Lake Erie is a whole lot cleaner than it was decades ago, yet in the past 10 years, toxic algae has sprouted up en masse here, forcing state officials to post warning signs at popular area beaches.

The Healthy Lake Erie Fund, which was recently passed by the Ohio State Legislature and signed into law by Governor John Kasich, aims to address this problem by directing three state agencies -- the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, the Ohio Department of Agriculture and the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency -- to work with farmers to help keep fertilizers and manures out of watersheds.

The $3 million fund could also help support projects such as enhanced education, soil testing, water quality monitoring and pilot efforts to reduce algae blooms.

"While we are all able to observe the harmful algal bloom problem, without effective research and monitoring programs, scientists and managers struggle to identify the causes and recommend, implement, and evaluate the most effective solutions," said Dr. Jeff Reutter of Ohio Sea Grant and Stone Lab in a news release.

"Our $1 million annual monitoring budget of the 1970s and early 1980s was eliminated in the mid-1980s when people felt our work was done and the Lake had recovered from the 'Dead Lake Years' of the 1960s," he added. "I hope we have all learned that Lake Erie is simply too valuable to ever neglect again."

Source: Ohio Environmental Council
Writer: Lee Chilcote