Phosphorus running off farm fields causes many of the algae blooms that can choke off life in lake waters. Dr. Jeff Reutter is head of Ohio State University’s Sea Grant program.  He says algae blooms are a bigger problem in Lake Erie that the other Great Lakes.  And, he says conference attendees recognize that research done on Lake Erie algae blooms, is important for the rest of the Great Lakes.

“Because what we see on Lake Erie is what’s headed to the other lakes if we don’t stop it here first. And the next likely places for it to occur would be Saginaw Bay, Green Bay, Lake St. Clair, any nutrient enriched harbor. From an Asian carp standpoint, there are a number of places in the Great Lakes where it could prosper, but none as likely as the western basin of Lake Erie.”