Free HABs webinar offers tips for a healthy pond or lake
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EmailThe HABs 101: Prevention and Management webinar will cover topics including septic systems, nutrient budgets, direct management options of HABs, and more.
If your lake turns green in the summer, you may be wondering about the cause and whether it’s an issue for the people using the lake. The color change of your lake may be caused by a bloom of algae: tiny, naturally occurring plants that become visible when adequate nutrients are present. The nutrient dynamics of a lake are complex with multiple nutrient sources potentially fueling algal blooms including precipitation, runoff and deposits in the sediment.
Reducing nutrients is key
Lakes can be classified based on their productivity and ability to support aquatic life. The highest amount of nutrients are found in eutrophic lakes. Eutrophic lakes may have repeated algal blooms due to the amount of nutrients present. Learning how to reduce the amount of nutrients entering the lake through human causes such as fertilizer use, and septic systems can help reduce the occurrence of algal blooms.
Reports of harmful algal blooms (blooms from algae that produce toxins) have been increasing in Michigan since 2013 and include both inland lakes as well as the Great Lakes. Harmful algal blooms (HABs) can have a variety of health impacts for people including skin rashes, a runny nose or stomach pain and headaches. If you suspect that a HAB is present, do not allow pets or livestock to drink or swim in the water. Animals tend to swallow more water and so take in more toxins than people and can get seriously ill or die.
Free webinar
Michigan Sea Grant and partners around the state are hosting a free HABs webinar 6-8 p.m. April 2. The HABs 101: Prevention and Management webinar will cover topics including septic systems, nutrient budgets, direct management options of HABs, and more. Anyone impacted by harmful algal blooms in the Great Lakes or inland waters or who wants to learn more about this topic will want to join the discussion!
Please register for the webinar online. The webinar also will be recorded and made available to registrants after the event. Want to dive deeper into HABs? Find a collection of resources on Michigan Sea Grant’s website.
Michigan Sea Grant helps to foster economic growth and protect Michigan’s coastal, Great Lakes resources through education, research and outreach. A collaborative effort of the University of Michigan and Michigan State University and its MSU Extension, Michigan Sea Grant is part of the NOAA-National Sea Grant network of 34 university-based programs.
This article was prepared by Michigan Sea Grant under award NA24OARX417C0157-T1-01 from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce through the Regents of the University of Michigan. The statement, findings, conclusions, and recommendations are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the Department of Commerce, or the Regents of the University of Michigan.
