Lake Erie Algae

Lake Erie Algae

This image was taken on a recent boat tour where the Foundation joined farmers and public officials to see Lake Erie’s infamous algae bloom up close and better understand what causes it. Toxic algae continues to harm Lake Erie, impeding fishing, diminishing property values, and threatening Lake Erie’s multi-billion dollar tourism industries. Water treatment plants are closely monitoring the algal bloom to make sure it doesn’t contaminate drinking water, as it did in Toledo in 2014.

Improving water quality is a significant part of our Foundation’s mission. A three-year Foundation grant to the Michigan Association of Conservation Districts is helping farmers install practices on their farms that prevent phosphorus and nitrogen from running off into the streams and rivers that empty into Lake Erie. It’s one effort among many needed to solve this problem. Learn more about some of the related efforts the Foundation supports here.