Why is Lake Erie Considered a Dead Lake?

Many of you ask me the same question: Why is

Today I am answering this question:

Nowadays, humanity in the greater mass is not yet aware of the magnitude of the pollution problem of Lakes and Rivers.

Consumer attitudes towards water resources, illegal dumping of garbage into the river still take place.

However, eco-activists are increasingly urging people to rational use of water bodies and careful handling of them, arranging large-scale educational campaigns.

In cities, community work events are regularly held to clean the coastal zones and the bottom of lakes and rivers from debris.

There is a campaign for a massive rejection of plastic bags and plastic in general.

Now As for

Besides plastic pollution there is a different huge problem.

Every summer we are faced with the fact that during the hot period

“blooms”.

Water bloom is an intensive reproduction of the smallest green and blue-green algae.

This is one of the consequences of eutrophication of water bodies – an excess supply of nitrogen and phosphorus compounds to them.

These substances, like fertilizers, are needed so that any plants, including algae, multiply and grow.

They enter water bodies along with runoff from fields, sewage from cities and villages, and even precipitate from the air.

With excessive fertilization, microscopic algae become so numerous that they completely fill the water column, the transparency of the water decreases sharply.

The sun’s rays can no longer penetrate into the depths.

Plants that are at depth do not receive light and do not produce oxygen, because

photosynthesis

Why is

Lake Erie

Considered a Dead Lake?

Because of toxic blue-green algae.

Most of the multiplied microscopic algae are blue-green, they release toxic substances that are dangerous to all living organisms in the water.

Microscopic algae eventually die off and settle to the bottom, where the decomposition process begins using the same oxygen, which is already insufficient at depth.

Gradually, at the bottom of the reservoirs, places are formed where there is actually no oxygen dissolved in the water.

And this makes the life of animals at the bottom almost impossible.

In many cases, when plant residues rot on the bottom in anoxic conditions, hydrogen sulfide is formed, which gives the bottom water the smell of rotten eggs.

This gas is extremely poisonous and, rising to the surface, can kill animals in the water column.

Eutrophication of water bodies can occur for natural reasons in the course of changes both in the lake itself and in the adjacent territory.

However, in recent times, this process generates excessive human activity.

Eutrophication affects not only lake Erie and even stagnant sections of rivers.

Is Lake Erie Still Considered a Dead Lake?

Yes.

In the last few decades, excessive releases of phosphorus and nitrogen into the lake have led to an overgrowth of toxic algae.

“DANGER.

Avoid contact with water” signs have become a common summer sight on the beaches of the western

.

What is the Problem With Lake Erie?

Blue -green Algae and Plastic

An array of algae blocks sunlight from penetrating the plants on the bottom.

When the algae die, the excess biomass leads to excessive microbial activity.

Microbes absorb oxygen in the lake water, resulting in suffocation of fish and aquatic life.

The resulting “dead zone” covers up to one third of the lake.

And plastic disrupts the natural processes of ecosystems, leading to the destruction of food chains.

Is Lake Erie Becoming Cleaner?

No, even dirtier and it is because of us.

We don’t care about nature and never think about the consequences.

Dumping solid waste into the Lake leads to the formation of entire garbage islands.

They prevent sunlight and oxygen from entering, and when decomposed, they release harmful chemical compounds.

This disrupts the natural processes of ecosystems, leading to the destruction of food chains.

Solid household waste fish and animals can take for food and, absorbing them, die from the inability to digest.

Aquatic inhabitants become entangled in garbage, die and decompose, sometimes massively, while poisoning the water with decay products.

Among the reasons for this accumulation of plastic are the presence of dense urban populations, where more plastic waste is generated, as well as problems such as severe storms flooding water treatment plants, and cases of non-compliance with recycling obligations.

Usually, the standard wastewater treatment process does not remove these microplastics, and besides, there is no technology that can remove microplastics from lakes after they enter there.

I am also stressed that the recycling system is currently ineffective, and only a small part of the waste that ends up in the blue bin is recycled.

One way to make a difference is to eliminate many unnecessary plastics from use, such as plastic straws, cutlery, bags and other single-use items.

How to Make Lake Erie Cleaner?

If you are resting on the shore of

, do not wash dishes with detergents directly in Lake water.

You can use natural remedies – mustard and soda – and do it on the shore.

When you do laundry at home, do it with special environment friendly wash powders.

If you live in your own home, it is best to install special treatment plants that purify used and polluted water, making it safe for the environment.

Use phosphate-free washing powders for washing, they pollute the water less.

Try not to use mineral fertilizers (saltpeter, potassium salt, etc.

) in your garden.

A good and healthy harvest can be obtained using only organic fertilizers (compost, manure).

Remember: all the water you used needs to be purified before being returned to nature.

Save water so that less needs to be treated.

What Will Happen to Lake Erie if We Do Not Take Care of It?

The extinction of fish and other living organisms will change the ecosystem.

The deterioration of the quality of the habitat leads to a whole chain of negative consequences:

• The vital activity of individual organisms is disrupted, their viability decreases;

• Some populations die out, while others multiply excessively, disrupting the ecological balance of ecosystems;

• Mutations of fish, aquatic animals and coastal inhabitants appear;

• The reproductive function of living organisms is disrupted.