A toxic algae bloom in Lake Erie has grown to be eight times the size of Cleveland in the past few weeks. It’s so big that NASA is taking pictures of it from outer space.
The bloom has now spread over 620 square miles, more than twice the size it was when NASA first measured it on July 30; then it was just the size of New York City. In its pictures, NASA says that “green patches show where the bloom was most dense and toxicity levels were unsafe for recreational activities.”
Water in the lake is changing color because of pigments in the algae. The algae species in Lake Erie produce toxins that can kill fish, birds and mammals. Heavy rains in July carried excess nutrients, often fertilizer, from farms into the lake, NASA said. Nitrogen and phosphorus, as well as nutrients in the polluted runoff, can act as fertilizer for algae, creating large blooms. NASA says the bloom in Lake Erie is expected to continue into the fall.
The government is warning people and pets to stay away from the polluted areas. Indeed, the Centers for Disease Control say that coming into direct contact with algae can cause a rash, or worse. Some research indicates that there’s a link between long-term inhalation of toxic algae fumes and neurological disorders like Parkinson’s and Lou Gehrig’s diseases. Read more:
https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/145453/eerie-blooms-in-lake-erie
