Sludge from algae blooms kicked up a stink, literally, in Lake Okeechobee, Florida’s largest freshwater lake, a recent report said.
The subsequent effect on the ecosystem has slowed tourism in the area. Governor Rick Scott has also declared a state of emergency in the surrounding counties.
The algae bloom is the product of a mix of several factors, which includes nutrients washed from agricultural lands in the vicinity, heavy winter rains and hot summer weather. These blooms are expected to become more common in the future as the Earth’s temperature continues its steady rise.
Lake Okeechobee’s bloom started with 33 square miles in May, but has since expanded to the current 240 square miles.
The world’s lakes and oceans are warming up to absorb some of the excess heat trapped in the atmosphere by emissions. The most recent report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change said that the oceans around Florida could heat up by around two to five degrees Fahrenheit.
