agricultural runoff

The toxic cyanobacterial bloom that’s become a yearly problem in Lake Erie’s western basin was relatively small this year. But the bloom has lasted an unusually long time. It didn't start to break up until recently.

Fertilizer that runs off farm fields can fuel cyanobacterial blooms on lakes and rivers. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack estimated 28% of U.S. cropland is over-fertilized.

Public pressure is growing over toxic cyanobacteria blooms growing in the western basin of Lake Erie and other places in Michigan.

Researchers at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory (GLERL) are forecasting the…