ORONO — The Senator George J. Mitchell Center for Sustainability Solutions at the University of Maine will host a talk, “Navigating Water Quality: Understanding the Impact and Perceptions of Boat-Generated Waves on an Alum Treated Lake in Maine,” on Monday, Nov. 13, at 3 p.m.

The use of alum treatments to bind phosphorus to control algal blooms has been expanding to larger lakes, where there is no historical precedent for success. These larger lakes can have larger wind-created waves that are more energetic, potentially moving more sediment in the lake. A research team led by Alejandra Ortiz and Alison Bates from Colby College is studying East Pond, Maine to understand whether boat- or wind-created waves are decreasing the efficacy of the alum treatment on the lake bed.

In this talk, they will discuss how their team is using a combination of field observations and numerical modeling to assess how boat waves influence water quality and sediment movement. Additionally, they will explore the perceptions and attitudes of local stakeholders towards these wave impacts and boating management practices. 

Bates, an assistant professor of environmental studies, researches social acceptance of infrastructure and interventions in natural spaces, and implements an equity and justice framework to inform decision-making.

Ortiz, also an assistant professor of environmental studies, investigates the ecogeomorphic evolution of coastal and fluvial landscapes. She studies how different coastlines evolve using numerical and physical modeling, remote sensing and field validation. 

All talks in the Mitchell Center’s Sustainability Talks series are free and are offered both remotely via Zoom and in person at 107 Norman Smith Hall. Registration is required to attend remotely; to register and receive connection information, visit the event webpage.

To request a reasonable accommodation, contact Ruth Hallsworth, 207.581.3196; hallsworth@maine.edu.

About the Senator George J. Mitchell Center for Sustainability Solutions: The Mitchell Center for Sustainability Solutions at the University of Maine aspires to be a leader and valued partner in understanding and solving problems related to the growing challenge of improving human well-being while protecting the environment. We collaborate with diverse stakeholders and bring together faculty and students from many different fields. By connecting knowledge with action, we seek to create a brighter environmental, social and economic future in and beyond Maine.

About the University of Maine: The University of Maine, founded in Orono in 1865, is the state's land grant, sea grant and space grant university, with a regional campus at the University of Maine at Machias. UMaine is located on Marsh Island in the homeland of the Penobscot Nation. UMaine Machias is located in the homeland of the Passamaquoddy Nation. As Maine's flagship public university, UMaine has a statewide mission of teaching, research and economic development, and community service. UMaine is the state's public research university and a Carnegie R1 top-tier research institution. It attracts students from all 50 states and 86 countries. UMaine currently enrolls 11,571 undergraduate and graduate students, and UMaine Machias enrolls 763 undergraduates. Our students have opportunities to participate in groundbreaking research with world-class scholars. UMaine offers 77 bachelor's degrees and six undergraduate certificates, as well as more than 100 degree programs through which students can earn doctoral or master's degrees, professional master's degrees, and graduate certificates. UMaine Machias offers 18 associate and bachelor's degrees, and 14 undergraduate certificates. The university promotes environmental stewardship, with substantial efforts campuswide to conserve energy, recycle and adhere to green building standards in new construction. For more information about UMaine and UMaine Machias, visit umaine.edu and machias.edu.