Officials are ratcheting up their algae removal efforts around Lake Erie, as recent testing suggested blue green algae blooms are continuing to proliferate in the Great Lake.

The Bucyrus Telegraph Forum reports that blue green algae has increasingly become a nuisance for public health officials charged with monitoring Lake Erie. The toxic algae blooms tend to spread during the hot, summer months. Mild winter conditions this past year did little to slow their growth, according to officials.

Ohio relies heavily on Lake Erie as a major source of revenue, as tourists and state residents frequent the lake each year. The steady growth of blue green algae, however, could hurt the state's tourism industry, and lawmakers and environmental advocates have increased their efforts to treat Lake Erie and other impacted waterways this year.

Municipalities throughout the U.S. have had difficulty battling the growth of blue green algae blooms, with communities employing an array of strategies as they worked to curb their growth. Some cities have found success through the use of alum in water treatment, as well as nutrient removal chemicals, while others have instead issued fertilizer bans, which are aimed at curtailing phosphorous levels.

An uptick in phosphorous and nitrogen levels in waterways across the U.S. is one of the single most significant factors influencing the growth of blue green algae blooms, according to Mary Clifton, the Ohio Department of Health's recreational program director. She said that blue green algae concentrations have risen to such high levels in lakes and rivers in Ohio that officials are concerned they could cause serious public health threats.

"They are some of the most powerful toxins known to man," she said. "There is no antidote for the toxin. It's very concerning to us, especially at the Ohio Department of Health. My fear is that we'll be ending up with some human deaths out of these things. These are serious toxins. If [people] see a bloom, they need to stay away."

Moreover, health experts said that it is essentially impossible to determine who will be most affected by exposure to blue green algae blooms. Ohio State University professor Jeff Reutter said that the algae blooms basically prompt allergic reactions in people.

"I have personally seen 10 people get out in this stuff," he said. "Nine people will have no problem, and one will have a rash. The person who's likely to be harmed the most is the person whose health is compromised."

With the summer months quickly approaching, officials are working feverishly to ensure the success of their algae removal campaign in Lake Erie and elsewhere in Ohio.


 

Posted on April 9th, 2012 under Agricultural Runoff, Industrial Uses, Lake and Pond Algae Control