School of Civil and Environmental Engineering

Ph.D. Thesis Defense Announcement

Improved Methods for Lake Water Quality Assessment and Management with Application to Lake Lanier

By

Xiaofeng Liu

Advisor:

Dr. Aris P Georgakakos (CEE)

Committee Members:  

Dr. Jingfeng Wang (CEE), Dr. Jian Luo (CEE), Dr. Husayn El Sharif (CEE), Dr. Anna Truszczynski (Georgia EPD)

Date and Time: Wednesday, June 7, 2023 at 1:00 PM

Location: (Hybrid) SEB 122 and zoom https://gatech.zoom.us/j/97241911288?pwd=bDE3di9wdmFMU0YvZEJEc1JhTVVSUT09

Complete announcement, with abstract, is attached.

reshwater lakes are essential aquatic ecosystems and also provide vital societal services, including water supply, shoreline residential development opportunities, and recreational activities. Societal services, however, often result in excess wastes and nutrients, which if not effectively managed, may overwhelm the lake assimilative capacity and lead to eutrophication problems. Lake eutrophication increases the frequency and severity of algae blooms which can produce toxins harmful to animals and humans, deplete dissolved oxygen levels, and cause fish kills. Sustainable lake water quality management requires reliable and effective water quality assessments to inform decision-making. 
 
This study developed improved lake water quality assessment methods and management practices. Specifically, we (1) investigated the strengths and limitations of three primary water quality assessment methods, including in situ monitoring and sampling, satellite remote sensing, and process-based modeling; (2) created comprehensive data bases through extensive lake water quality monitoring and sampling campaigns; (3) developed a new method for in-situ Chlorophyll-a estimation using easily deployable multi-parameter sondes; (4) carried out data-driven assessments to assess the environmental health of large lakes; (5) developed a coupled hydrodynamic-biochemical model to provide in-depth understanding of the lake processes and responses to atmospheric, shoreline, and tributary inputs; (6) demonstrated the value of the previous advances in assessing and managing lake water quality; and (7) provided recommendations and guidelines for the development of sustainable monitoring and management lake plans. 
 
The study was motivated by Lake Lanier, an invaluable water resource in Georgia, which also served to test and validate the effectiveness of the research products.