Summer is about to end and with it a algae bloom in lake erie It began forming in June and shows no signs of slowing down, giving off an emerald-green glow. The Landsat-9 satellite captured images of the Lake Erie algae bloom on Aug. 13, revealing that it covers about 300 square miles (830 square kilometers) of water in its western basin, according to NASA’s Earth Observatory.
In the meantime, it continued to grow until it reached 1,700 square kilometers August 22. The strange green-blue color is the result of microscopic organisms known as cyanobacteria.
A dangerous phenomenon
As of April 2024, the surrounding area of Lake Erie received an amount of record rain followed by an intense heatwave, providing the perfect fuel for this summer’s bloom. This algae-induced phenomenon, however, can be very dangerous for wildlife but also for humans. In fact, among the organisms present we find the cyanobacteria Microcystis which produce the toxin microcystin.
Human health effects are rare, but prolonged exposure to cyanobacterial toxins is known to cause allergic reactions such as skin rashes, eye irritation and respiratory problems, according to theEnvironmental Protection Agency. Animals can also get sick if they drink contaminated water and fish can even suffer mass extinctions.
NOAA’s Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory has eight stations in western Lake Erie to monitor levels of these harmful toxins. Data suggests that levels of microcistina peaked in early summer, towards the end of July and the beginning of August. However, the highest concentrations are found in early September. This is crucial data for understanding algal blooms and predicting when they might strike.
Finally, they may also provide important clues as to why large blooms are starting to occur for the first time in other Great Lakes, such as Lake Superior. Obviously the main cause is related to the climate change.
