GLIN==> Grants Awarded to Projects within Lake Erie Watershed

[Jill Woodyard <jill_woodyard@ameritech.net>]

News Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 19, 2004

NEARLY $35,000 IN GRANTS AWARDED TO PROJECTS WITHIN THE LAKE ERIE WATERSHED

Four projects aimed at studying ways to preserve and protect Ohio's portion 
of Lake Erie and its watershed will receive a total of $34,114 from the 
Ohio Lake Erie Commission (LEC). The studies will also focus on ways to 
improve the quality of life of those who live and play along the Lake Erie 
shoreline.

The awards are part of a quarterly grant program that provides seed money 
to test the feasibility of larger research efforts or other public 
participation projects.  Projects are selected for funding based on their 
support of the Lake Erie Protection & Restoration Plan. Goal of the plan is 
to improve various environmental, recreational and economic resources 
within the Lake Erie basin.

These quarterly LEC grants are limited to $10,000 or less and are generally 
awarded for one year unless the specific nature of the project warrants a 
longer time period. The Lake Erie Protection Fund is the source of grant 
money, supported by the generous donations of Ohioans to the Lake Erie 
License Plate Program.

Since 1993, the Ohio Lake Erie Commission has raised more than $8,000,000 
through the sale of Lake Erie license plates, featuring the historic 
Marblehead Lighthouse. The money has gone to a wide range of efforts to 
preserve and enhance life along Lake Erie.

-30-

For Further Information Contact:
Jill Woodyard, Ohio Lake Erie Commission
(419) 245-2514


EDITORS NOTE: A list of the most recent quarterly grants awarded by the 
Lake Erie Commission on April 14, 2004 appears below:

* A grant of $9,623 to the Heidelberg College Water Quality Lab. The 
project is entitled: "Mayflies and Zebra/Quagga Mussels in Lake Erie's 
Central Basin Surveyed with ROV." Project director is Dr. Kenneth Krieger. 
A remote operated vehicle (ROV) will be used to visually survey mayfly 
nymphs and zebra/quagga mussels in the western central basin. The results 
will be used to examine the relationship between the distribution of these 
organisms and oxygen and temperature data.

* A grant of $9,975 to The Ohio State University Research Foundation. The 
project is entitled: "Impact of Dreissenid Mussel Population Changes on 
Lake Erie Nutrient Dynamics." Project director is Dr. David Culver. The 
goal of this project is to determine if there has been a shift from a zebra 
mussel to quagga mussel-dominated ecosystem. This study could explain 
changes in internal nutrient loading that has been taking place in the 
lake.

* A grant of $9,516 to Miami University, Department of Zoology. The project 
is entitled: "Competitive Interactions between Yellow Perch and Round Goby" 
The project director is Maria J. Gonzalez. This project will investigate 
dietary overlap between round goby and yellow perch in macrophyte and zebra 
mussel habitats. Potential benefit would be to clarify the effects of the 
goby invasion on the fish community, especially on perch growth rates.

* A grant of $5,000 to Henry County Soil and Water Conservation District. 
The project is entitled: "Turn Key Operation for New and Innovative 
Conservation Tillage Equipment." The project director is Dave Badenhop. 
Funding will go towards rental of a power unit for use with a Residue 
Tillage Specialist and Dyna-Master that provides deep tillage leaving 30 
percent residue. This equipment will then be rented to farmers in the 
county. Potential benefit is to increase conservation tillage in the 
county.




* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
glin-announce is hosted by the Great Lakes Information Network (GLIN):
http://www.great-lakes.net

To subscribe: http://www.glin.net/forms/glin-announce_form.html

To post a message: http://www.glin.net/forms/glin-announce_post.html

To search the archive: http://www.glin.net/lists/glin-announce/

All views and opinions presented above are solely those of the author or
attributed source and do not necessarily reflect those of GLIN or its
management.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *