Alanna Gillis 

Staff Writer

If you’ve visited Lake Erie anytime during late summer or early fall, you may have noticed the water seems greener than usual. This is typically caused by algae that grows within the lake, called cyanobacteria. The specific genus of this cyanobacteria changes depending on what season it is, as certain types of algae are more common at different times of the year. In late summer the cyanobacteria Microcystis can be seen on the open water of Lake Erie. However, anytime from spring to fall, the genus Planktothrix can be seen blooming closer to shore. These algal blooms typically look like soft green mats on top of the water’s surface. 

Microcystin is the toxin that can cause harm to people and pets.James Proffitt writes in his article Good News for Lake Erie: 2021 algal bloom severity is a low 3. It is also the toxin found in the algae that grows in Lake Erie. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, exposure to this cyanobacteria can cause allergic reactions with varyingly severe results. While there aren’t many documented cases, there have been instances where these allergic reactions included skin rashes, eye irritation, respiratory issues and in the more severe cases, liver as well as kidney failure or even death. The EPA cites accidental inhalation or ingestion of microcystin-containing-algae as the main reason these reactions happen. This accidental inhalation or ingestion is usually the result of recreating on the lake. 

It is also worth noting that the EPA found that this cyanotoxin has been the cause of wildlife, pet and livestock death, if the animals use the affected water for drinking. 

The presence of this toxin was perhaps at its worst in 2014, when the entire city of Toledo, Ohio was warned of a possibly dangerous amount of Microcystin in their tap water. This discovery came at the heels of a large cyanobacteria algal bloom that had grown around the city’s water intake, which is located on Lake Erie. Panic broke out among the 450,000 residents, with many people hoarding bottled water. However, the city of Toledo immediately began attempting to fix the issue. Now, seven years later, there hasn’t been any more microcystin found in their water since that instance in 2014. They achieved this by testing for microcystin daily, installing water-quality-measuring buoys around the water intake center, and developing a better emergency response plan. 

There’s good news this year though: NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) predicts the bloom will rate at a 3 on a scale of 10.5. This will mark the second year in a row that the algal bloom will be comparably low to the blooms in the past decade, James Proffitt writes in his article Good News for Lake Erie: 2021 algal bloom severity is a low 3. 

There are many ways to keep you or your pets safe when you visit the lake. Make sure not to inhale or ingest any water while spending time on or around the lake. If you bring your pets with you, make sure to always have a separate water source for them to drink from.