Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

Hood College to Help National Park Service Fight Harmful Algae in Washington, DC

  • 12/11/19

FREDERICK, MD – Hood College’s Center for Coastal and Watershed Studies has been awarded a cooperative agreement with the National Park Service to research methods of mitigating cyanobacteria blooms in the constructed lake at Constitution Gardens, a large catchment in Washington, DC.

Potentially toxic cyanobacteria grew in high concentrations in the lake in summer 2018, and the lake has experienced other toxin-producing blooms in the past that have killed fish and produced noxious odors. Nutrients and defecation from wildlife are among the substances that enter the lake via runoff from precipitation events. That, combined with stagnant water and summer heating, create an optimal habitat for these cyanobacteria.

Hood College staff will help decide which treatment(s) is best for this lake. After a treatment is deployed, Hood will monitor water quality and algae and cyanobacteria growth at multiple locations in the lake monthly during the growing season from April through October and every other month from November through March.

Drew Ferrier, director of Hood College’s Center for Coastal and Watershed Studies, says, “We look forward to working with the National Park Service to find ways of controlling harmful and unsightly algal blooms in this beautiful garden.”

About Hood College
Hood College is an independent liberal arts college, offering 28 bachelor’s degrees, four pre-professional programs, 19 master’s degrees programs, two doctorates and 10 post-baccalaureate certificates. Located in historic Frederick, near Washington, D.C., Baltimore and the I-270 technology corridor, Hood gives students access to countless internships and research opportunities.

Featured

  • Full Sail University Announces First Student Housing Facility

    Full Sail University in Winter Park, Fla., recently announced that development has begun on its first student housing community, according to a news release. The university is partnering with Nvision Development for construction and long-term management of the facility, which will stand five stories and have the capacity for more than 570 beds.

  • Embry-Riddle Completes Construction on Research, Lab Facility

    Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (ERAU) in Daytona Beach, Fla., recently announced the end of construction on a new research and lab facility on campus. The Center for Aerospace Engineering II (CAT II) will support aerospace research and technology development and broke ground last summer.

  • RIT Saunders College of Business – Lowenthal Hall Addition

    RIT Saunders College of Business – Lowenthal Hall Addition

    Established in 1999, the Education Design Showcase is a vehicle for showing off innovative — yet practical — solutions in planning, design, architecture, and construction. RIT Saunders College of Business's Lowenthal Hall Addition has been recognized with an EDS 2026 Project of Distinction award in the category of New Construction.

  • Zurn Elkay Releases 2025 Sustainability Report

    Zurn Elkay Water Solutions recently announced the release of its annual sustainability report, according to a news release. The 2025 report discusses the organization’s efforts to maintain good environmental stewardship and the solutions provided in helping customers meet sustainability goals.