The tide is turning against harmful algal blooms on Lake Erie — thanks in part to an Ohio program that encourages farmers to restrict their use of fertilizers, according to organizers of a conference on Wednesday in Toledo.
“Phosphorus going down the Maumee River has declined by 10% in the past several years,” said Sara Guiher, water quality specialist for Ohio Sea Grant, which promotes improved water quality on Lake Erie and the Great Lakes.
The Maumee watershed, which includes parts of Indiana, contributes 5% of the water in Lake Erie and nearly half of the phosphorus and nitrogen — farm fertilizers that fuel algal blooms after they wash into the Maumee River…