Toxic Lake Erie Algae Possibly From Detroit Area Lake

November 21, 2014

Algae blooms on western Lake Erie, like the one that left a half million people in the Toledo area without water this summer, have been blamed on farming and other pollution along the Maumee River. But new research points to another cause.

Lake Erie has been choked with toxic algae blooms in recent years. Scientists say it grows because of phosphorus fertilizer from farms and other sources. The algae releases microcystin, a toxin that’s harmful to fish, animals and people. This algae turned the tap water toxic in Toledo over the summer. 

Researchers have long thought this pollution was coming from the nearby Maumee River. But a new study by the Environmental Protection Agency, Environment Canada and the University of Windsor finds that the algae may be coming from further north.

Jesse Gardner Costa is a research assistant from Windsor. He says researchers compared the genetic makeup of algae samples across the Great Lakes region. They found the fingerprint of toxic algae in Lake Erie matched the algae in Lake St. Clair, which sits east of Detroit.

“It would suggest that because you’re seeing that same stuff, because they’re very similar, what’s coming into Lake Erie must be sourced by Lake St Clair."

Gardner Costa says the study provides evidence that algae is making its way from the top down, from Lake St. Clair, through the Detroit River and into western Lake Erie.

Costa says now that researchers have matched it to Lake St. Clair, they’re looking north to find what’s causing the pollution.