Maumee Bay beaches covered with algae
Ray Lopez Braindead Killfile the Pest
Maumee Bay beaches covered with algae
WTVG--May 9, 2007 - There is something growing in Maumee Bay and it could
be toxic to you and your pets! There is a new form of algae growing in
Western Lake Erie and it is washing ashore all over Maumee Bay. It is
toxic, it smells awful and there doesn't seem to be any way to get rid of
it.
It feels like a sponge or fiberglass insulation.
University Professor Dr. Tom Bridgeman says, "This is a type of algae
that we haven't seen before, at least in this amount. It just appeared
last fall in late September it washed up on the shore and these piles
lasted all winter long. They froze on top, but underneath it was still
green. When the weather warmed up this spring, it started growing again.
We may see it all summer long."
"It is a certain kind of algae. Technically, it is not an algae, it is a
cyanal bacteria or a glue-green algae. These kinds of algae have a
tendency to be toxic."
You would have to eat the algae to be poisoned. So pets and little kids
need to stay away. You also don't want to get it on your hands or skin
because you could get a rash.
"It is a nuisance and it's probably an indicator that something's out of
whack in Maumee Bay."
So far, the algae isn't endangering wildlife, but it could put a crimp in
your swimming plans this summer. It's already washing up on the beach of
Maumee Bay State Park.
Homeowners aren't too happy, either. Frank Bihn is used to watching
egrets from his backyard and seeing frogs in his creek. But the frogs
won't come near the green algae. It's clogging up the stream and killing
vegetation along the bank.
Dr. Bridgeman says they don't see any fish or birds eating this algae, so
we don't have to worry about toxins moving up the food chain. He is
studying the algae to find out where it came from, how it got here and
how to stop it.