Bell Park Algae

By Stew Kernan

Over development maybe the reason for the high number of blue-green algae sightings in area lakes.

Dr. Charles Ramcharan, an associate professor at the School of Environment at Laurentian University, just wrapped up a pilot study that came up with a new method of measuring long-term nutrient levels in lakes.

He found that human activity and improper shoreline management led to the appearance of blue-green algae blooms.

Dr. Ramcharan says blue-green algae can be avoided by preserving natural vegetation, not disturbing plants in the water and maintaining septic systems.

He hopes to dig deeper into the issue over the next two years and refine a method that can help reduce the amount of blooms in local lakes.