Blue-green algae found in more New York water bodies

According to the Democrat and Chronicle, 141 waterways in New York have been found to contain blue-green algae. The algae comes in blooms spurred by a number of things, including non-point source runoff.

In 2012, 23 new water bodies were added to the newspaper’s database of New York lakes affected by the potentially toxic substance. The cyanobacteria are toxic to nerves, and can sicken humans and kill some animals.

Blue-green algae has been found in some of the state’s largest lakes, drinking water reservoirs and even ponds in urban parks. In response, New York began sampling in 2009 for cyanotoxins, drawing on a $750,000 federal grant to do so. The state environmental conservation agency has also launched a website to show results of those efforts.