Lake Erie

Michigan and Ohio are both struggling to reduce the fertilizer runoff getting into Lake Erie which feeds cyanobacterial blooms, also called harmful algal blooms. Those toxic blooms can be hazardous to people and animals. Both states are working toward a 40% reduction goal set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Canada is working toward that same amount of reduction. So far, the efforts are not meeting the goals.

The H2Ohio Wetland Monitoring Program is hoping to get people to take photos for a time-lapse of developing wetlands, and then get more involved as citizen scientists.

Michigan has a pilot program to restore a large wetland area to reduce fertilizer runoff from getting into Lake Erie because it feeds toxic cyanobacterial blooms that spread in the western basin each year.

Two decades of study reveals a complex combination of factors causing large cyanobacterial blooms and their toxicity. Government incentives to reduce nutrient pollution from farms have not been enough to solve the problem so far.

Researchers are studying how much of cyanobacterial toxins become airborne. They say breathing in the toxins is much worse than ingesting them.

Harmful algal blooms are forming in some parts of Lake Erie earlier than they typically do.

Researchers are projecting the cyanobacterial bloom in the western basin of Lake Erie won’t be as bad as last year.

Harmful algal blooms may leave lakes with a bright green or oily surface... it’s caused by an overgrowth of toxic cyanobacteria. Climate change is projected to increase blooms and expand their presence across Michigan.

U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced a new program today aimed at reducing agricultural runoff responsible for large cyanobacterial blooms, like the annual bloom on Lake Erie.

Researchers say Lake Erie’s cyanobacteria problems could get worse if the only goal is to reduce phosphorus.The harmful cyanobacterial blooms that produce toxins are fed by phosphorus, primarily from agricultural runoff.