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A potentially harmful algae bloom covered more than 1812 square km in the western basin of Lake Erie last week, turning the lake bright green and alarming residents and local officials.

Scientists say that algae blooms have been a growing problem for Lake Erie since the 2000s, mostly because of the extensive use of fertilizer on the region’s farmland.

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tap here to see other videos from our team. Try refreshing your browser, or Lake Erie is covered by a growing — and dangerous — algae bloom that can poison drinking water Back to video

The algae blooms contain cyanobacteria, which, under certain conditions, can produce toxins that contaminate drinking water and cause harm to the local ecosystem.

Photo by NOAA GLERL

During last week’s bloom, the amount of toxins in the algae remained low at the intake points where towns draw water from the lake, according to officials.

In the Maumee River, the largest tributary to any of the Great Lakes, green algae was visible last week in aerial photographs.

According to experts, excess nutrients that are transported by the Maumee River can be a good indicator of how severe an algae bloom in the lake will be.