Algae Blooms In Florida Lakes Call For State Of Emergency

It was a strange sight to behold in Florida, seeing a green thick substance coat the coastline and waterways. Officials believe that the root of the blooms can be traced to the nation’s second largest freshwater lake, Lake Okeechobee.

Lake Okeechobee has been “loaded with excessive amounts” of nitrogen and phosphorus from a wide range of sources, ABC News reported, including fertilization runoff from farms and urbanization.

Since a number of algae-infested canals and rivers flow into estuaries and inlets that empty into the ocean, several beaches in Martin County have also begun experiencing “blue algae” blooms

"The state has all these regulatory requirements about what can be used, and we need their help to vet these technologies," Deborah Drum, manager of the ecosystem restoration and management division for Martin County said. "In certain cases, killing blue-green algae can cause them to release more toxins, and we don't want to create worse conditions than the one we're trying to solve right now."

Drum told ABC News that authorities have not yet been able to confirm if the blooms on the beaches have been caused by something other than the release of nutrient-polluted water.

Drum added that Martin County has received dozens of calls from companies and organizations "indicating they have the technology — whether physical, mechanical or chemical — to remove this algae from the water."

Governor Rick Scott declared a state of emergency in Martin, St. Lucie, Lee, and Palm Beach counties because of the toxic algae bloom, CNN reported.

The Army Corps of Engineers released nutrient-heavy water into the St. Lucie Estuary as part of their flood control measures. Following the emergency declaration, the Corps announced it would cut discharges by about a third.

"The algae outbreaks are triggered by fertilizer sewage and manure pollution that the state has failed to properly regulate. It's like adding miracle grow to the water and it triggers massive algae outbreaks," Earthjustice spokeswoman Alisa Coe told CNN.

According to Fox News, Gov. Scott announced that he would ask the Florida Legislature to set aside money that would be used for a grant program to aid homeowners who voluntarily want to switch from septic tanks to central sewer systems. He also pledged to put aside money for next year to help communities around the Indian River Lagoon and Caloosahatchee River build new wastewater systems.

"While the state has continued to step up and invest in important restoration projects to help South Florida waterways, it is clear that more work has to be done," Scott said in a statement released by his office. "It is up to all of us — the state, Florida's local communities and the federal government — to work together on long term solutions to improve the quality of our water. That is why I am going to commit state funding and match it with local contributions so we can work together on efforts to clean up our waters. Septic tank runoff is a major contributor to the pollution in these water bodies and I look forward to working with the Legislature to fund efforts to curb it."

To read more about algal blooms visit Water Online’s Nutrient Removal Solutions Center.