Cyanobacterial Toxin Concentrations from Solid Phase Adsorption Toxin Tracking (SPATT) Samplers, Water, and Field Water-Quality Data from North-central Tennessee Reservoirs and Two Wells from 2022-2024
Description
In cooperation with the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC), the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) measured cyanobacterial toxin concentrations (i.e., microcystin, anatoxin, cylindrospermopsin, and saxitoxin) and collected water-quality field data at 18 sites in North-central Tennessee from August 2022 to November 2024. Additionally, selected sites also were sampled once for environmental DNA (eDNA) analysis to confirm the presence of toxin producing DNA at the monitoring sites. The goal for the sample data was to better understand the occurrence and distribution of cyanobacterial toxins in various freshwater reservoir types in North-central Tennessee. Sample collection was primarily during the growing season, when harmful algal blooms (HABs) are known to be most active. This data release documents the sites, toxin concentrations, water-quality data, and eDNA data produced from the study.