Tracey's research involves developing a new water treatment program to reduce the levels of toxic algae in man-made lakes. By installing water treatment plants to remove phosphate, she hopes that algae levels will be greatly reduced thereby making the lakes healthier for the birds, fish, and other organisms that live there. Mason Lake in Irvine is currently being treated and she is using Eastlake in Yorba Linda as a control (non-treated) lake. Newport Back Bay is near Mason Lake and may also be contaminated with the toxic algae.