Kiera Jefferson
Lake Erie, the southernmost Great Lake, is the source of drinking water for 12 million people. However, as the most industrialized Great Lake, it is also the most susceptible to pollution. The lake's pollution problem came to the fore in the 1960s, when it was perceived to be dying due to heavy industrialization and agricultural runoff. This led to the passing of the Clean Water Act in 1972, which tightened regulations on industrial dumping. Despite this, Lake Erie continues to face pollution issues, with harmful algal blooms fueled by excess phosphorus from agricultural runoff impairing the lake's ecosystem and threatening drinking water.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Population | About 12 million people live in the Lake Erie watershed, including 17 metropolitan areas with more than 50,000 residents. |
| Industry | Lake Erie is the most industrialized of the Great Lakes, with heavy industry lining its shores. |
| Agriculture | The land around Lake Erie is largely agricultural, with industrial agriculture contributing fertilizer and animal waste to the lake's waterways. |
| Pollution Sources | Industrial waste, sewage, fertilizer, pesticides, and manure. |
| Pollutants | Phosphorus, nitrogen, and bacteria (including E. coli). |
| Effects | Eutrophication, algal blooms, hypoxia, and fish kills. |
| Action | The Clean Water Act was passed in 1972 to tighten regulations on industrial dumping. |
| Recent Developments | In 2024, lawsuits were filed against the Campbell Soup Company and the EPA for alleged violations of the Clean Water Act. |
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What You'll Learn
Industrial and agricultural runoff
Lake Erie is the most populated of all the Great Lakes basins. The lake is largely agricultural, intensively industrialized, and highly urbanized. The lake is exposed to the greatest stress from urbanization, industrialization, and agriculture. The lake receives the greatest amount of effluent from sewage treatment plants and is subjected to immense sediment loading. Exposed agricultural and urban lands, particularly in southwest Ontario and northwest Ohio, contribute immensely to the sediment load in the lake.
The lake's watershed is home to about 12 million people, including 17 metropolitan areas with populations of over 50,000. The lake provides drinking water for about 11 million inhabitants. The lake is severely impacted by human activities, including industrial and agricultural runoff.
For decades, factories dumped chemical pollutants into the lake and the waterways that flowed into it, such as the Cuyahoga River in Cleveland, Ohio, and the Detroit River in Michigan. The lake also received waste and pesticides from surrounding cities' sewers, industrial plants, and agricultural runoff. Fertilizer and pesticides from farms also contributed to the pollution.
Agricultural runoff continues to be a significant issue for Lake Erie. Environmentalists have pointed out that many farms are unwilling to change their practices unless they are forced to do so. Climate change is also expected to exacerbate the problem, as heavier rainfall can increase nutrient-laden runoff from fertilized fields, despite efforts to reduce fertilizer use.
In the 1960s, Lake Erie became extremely polluted, and the phrase "Lake Erie is dead" started to appear in national publications. The lake contained increased levels of phosphorus and nitrogen, contributing to eutrophication and algal blooms. Dead fish littered the shoreline due to a lack of oxygen in the water.
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$14.75
Sewage treatment plants
Lake Erie is the shallowest and most industrialized of the Great Lakes, making it the most susceptible to pollution. It is exposed to the greatest stress from urbanization, industrialization, and agriculture.
The issue of sewage pollution in Lake Erie persists today. In the last two decades, the city of Toledo has spent $527 million to upgrade its sewage handling and reduce nutrient pollution. Despite these efforts, Lake Erie continues to experience harmful algal blooms every summer, impairing the recreation economy and threatening drinking water. The state of Ohio has also invested over $3 billion since 2011 to upgrade sewage and drinking water plants, but their agriculture nutrient-reduction strategy has yet to show results.
The pollution from sewage treatment plants in Lake Erie is a complex issue that requires further efforts and effective policies to mitigate. The Clean Water Act and the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement were implemented to address industrial dumping and reduce pollutants entering the Great Lakes. However, more comprehensive solutions are needed to address the specific challenges posed by sewage treatment plants in Lake Erie.
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Algal blooms
Lake Erie is the most industrialized of the Great Lakes, and it is exposed to the greatest stress from urbanization, industrialization, and agriculture. The lake is susceptible to pollution from various sources, including industrial waste, sewage, and agricultural runoff. The issue of water quality in Lake Erie came to the fore in the 1960s, when the lake was perceived to be "dying". This was due to the high levels of pollution from the heavy industry that lined its shores.
One of the major issues with Lake Erie is the occurrence of algal blooms, which have plagued lakeside communities in the western basin every summer for over a decade. These blooms are caused by excess phosphorus pollution, which, in turn, is caused by agricultural runoff, with nearly 90% of the excess phosphorus coming from the booming agricultural industry upstream in the Maumee River Watershed. Liquified animal waste from concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) is leaching into the water, and this is causing algal blooms that produce toxins that are harmful to humans and animals.
