Lake Erie is an invaluable resource and habitat. It’s the shallowest, warmest and most biologically diverse of the five Great Lakes. Its waters and watershed support a bounty of aquatic and terrestrial life, including dozens of species of native fish, plants, amphibians, mammals and insects. The lake provides drinking water for 11 million Americans and Canadians.

After decades of neglect and decline during much of the 20th century, Lake Erie rebounded during the 1980s and ‘90s, due to intensive efforts focused on reducing industrial pollution and storm water runoff.

But in the early 21st century, Lake Erie is facing renewed environmental threats, including harmful algal blooms, low-oxygen conditions, invasive species and the impact of climate change.

Recently, the Cleveland Museum of Natural History organized a symposium, “Keep It Great: The State of Lake Erie,” to examine the status and future of the lake. With Sauropodcast host John Mangels as moderator, a panel of experts discussed key Lake Erie challenges and two conservation success stories: the restoration of Mentor Marsh and the comeback of the Lake Erie Water Snake.

Our panelists:

Dr. Jeff Reutter, retired director of the Ohio Sea Grant Program, Ohio State University’s Stone Lab and the Center for Lake Erie Area ResearchDr. Laura Johnson, Director of the National Center for Water Quality Research at Heidelberg UniversityDr. Kristin Stanford, Education and Outreach Coordinator at Ohio State University's Stone Lab Dr. David Kriska, Restoration Ecologist at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History

Introduction – 00:00-16:43Dr. Reutter - 16:43 – 36:05Dr. Johnson – 36:05 – 57:18Dr. Stanford – 58:01-1:12:52Dr. Kriska – 1:12:52 – 1:28:08Audience Q&A - 1:28:08 – 1:53:45