Cloquet resident helps test for toxins – Cloquet Pine Journal

Water Quality Monitoring Initiative in the Lake Superior Estuary

Project Overview

The Lake Superior National Estuarine Research Reserve (NERR) is conducting an ongoing water quality monitoring program in the Pickle Pond, located near Barker’s Island in Superior. Research personnel, including NERR researcher Rylee Burkhart, are engaged in systematic sample collection to assess the environmental health of the estuary. This initiative is a critical component of local efforts to maintain ecological balance and safeguard public health.

Research Objectives and Methodology

The primary goal of the research is the early detection and analysis of potential waterborne threats. The methodology involves a consistent and scheduled approach to data collection.

• Analysis Type: The focus is on microbial and toxin analysis of water samples.
• Primary Concern: Researchers are monitoring for the presence of harmful algal blooms (HABs), as certain types can generate toxins detrimental to both human and animal health.
• Sampling Frequency: Water samples are collected on a bi-weekly basis to ensure timely data and trend analysis.

Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

This research project directly supports the achievement of several key United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by addressing environmental quality and its impact on life and well-being.

1. SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation: The routine analysis of water from Pickle Pond is a direct action toward Target 6.3, which aims to improve water quality by reducing pollution. Monitoring for toxins is fundamental to ensuring the safety of water resources.
2. SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being: By providing early warnings of toxic algal blooms, the initiative works to prevent waterborne illnesses in local populations and animals, directly contributing to Target 3.9, which seeks to reduce the number of illnesses and deaths from hazardous chemicals and pollution.
3. SDG 14: Life Below Water: The project is essential for the conservation and sustainable management of the Lake Superior estuarine ecosystem. Monitoring for pollutants like algal toxins helps protect aquatic biodiversity and addresses Target 14.1, which aims to prevent and significantly reduce marine pollution of all kinds.

SDGs Addressed or Connected to the Issues Highlighted in the Article

1. SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

   • The article directly connects the research to health by stating that researchers are monitoring for algae blooms that “can produce toxins that can sicken people and animals.” This effort to identify and analyze waterborne toxins is a preventative measure to protect public and animal health.

2. SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation

   • The core activity described is the “microbial and toxin analysis” of water from Pickle Pond. This regular monitoring is a fundamental practice for assessing and maintaining water quality, which is the central theme of SDG 6. The research aims to protect a local body of water from pollution (toxins from algae).

3. SDG 14: Life Below Water

   • The research is conducted by the “Lake Superior National Estuarine Research Reserve” in a pond near Barker’s Island. This context places the activity within the broader goal of protecting aquatic ecosystems. The article notes that toxins can sicken animals, linking the water quality issue directly to the health of life below water. Monitoring for pollution like toxic algae blooms is crucial for conserving marine and coastal ecosystems.

Specific Targets Identified Based on the Article’s Content

1. Target 3.9: By 2030, substantially reduce the number of deaths and illnesses from hazardous chemicals and air, water and soil pollution and contamination.

   • The research is explicitly designed to identify “toxins that can sicken people and animals.” This monitoring is a direct action aimed at preventing illnesses caused by water contamination, aligning perfectly with the goal of reducing sickness from pollution.

2. Target 6.3: By 2030, improve water quality by reducing pollution… and minimizing release of hazardous chemicals and materials…

   • The article describes the process of taking water samples for “microbial and toxin analysis” to watch for “algae blooms.” This is a direct effort to monitor and ultimately improve water quality by identifying pollution from hazardous biological toxins.

3. Target 6.6: By 2020, protect and restore water-related ecosystems, including mountains, forests, wetlands, rivers, aquifers and lakes.

   • The work is being done in Pickle Pond by the Lake Superior National Estuarine Research Reserve. This setting indicates that the activity is part of a larger program to understand and protect a specific water-related ecosystem (a pond within an estuary), which is the focus of this target.

4. Target 14.1: By 2025, prevent and significantly reduce marine pollution of all kinds, in particular from land-based activities, including… nutrient pollution.

   • Algae blooms, the subject of the monitoring, are a primary consequence of nutrient pollution, which often originates from land-based sources. By monitoring for these blooms in an estuarine environment connected to Lake Superior, the researchers are addressing a key type of pollution that affects coastal and large lake ecosystems.

Indicators Mentioned or Implied in the Article

1. Indicator for Target 6.3 (Implied): Proportion of bodies of water with good ambient water quality (related to official indicator 6.3.2).

   • The article implies this indicator through the action of conducting “microbial and toxin analysis.” The results of these bi-weekly tests would directly measure the quality of the water in Pickle Pond and determine if it meets a “good” standard, free from harmful toxins and microbes.

2. Indicator for Target 14.1 (Implied): Index of coastal eutrophication (related to official indicator 14.1.1).

   • The article’s focus on keeping a “close eye out for algae blooms” serves as a direct, observable indicator of eutrophication. The frequency, extent, and toxicity of these blooms are metrics used to measure the level of nutrient pollution in the water body.

3. Indicator for Target 3.9 (Implied): Presence and concentration of waterborne toxins.

   • The “toxin analysis” mentioned in the article is the direct measurement used to track progress. The data gathered on the specific types and levels of toxins produced by algae would serve as the indicator to assess the risk of illness from water contamination.

Summary Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: pinejournal.com