Phosphorus occurs naturally and in the appropriate amounts isn’t cause for concern, in fact it’s needed for plant and animal life. Algae also occurs naturally in lakes and is an important food source for invertebrates and provides cover for fish. When everything is in balance, no harm is done.

However, when too much phosphorus gets into our lakes, we need to worry!

Add the following elements and we have the recipe for an algal bloom:

• Increased Nitrogen
• Other Inputs from Lawn Fertilizers
• Leaching Septic Systems
• Agriculture Runoff and Wastewater Effluents
• Warm Water Temperatures
• Shallow Water
• Slow Moving Water

Increased nutrient levels causes blue-green algae to quickly multiply and large numbers can collect at the surface of the lake. But they don’t just appear at the surface. Blooms can occur at various depths as algae adjusts their buoyancy and moves towards nutrients and light. They are often blue-green in colour and can look like pea soup or turquoise paint forming foam, mats, scum, even in small balls and clumps. And they smell! Fresh blooms smell like freshly mowed grass whereas older blooms can smell like rotting garbage.

Funding Partners:

Rogers
Foundation