Lake Erie's toxic algae bloom seen from space
source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/10/14/lake-eries-toxic-algae-bloom_n_1010902.html
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- JanforGore
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The lake is currently undergoing one of the worst algae blooms in decades, turning the water a scummy bright green. According to NASA, blooms like this did occur in the 1950's and 60's, but now phosphorus from farms, sewage, and industry have fertilized the waters.
After the 60's, increased regulations and improvements in agriculture and sewage treatment limited the phosphorus and helped to control the blooms. However, the shallower Western basin near Detroit has been more susceptible to the algae than other deeper areas.
The exact reason behind the bloom is a bit unclear, but scientists believe it could be linked to increased rainfall and, believe it or not, mussels. It seems the types of mussel, zebra and quagga that have invaded the lake feed on phytoplankton instead of algae, making it even easier for the blooms to occur, according to NASA.
While the algae doesn't directly kill fish, it's still not good. As the algae dies, it's broken down by bacteria which uses oxygen from the water. This oxygen removal creates areas where fish can't survive. In addition, if consumed, it can also create flu-like symptoms in people or even kill pets.
Former Vice President Al Gore spoke Thursday in Detroit on the matter, associating climate change with the algae problem. "We're still acting as if it's perfectly OK to use this thin-shelled atmosphere as an open sewer. It's not OK," he said. "We need to listen to the scientists. We need to use the tried and true method of using the best evidence, debating and discussing it, but not pretending that facts are not facts."
While in the past, some have criticized Gore, claiming that he's made exaggerated statements about the environment, yesterday's speech drew upon some pretty hard scientific evidence, leading many leaders at the International Joint Commission to listen a bit more intently.
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richardparks
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I never been to that lake but OMG, this looks so bad.
- 7 months ago
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richardparks
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dvdwholesale30 [removed]
- This comment was removed as a violation of community guidelines.
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dvdwholesale30 [removed]
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JanforGore
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dvdwholesale30:
Flagged for SPAM.
- 7 months ago
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JanforGore
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coolplanet
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This is strange because I've spent a lot of time every year at lake Erie over the past 35 years at my family's summer cottage and this year has been the cleanest I've ever seen the lake. No algae in Dunkirk, NY yet (I've been there every month this year).
I remember back in the 1970s when it was declared dead and the algae went out 1000 feet from the shore filled with dead fish and birds, first green, then orange and then black. The only thing that masked the horrible smell was strawberry incense.
Although I did notice an unusual amount of Vultures in the past year.....
I'll be there next week and will give you an update. - 7 months ago
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coolplanet
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squarethecircle
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this is happening everywhere. Reservoirs across the country are having blue-green algae blooms...some in Texas are blood red due to lack of H2O
- 7 months ago
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squarethecircle
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JanforGore
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http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/01/090113101122.htm
Water levels in the lakes are important as well in regards to maintaining their health. Water levels have been down and with Lake Erie being the most shallow of them all, this too (water evaportation due to increasing temperatures) can have an effect on algae blooms as well as overflows due to less but more extreme rainfalls that move fertilizer downstream.
- 7 months ago
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JanforGore
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mitekillem
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I has an idear!
Let's farm this algea and put it to use as green fuel.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/08/080818184434.htm - 7 months ago
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mitekillem
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JanforGore
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mitekillem:
Are you talking toxic algae?
- 7 months ago
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JanforGore
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mitekillem
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JanforGore:
Yes.
Certainly if our scientists can figure out how to wipe a skin cell clean to change it into a stem cell, then certainly we can cultivate algea into producing ethanol. - 7 months ago
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mitekillem
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JanforGore
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mitekillem:
Well algae has already been used in food and medicines for centuries. As far as biofuels go, I think seaweed and kelp are good for that but not too sure about blooms that become poisonous due to human activity.
- 7 months ago
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JanforGore
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JanforGore
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http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/10/04/us-greatlakes-idUSTRE7937CY20111004
It's also in the way we farm. What we put on land eventualy winds up in the water.
"There has been a 95 percent decline in fish biomass in Lake Huron, one of three larger lakes, in the past 15 years, according to the report. Freshwater shrimp that are key to Lake Michigan's fishery have declined by 94 percent in 10 years.
Scientists blame too much phosphorous from farm fertilizer runoff for the algae blooms, which decompose and create an oxygen-depleted "dead zone" in the Lake Erie.
Among the report's recommendations are for farmers to leave buffer zones between farmland and waterways, and better enforcement of clean water laws."
- 7 months ago
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JanforGore
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lazloman
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Anyone remember when the lake (the Cuyahoga river actually) caught fire back in the '70s? It was one of things the EPA set out to fix when it was created at roughly the same time. They did a great job of cleaning things up. You could actually fish in Lake Erie for a while until of course, regulations were relaxed.
- 7 months ago
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lazloman
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JanforGore
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lazloman:
I remember it, I was 12 at the time. Scared the hell out of me. I couldn't understand why people would pollute their own water like that. Still don't.
- 7 months ago
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JanforGore
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JanforGore
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http://www.freep.com/article/20111016/OPINION01/110160432/Editorial-Lake-Erie-de...
The conditions we see in Lake Erie now are a call to action. It is said that the condititons in Lake Erie usually dictate the future for the other four. After expending so much time and effort to make such inroads in cleaning up the mistakes of the past, it would be a true tragedy to see it all reversed.
- 7 months ago
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JanforGore
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remanns
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I don't know if those lakes are still all that great; a bit worse for wear looks like.
I guess "Much improved" ( for the most part ) lakes ???
- 7 months ago
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remanns
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remanns
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added to, and "Featured" at, "Space".
( Its really weird that we all sort of take satelite images for granted these days. )
- 7 months ago
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remanns
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bailey78
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Hey Jan we are having a outbreak of red tide here on the Texas Gulf Coast. killing fish and other marine life.
- 7 months ago
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bailey78
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remanns
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bailey78:
That sucks.
- 7 months ago
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remanns
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bailey78
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remanns:
Yep it will also burn your eyes and lungs if your around it for very long. Really ruins a day at the beach.
- 7 months ago
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bailey78
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JanforGore
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bailey78:
They usually do occur between August and February. Because of the drought conditions and elevated temperatures with lack of rainfall we'll have to see if it is any more severe than usual.
- 7 months ago
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JanforGore
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JanforGore
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bailey78:
Yes, try to stay away from those areas.
- 7 months ago
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JanforGore
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bailey78
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JanforGore:
We try to stay clear of it as much as we can. I'm hopeing we some rain before we have a bad outbreak of it. I have seen lots of die off from it in the past.
- 7 months ago
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bailey78
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JanforGore
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http://water-is-life.blogspot.com/2011/10/lake-eries-toxic-algae-bloom-seen-from...
You can also see a clip of Mr. Gore's speech here.
- 7 months ago
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JanforGore
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JanforGore
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http://water-is-life.blogspot.com/2011/09/al-gore-to-speak-at-great-lakes-water....
Entry regarding Mr. Gore's appearance at the biennial meeting.The video is from a documentry on the Great Lakes and the effects it is now dealing with called Waterlife. - 7 months ago
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JanforGore
