TOLEDO, Ohio (AP) – Researchers who have been keeping a close eye on Lake Erie say they think this summer will bring one of the most severe toxic algae outbreaks in recent years.
It was almost a year ago that toxins from the algae contaminated the drinking water for 400,000 people in northwestern Ohio and southeastern Michigan.
Scientists who issued their forecast for the lake Thursday say this year’s algae bloom could be second only to 2011, when the algae stretched more than 100 miles from Toledo to Cleveland.
Heavy rains across northern Ohio over the past month have washed huge amounts of algae-feeding phosphorus into the lake.
The prediction for a big algae outbreak doesn’t necessarily mean there will be more drinking water trouble because wind and water temperatures play a role, too.