In October 2019, BRISEA was awarded for Grants to Prevent, Mitigate and/or Control Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs) from New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) as subawardee along with New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) and Meadowlands Environmental Research Institute (MERI).
The project aimed to deploy a mobile floating platform to mechanically remove HABs by air flotation using air micro-nano bubble generators, in Branch Brook Lake and Deal Lake, two of the HABs-affected lakes in New Jersey in 2019. This in-situ algal removal technology aims to clarify HAB-affected waterbodies, including the surface and water columns as deep as 4-6 ft. Additional objectives include a long-term HAB strategy for Branch Brook Park Lake and evaluation of additional water quality improvements achieved by the platforms for parameters such as dissolved oxygen and turbidly.
The scope of work of BRISEA included:
- Provide engineers and project consultants to coordinate and oversee the project tasks/implementation between NJIT, Rutgers, and the site authorities.
- Design the harvesting boat equipped with flotation and filtration units which were built based on the key parameters obtained during the prior pilot tests.
- Fabrication, assembly, testing and operation training.
- Logistic arrangement and site delivery
Proposed design of the customized multifunctional floating platform
Deal lake satellite view (origin: Google Maps)
Branch Brook Lake satellite view (origin: Google Maps)
Read More: About the Grant