At the peak of the flooding in July, more than 4 billion gallons of water flowed into Lake Champlain every hour carrying fuel oil, mercury, diesel, and phosphorus from upstream communities.
A Clean Lakes Alliance report indicates less phosphorous in the Yahara chain of lakes, which ultimately could mean more summer days when the lakes are free from algae blooms, but increased rainfall events could inhibit the progress.
Climate change has been contributing to worsening water quality in Lake Auburn, as winter ice cover diminishes, and water temperatures are rising, giving algae more time to grow. And more extreme storm events can dump sediment and runoff which further degrade water quality.
The mass, known as the great Atlantic Sargassum belt, is drifting toward the Gulf of Mexico. Scientists say seaweed is likely to come ashore by summer to create a rotting, stinking, scourge.
Fertilizers filled with the nutrient boosted our ability to feed the planet. Today, they’re creating vast and growing dead zones in our lakes and seas.
