Going "green" isn't always a good thing. Due to record amounts of spring rainfall, a coating of green algae known as cyan bacteria has invaded at least 20 public beaches, lakes and ponds in Ohio. The toxic blue-green sticky film occurs when water becomes polluted with sewage, manure and fertilizer.
Indiana Prairie Reporter notes the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) is offering financial assistance to farmers battling an overflow of manure-based fertilizer due to spring flooding. Cleaning up the manure seepage will likely prevent the contamination from encompassing more public and private waterways.
Memorial Day is the unofficial kick-off for outdoor summer fun and coveted eco-tourism business around the state. Ohio State Park beaches are popular day and weekend getaways even when the economy is good. The struggling economy has boosted state park visitation for the last several years. A decline in visitors would have a financial impact for campground, cabin and outdoor recreation rental businesses. The algae problem will impact the rural Hocking Hills area of southern Ohio to the northern shores of Lake Erie, the two largest outdoor tourist attractions in the Midwest.
Heavy April showers and flood waters washed phosphorus-infused sediment from agricultural areas into waterways last year as well. The rainfall run-off issue in 2011 has already surpassed the algae growth which occurred in all of 2010 in Ohio. Per studies by University of Toledo ecologists, harmful algal blooms are expected to make a return appearance in Lake Erie again this summer, according to the Columbus Dispatch. The warmth and sunshine which any Ohioans have been seeking will only exasperate algae growth. Fishing is not only an enjoyable way to spend an afternoon on Lake Erie but a means of putting food on the table for angler-related businesses. Decaying fish floating on the top of the lake will not only deter fishermen but disrupt the fragile economy in the Buckeye State.
Fortunately, no safety warnings affecting human health have yet been issued due to the growing algae problem. Water may be deemed safe for swimming if the concentrations of the green ilk are determined to be low enough not to be harmful if accidentally ingested while in the water.
Last year, tourists were met with warning signs when visiting state park beaches at Hake Hope, Burr Oak and Grand Lake state parks. Thousands of hikers at the Hocking Hills State Park were not deterred by the pending algae over the holiday weekend and cooled off in waterfall overflows at Ash Cave and Old Man's Cave with both their small children and four-legged family members. The thick canopy of trees and cooler temperatures along cave trails are protected from the direct sunlight algae needs to flourish.
