07/07/2010 // West Palm Beach, FL, USA // Tara Monks // Tara Monks
St. Marys, OH – The largest inland lake in Ohio has been labeled toxic, as run-off from local farms has created an algae bloom containing nerve toxins harmful to people’s lungs an livers, as reported by WDTN. The pollution has kept people out of the water and hurt businesses reliant on the lake.
One of the few boaters who ventured out onto the water over the July 4th weekend told reporters, “We just don’t touch the water.”
The pollution has made residents weary, to say the least. They complain about the stench, which is to the likes of “dead fish,” according to another interviewed boater. The residents also claim the algae bloom is killing the fish and the economy.
One marina has shut down, and another reported boats pulling out of their slips to move to Lake Erie.
Residents reported to WDTN the algae bloom was several inches thick a few weeks ago. Local resident April Williams described the coming pollution, stating, “The water was just bubbling up with all this algae…It just bubbled like you were boiling a pot of water. It was gross.”
The Governor’s office is seeking federal funds to clean the mess.
State officials have also met with local farmers to ask them to cut down on the manure runoff that has fouled the lake.
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