Getting Eerie in Lake Erie

 

For Lake Erie residents and visitors, the spring rains are more of a curse than a blessing. It's these rains that predict how serious the summer algae blooms will be: the more frequent and heavy the downpours, the worse the outbreak. In 2011, the toxic algae covered a sixth of Erie's waters, contributing to the expanding dead zone on its bottom, reducing fish populations, fouling beaches and crippling a tourism industry. To cut the phosphorus levels that contribute to the growth in algae, scientists say that the farming habits and equipment along the Erie shore must change. 

New York Times