Lake Erie's toxic algal bloom returns..

Lake Erie's toxic algal bloom returns..

The bad news? Lake Erie's toxic algal bloom has returned as a result of naturally-occurring cyanobacteria fueled into overdrive due to a combination of warm water, sunshine and nutrients that come from agricultural runoff, sewage and industry waste.

"Nevertheless, it may provide some respite for the nearly 11 million people that receive drinking water from Lake Erie as well as those who boat, fish and recreate on the lake, all who have felt the impacts of several years of near-record breaking harmful, and at times toxic, algal blooms."

While "normally fairly harmless in lower concentrations, when these harmful algal blooms (HABs) occur, cyanobacteria pose a risk to aquatic life and human health.

"As a bloom spreads throughout the surface layer of lake water, the cyanobacteria release toxins known as microcystins into the environment. Simply swimming in water with high concentrations of microcystins can cause symptoms such as stomach cramps, vomiting, diarrhea, fever, headache, muscle and joint pain, and weakness, as well as skin and eye irritation, sore throat and allergic reactions. If these toxins enter the drinking water supply in sufficient amounts, such as during extreme outbreaks, symptoms can develop that cause liver and kidney damage life-threatening bouts of gastroenteritis, aka "stomach flu" (especially for children and the elderly)."