Managing reservoirs for water quality, not just flood control, could be part of the solution to the growth of toxic algal blooms in the Great Lakes, especially Lake Erie, every summer.
Managing reservoirs for water quality, not just flood control, could be part of the solution to the growth of toxic algal blooms in the Great Lakes, especially Lake Erie, every summer.
In a major study involving data from Canada and the United States, researchers at the University of Waterloo identified reservoirs on streams and rivers as sources of food for algae at the worst possible time.
The culprit is dissolved phosphorus released from upstream reservoirs when warm lake water is ideal for the growth of algal blooms, which can cause illness and contaminate water supplies.
“Algae love dissolved phosphorus and when it arrives in the summer, it arrives exactly when they want it the most,” said Nandita Basu, a professor of civil and environmental engineering at Waterloo.
Read more at: University of Waterloo