The algal blooms in Lake Erie can produce toxins that can cause skin rashes, GI problems, and varying degrees of damage to a person's liver, kidneys, and nervous system. In 2014, a massive algal bloom shut down Toledo's drinking water supply to 400,000 people for three days. The National Guard had to be deployed to bring in bottled water. The blooms also impair the recreation economy, with a study commissioned by the International Joint Commission estimating that harmful algal blooms in Lake Erie in 2014 resulted in $43 million in lost tourism and recreation revenue.
To combat the issue of algal blooms, it is necessary to reduce the amount of phosphorus and nitrogen that enter the lake. While both play a role in the excess growth of algae, nitrogen fuels how toxic the bloom might get. Ohio law now prohibits farmers from spreading fertilizer on frozen ground, and researchers are encouraging farmers to insert fertilizer into their fields rather than spreading it across the surface. In addition, sensors have been deployed in key Lake Erie watersheds to monitor for runoff pollution, with the goal of reducing blooms in the future.
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Eutrophication
Lake Erie is the most populated of all the Great Lakes basins and is largely agricultural, intensively industrialized, and highly urbanized. The lake is susceptible to pollution due to its shallow depth, warming quickly in spring and summer, and cooling quickly in fall. Eutrophication is a process that encourages the development of algal blooms, which has been a significant issue in Lake Erie. Eutrophic conditions promote plant and algae growth, and Lake Erie's western basin is highly eutrophic due to high phosphorus and chlorophyll concentrations. Phosphorus pollution, primarily from agricultural runoff and industrial waste, is the primary driver of eutrophication in the lake.
Phosphorus loads in Lake Erie are tracked annually and evaluated every five years. The 2017-2021 assessment revealed that the lake continues to exhibit eutrophic or high-nutrient conditions. Excess phosphorus contributes to hypoxic (low-oxygen) conditions, creating "dead zones" where aquatic life suffocates. Eutrophication has led to massive fish kills and harmful algal blooms (HABs) that impair the recreation economy and threaten drinking water for millions of people.
Agricultural runoff from the Maumee River Watershed, which supplies 80% of Lake Erie's water, is a significant source of phosphorus pollution. Liquified animal waste from concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) and excessive fertilizer use contribute to the high phosphorus levels in the lake. Industrial waste and sewage treatment plants also play a role in phosphorus pollution, with factories and cities dumping pollutants into the lake and its tributaries.
Efforts to combat eutrophication in Lake Erie have included lawsuits against polluting industries, such as the Campbell Soup Company, and advocacy for stronger enforcement of the Clean Water Act. Local governments and organizations have also implemented agricultural watershed management initiatives and worked to improve sewer systems and water quality monitoring. While some progress has been made, phosphorus load targets are still not being met, and ongoing efforts are needed to protect Lake Erie and ensure safe drinking water for the millions who depend on it.
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Hypoxia
Lake Erie is the most exposed to the effects of urbanization and agriculture out of all the Great Lakes. It has been found to have high nutrient conditions, with high levels of phosphorus and nitrogen. These nutrients contribute to hypoxic (low-oxygen) conditions in the lake, particularly in the central basin, which has a maximum depth of 25 meters (82 feet).
During the summer, Lake Erie stratifies, with warm water at the top and cold, dense water below. This bottom layer of water, known as the hypolimnion, has low oxygen levels due to the decomposition of algae, which uses up the available oxygen. The resulting hypoxic environment is inhospitable to many animals, leading to a “dead zone” where aquatic life suffocates or moves elsewhere.
The central basin of Lake Erie is particularly prone to developing hypoxia due to its relatively shallow average depth of 18 meters, which is close to the depth at which the thermocline forms (around 15 meters). Monitoring data has revealed that hypoxic waters can shift locations within a matter of hours, endangering fish that become trapped in these low-oxygen zones.
To address the issue of hypoxia, the EPA and other organizations have been tracking oxygen levels in Lake Erie's central basin. These efforts involve placing dissolved oxygen monitoring equipment across a vast area to record oxygen content at regular intervals. Additionally, models are being developed to predict the impacts of hypoxia on fish populations and harvest rates, aiding fisheries in implementing policies to mitigate these effects.
Phosphorus target levels are also under reconsideration to improve water quality and fish production. By understanding the complex relationships leading to hypoxia, effective phosphorus management strategies can be established.
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Frequently asked questions
Lake Erie is the most susceptible to pollution out of all the Great Lakes due to its high levels of industrialization and agriculture. The lake's algae problem is caused by excess phosphorus pollution, which comes from the booming agricultural industry upstream in the Maumee River Watershed.
Harmful algal blooms have plagued lakeside communities in Lake Erie’s western basin every summer for over a decade, coating the lake in green scum, impairing the recreation economy, and threatening drinking water. In 2014, a massive algal bloom shut down Toledo’s drinking water supply to 400,000 people for three days.
In 1972, the United States and Canada signed the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement to lower the amount of pollutants entering the Great Lakes. Local governments have also taken steps to improve sewer systems and monitor water quality. Environmental groups have also filed lawsuits against companies that violate the Clean Water Act, such as the Campbell Soup Company.
