Largest blue-green algae bloom found in Lake Erie

Environmentalists are concerned harmful algae blooms in Lake Erie and Lake St. Clair could threaten the safety of fish and residents living around the waterways.

 

Algae blooms, which can span hundreds of square kilometres, have hit record levels this summer concerning many Southern Ontario residents. Blue-green algae blooms produce toxins that can cause severe internal pains to anyone who comes in contact with the water. The toxins have also been known to kill entire fish populations. While blue-green algae is indigenous to the region, chemical runoff from greenhouses have exponentially increased the growth rate.

 

The algae has resulted in local beaches being closed for most of the summer.

 

Yousef Bazzi,19, a business student at St. Clair College, said he is frustrated with not being able to go in the water.

 

“Sometimes I’ll plan beach days with my friends only to get there and find out the beach is closed. It happens all the time and it’s really frustrating. What’s the point of having a lake if we can’t use it?” said Bazzi. “Someone should do something about it, I mean how long until the entire lake is completely green? The stuff is disgusting we shouldn’t have to deal with it.”

 

Last summer, algae levels in Lake Erie left 400,000 Toledo residents with unsafe drinking water. Pelee Island was also under a water advisory for two weeks in August of 2014.

 

Environmentalist Nancy Goucher is a manager at Partnerships with Freshwater Future, an organization that focuses on preserving the Great Lakes. She said the effects of blue-green algae blooms are not just environmental, but also economical.

 

“Blooms  have direct economic implications. Who wants to own property, spend vacation time, or play on beaches covered in slimy mats of algae? Blooms discourage people from enjoying the water which means fewer boaters, anglers, and beach goers – and less of the money they bring to shoreline communities,” said Goucher.

 

This summer’s algae bloom was the biggest ever recorded, covering an area larger than Prince Edward Island. While systems such as improved sewage treatment have been applied in Ontario, Goucher said the current land use practices in the Great Lakes basin and Lake Erie watershed are not sustainable.

 

Blue-green algae blooms release neurotoxins that can be hazardous to humans causing vomiting, diarrhea and liver disease. Anyone who notices blue-green algae, identified as a dull matte green slime with a negative smell, is asked to stay away and call local environmental officials. They often appear after heavy rainfall.

 

Goucher said the problem can be fixed and everyone must work together to reduce the amount of phosphorus pollution in Ontario’s waterways.
For more information you can go to www.ourgreenlegacy.org