On 28 July 2015, the Operational Land Imager (OLI) on Landsat 8 captured this image of an algal bloom in Lake Erie. Photo: Joshua Stevens / USGS

By Kathryn Hansen
4 August 2015 (NASA) – On July 28, 2015, the Operational Land Imager (OLI) on Landsat 8 captured these images of algal blooms around the Great Lakes. The bloom is visible as swirls of green in western Lake Erie (top) and in Lake St. Clair (bottom). Earlier in July, NOAA scientists predicted that the 2015 season for harmful algal blooms would be severe in western Lake Erie. They suggest that algae growth in western Lake Erie could rival the blooms of 2011. Algae in this basin thrive when there is an abundance of nutrients (many from agricultural runoff) and sunlight, as well as warm water temperatures. The season runs through summer and peaks in September. Research confirmed that in 2011, phosphorus from farm runoff combined with favorable weather and lake conditions to produce a bloom three times larger than previously observed. The researchers noted that if land management practices and climate change trends continue, the lake is likely to see more blooms like the 2011 event. Harmful algal blooms can lead to fish kills. They also can affect the safety of water for recreation and for consumption (as was the case in Toledo, Ohio, and southeast Michigan during a 2014 bloom). As of July 30, 2015, drinking water was reported to be safe in these areas. In April 2015, NASA and several partners announced a new multi-agency effort to develop an early warning indicator for harmful algal blooms in fresh water. The system is expected to make ocean color satellite imagery more easily available to environmental and water quality managers.

References and Related Reading

  1. The Detroit News (2015, July 28) Toxic Lake Erie algae spotted but drinking water safe. Accessed July 31, 2015.
  2. Michalak, A. et al., (2013, April 16) Record-setting algal bloom in Lake Erie caused by agricultural and meteorological trends consistent with expected future conditions. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 110 (16) 6448-6452.
  3. NASA Benefits to You (2015, April 7) NASA Joins Forces to Put Satellite Eyes on Threat to U.S. Freshwater.
  4. NASA Earth Observatory (2014, August 5) Algae Bloom on Lake Erie.
  5. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (2015, July 9) NOAA, partners predict severe harmful algal bloom for Lake Erie. Accessed July 31, 2015.
  6. USA Today (2015, July 30) Another toxic algae outbreak feared for Lake Erie. Accessed July 31, 2015.

Algae Boom in Lake Erie