Lynnhaven River NOW participates with NOAA’s Phytoplankton Monitoring Network (PMN) to help identify Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs) in the Lynnhaven River. LRNow interns sample the waters of Crab Creek at the Lynnhaven Boat Ramp weekly to determine water quality and identify any harmful algae in a water sample. The results are then reported to NOAA. If potentially harmful phytoplankton species are identified during testing, water samples are shipped directly to the NOAA Marine Biotoxins Laboratory in Charleston, SC for further review. 

Lynnhaven River NOW has participated in the Phytoplankton Monitoring Network since 2008. 

If you would like more information about NOAA’s PMN, please visit www.chbr.noaa.gov/pmn. If you would like more information about PMN sampling on Crab Creek, contact Helen Kuhns.