Press Release August 23, 2004
Contact: Dr. Stephen Brandt
(734)-741-2393
A new federal center for research on water-related human health issues in the Great Lakes has been established in Michigan. The NOAA Center of Excellence for Great Lakes and Human Health will be based at the Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory (GLERL) in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Dr. Stephen Brandt, Director of GLERL, will be the Center’s director.
The Great Lakes are the largest freshwater lake group in the world, providing more than 10,000 miles of coastline in 8 different states. More than 500 beaches for swimming and other recreation activities line their shores. The region is home to more than one-tenth of the population of the United States, and the waters provide $4 billion worth of commercial and sport fishing. Understanding the relationship between human health and Great Lakes ecosystem health is critical to the millions of people who rely on the Great Lakes for their livelihood and enjoyment.
The primary role of the new NOAA Center will be to use multidisciplinary research to develop technology for predicting the formation of toxic algal blooms, beach closings, and water quality in the Great Lakes basin. The goal of the Center is to use GLERL’s broad scientific expertise to significantly reduce threats to human health through ecological forecasting, which uses scientific understanding and models of climate, weather, circulation patterns, hydrology, land use, and biology to predict the location and severity of toxins in the water, beach closures, and water quality conditions. Such information will allow Great Lakes managers and users to rapidly respond to changes in lake conditions and warn the public of potential health risks in a timely manner. The information ultimately will aid coastal decision-makers in long-term planning to minimize human health hazards.
The Center will partner with other research institutions, universities and federal agencies, and will include training programs for Great Lakes managers, publications, and public-access websites drawing from the research activities. The work of the new Center will also link research and coastal uses through the Great Lakes Sea Grant Extension Program through education and outreach.
