In 2011, the bloom was measured 10 on the severity scale, making it the worst on record.
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“Today’s prediction that we can expect severe algal blooms in the Western Lake Erie Basin this summer is incredibly troubling and a stark reminder that harmful algal blooms remain a threat to our state”.
Algae blooms are especially pesky because municipalities have to spend more on treating drinking water, swimmers are at risk of getting entangled and even drowning in high concentration areas, while boaters find it very hard to steer their boats on lakes loaded with algae.
Toledo has stockpiled four times the amount of potassium permanganate, chlorine, and powdered carbon as the city used past year to help remove the chief toxin, microcystin. This year, scientists fear the bloom could approach that level, with a forecasted range of 8.1 to potentially as high as 9.5.
The bloom is expected to peak in September, but only develop from west to east in the Western Basin of Lake Erie, according to NOAA.
Phosphorus, which is contained in animal manure and many commercial fertilizers, tends to be the nutrient that determines the size of the bloom.
Regional Water Quality Manager Thomas Herron says drought and heat are creating flawless conditions for the blue-green algae blooms.
Richard Stumpf, natural in preparation executed investigation bring at NOAA’s National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science, declared that the majority of the community center won’t find out algae. It took over three days before the municipal water supply was deemed safe enough to drink.
The unpleasant odor and appearance of a blue-green algal bloom typically keeps most people out of the water. “In theory, you could get some biofuel out of it, some fertilizer”, but “it’s costing a lot of money -you can’t harvest it all”, he said.
STUMPF: They’re ready, like Toledo is well-stocked with all the chemicals that are required.
Tinka Hyde, Water Division Director at the U.S. EPA, also introduced target phosphorus loads and load reduction goals required to address the problem, as recommended in a newly released report from the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement’s Annex 4, which includes the United States and Canada.
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The senator also wrote the Harmful Algal Blooms and Hypoxia Research and Control Amendments Act, which reauthorized and improved the federal government’s research and response framework for harmful algal blooms. The bulletins will continue at the twice-weekly frequency established during last season’s Toledo event, and can be received by a subscription to the NOAA Lake Erie HAB Bulletin.
