Michigan State University’s Institute of Water Research has recently received a $12 million investment from the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) to address nutrient contributions to the Western Lake Erie Basin (WLEB) in Michigan.

“We at the Institute are thrilled about this opportunity to advance impactful, science-driven solutions for a region facing persistent water quality challenges,” said Dr. Pouyan Nejadhashemi, director of the Institute of Water Research. “We also gratefully acknowledge the leadership and support of MSU AgBioResearch, whose commitment to advancing applied research has been instrumental in making this work possible.”

The WLEB has been plagued with harmful algal blooms for over a decade despite bi-national efforts to reduce nutrient inputs into the lake. To overcome this challenge, MDARD is leveraging and expanding previous work by the Institute of Water Research that maximizes nutrient reductions while minimizing costs.