By studying the Thames River which flows into Lake Erie, GLIER grad Dr. Emily Varga (PhD 2024) was able to determine that many factors affect the nutrients and types of algae found in that waterway. This in turn affects the nutrient load in Lake Erie, often leading to harmful algal blooms (HABs) there. By also studying the water flowing into Lake Victoria in Kenya, it was determined that similarities exist between the two watersheds.