the Academic Advisory Committee (ACC) to the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) for fiscal year (FY) 2024. This project is part of a study that began in fiscal year (FY) 2023 and is Phase 2 of the project. The overall goal of the project is to determine if Virginia’s current nutrient criteria for Section 187 lakes, which are based on supporting a productive fishery, are adequately protective of recreation, as defined through microcystin concentrations. Microcystin is a toxin that may be released by blooms of cyanobacteria. During Phase 2, scientists from Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) identified candidate sampling sites from among Virginia’s Section 187 lakes/reservoirs and made recommendations for monitoring in summer 2024 for microcystin. Additionally, water samples collected from reservoirs identified during Phase 1 of the project were analyzed for microcystin concentration.