Algae in Lake Erie could get even worse this summer

The Lake Erie algae problem may reach even more severe levels this summer, according to Lake Scientist, which writes that the conditions seem to be sliding back to those as bad as they were in the ‘60s and ‘70s, when Erie was declared a “dead lake” by many in the news media.

Runoff from farms and other sources is loading the lake with nutrients, such as phosphorus, which leads to algal blooms that gives the lake a bright green glow in the summer. The contaminants can also cause skin irritation and illness for both people and animals exposed to it. This problem has until recently remained mostly in the shallow western basin that borders northwest Ohio, which is hit hardest with phosphorus pollution.

Read more at lakescientist.com.