Harmful cyanobacterial blooms (HCBs) are complex ecological phenomenon that can occur where cyanobacteria proliferate and dominate aquatic ecosystems including lakes, streams, rivers, reservoirs, ponds, and freshwater-influenced estuaries. These blooms can disrupt ecological balance, affect drinking water sources and recreational waters, and may occur both in the water column (planktonic blooms) and attached to surfaces such as sediments, vegetation, or woody debris (benthic blooms).
This technical guidance document provides information and tools to help users monitor, manage, and respond to planktonic harmful cyanobacterial blooms in freshwater systems. The guidance includes approaches for monitoring, nutrient reduction, in-water management, and communication, along with interactive tools and resources to support decision-making. This guidance document, Strategies for Preventing and Managing Harmful Cyanobacterial Blooms (HCB-1, 2021), is part of a two-document framework that complements Strategies for Preventing and Managing Benthic Harmful Cyanobacterial Blooms (HCB-2, 2022), which focuses on benthic harmful cyanobacterial blooms, with several shared concepts and tools applicable to all harmful cyanobacterial blooms types.
Topic(s): Harmful Cyanobacterial Blooms (HCBs), Water Quality, Wetlands
