Did You Know: Harmful Algal Blooms in Freshwater Aquatic Environments
by Adeline Muras, VWRRC Undergraduate Intern Harmful algal blooms (HABs) occur when negative impacts to the environment or human health occur because of cyanobacteria producing toxins. Cyanobacteria (also known as “blue-green algae”) are a type of photosynthetic bacteria that, like algae, derive their energy from photosynthesis. Some cyanobacteria have been…
Virginia Water Central News Grouper Monthly Status Report for April
Virginia Water Status Report as of the End of April 2025, Plus a Look at Flooding and Drought Nationally The link below provides access to the News Grouper’s monthly water-status report on precipitation, stream flow, flooding, and drought, as of the end of April 2025. Read the April 2025 report. Previous montly water…
Collaborative Algal Bloom Study Underway at Smith Mountain Lake
Written by Adeline Muras, VWRRC Intern In 2024, the Virginia General Assembly included funding for a research study assessing algal blooms in Smith Mountain Lake, Virginia. The Virginia Water Resources Research Center (Water Center) at Virginia Tech is working in conjunction with the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), the Virginia Department…
Water Center Interns Attend NIWR Meeting and Capitol Hill Visits in DC
In February 2025, undergraduate interns Ella Lewis and Adeline Muras accompanied VWRRC Director Kevin McGuire and Associate Director Daniel McLaughlin to Washington, DC for the 2025 National Institutes for Water Resources (NIWR) Annual Meeting. The meeting provided valuable opportunities for networking with colleagues from other water centers, sharing updates on…
Virginia Water Central News Grouper Monthly Water Status Report for February
Andie Flota Selected as Society for Freshwater Science Instars Fellow
We’re thrilled to share that Andie Flota, who served as our VWRRC-USGS Summer Water Intern in 2024, has been selected as a 2025 Society for Freshwater Science (SFS) Instars Fellow! This prestigious fellowship recognizes promising undergraduate students interested in freshwater science and provides mentorship opportunities to support their professional development. The Instars Fellowship…
Dr. Ashleigh Kirker Joins Virginia Water Resources Research Center
The Virginia Water Resources Research Center is pleased to welcome Dr. Ashleigh Kirker! Dr. Kirker joins the Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation department as an Assistant Professor, with a 10% appointment at the VWRRC. Dr. Kirker’s research focuses on connections between headwater catchments, urban landscapes, and sediment legacies. Specifically, she…
January’s Monthly Water Status Report from Virginia Water Central News Grouper
New Undergraduate Intern Adeline Muras Begins Water Center Internship
The Virginia Water Resources Research Center is excited to welcome Adeline Muras as our undergraduate intern this semester! Adeline is a senior majoring in Water: Resources, Policy, and Management and minoring in Biodiversity Conservation, Environmental Science, and Wetland Science. She plans to pursue a career focusing on water quality and…



