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nbc15 | Wisconsin Public Radio | Lake Champlain Land Trust | Department of Energy and Environmental Protection | United States Census

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Ecologists: Ecologists see this as a really bad thing due to all the negative effects on the ecosystem blue-green algae has. They believe that cutting down on fertilizer usage is the best idea.

Farmers: Farmers are using a lot of fertilizers on their plants, because they want their plants to be as healthy and grow as quickly as possible.

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It impacts people of lower income more because it's harder for them to afford quality water or water filter due to the higher costs of them.

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One solution put in place is that some farmers are reducing the amount of fertilizers they use. An idea I have is to put a regulation on the amount of fertilizer that farms can use. It can be a reasonable amount, but not too much.

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The Wisconsin Public Radio made an article about this Crisis. It is titled "Blue-Green Algae blooms frequent on Madison's lakes this summer" and was published on July 5, 2019. This article explains how blue-green algae blooms are starting to grow more frequently, and how beaches are starting to close because of it. It also discusses how toxic it can be to us, especially children and pets. You can view the article here:

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Madison's lakes are entering a productive season for blue-green algae blooms.

The blooms, also known as cyanobacteria, are caused by excess nutrients in lakes. They're often made worse by hot weather.

Earlier this spring, researchers predicted that the city's lakes would have an above normal year for these algae blooms, and beaches might be closed as a result.

Emily Stanley, a professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison Center for Limnology and Department of Integrative Biology, said although they haven't yet seen large blooms she describes as "epic" in Madison's lakes, they are seeing frequent blooms. She said people should stay away from water that looks like it has white, blue or green foam floating on the top.

"If you see a gross, scummy bloom, don't go swimming and don't drink the water! That's the best advice I have," she said.

According to the state Department of Natural Resources, cyanobacteria can produce toxins that can be harmful if they are absorbed through the skin, inhaled through the air or swallowed.

It can be particularly harmful to children and pets, Stanley said.

"If you're running around the edge of the lake with your dog or your kid and you see that scum or those really conspicuous blue greens there, be cautious and probably don't go throwing tennis balls to the dog and have them swim through the water," she said.

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Blue-Green Algae Blooms Frequent On Madison's Lakes This Summer

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Madison's lakes are entering a productive season for blue-green algae blooms. The blooms, also known as cyanobacteria, are caused by excess nutrients in lakes. They're often made worse by hot weather. Earlier this spring, researchers predicted that the city's lakes would have an above normal year for these algae blooms, and beaches might be closed as a result.

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Blue green algae can have an

economic impact. Seafood supply

in Madison will be negatively impacted as they would be contaminated with toxins from the algae. This will result in a lot less people purchasing it. Less people will want to visit the Madison Lakes because they will be contaminated with the toxic algae if nothing is done.

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There are about 263,332 people living in Madison. If this issue continues to go further, the algae blooms will affect this population as well as the surrounding cities'. While there haven't been many medical issues reported yet, there will be if this issue isn't put to an end. Blue-green algae, also known as cyanobacteria, is toxic and can cause symptoms such as intestinal illness, skin irritation, flu-like symptoms, and even liver failure.

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Location of the issue: Madison, Wisconsin

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Location of the issue: Madison, Wisconsin

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Madison is an Urban area and a popular location,

as it is the capital of Wisconsin.

The issue of blue-green algae in Madison lakes is a recent one.

In 2019, the beginning of blue-green algae blue was spotted in Lake Waubesa.

It has been spotted in other Madison lakes as well.

These algae blooms are caused by an excess of nutrients in the lakes due to the large amount of fertilizer being used.

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Farming farther away from water bodies

Avoiding overusing water

Planning construction carefully so minimal impact is had on waterways nearby.

Avoiding dumping trash in water

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How do humans affect the transfer and distribution of water resources?

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How do humans affect the transfer and distribution of water resources?

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Humans interfere with the water cycle in many different ways, such as building dams, and using water for many purposes, such as industrial and agricultural. Human activity degrades water quality in multiple ways. Some examples are oil slick getting into water bodies as a result of oil dumped from tankers and drilling wells, Coral reefs bleaching due to increasing water temperatures primarily due to fossil fuels, and the overuse of fertilizers which leads to algae blooms, which will be explained further here.