From Tyler Treadway of tcpalm.com
Photo: John Brown
Southfork of the St. Lucie River off Kanner Hwy. 7/18/18 2:00pm
Algae blooms from different sources are popping up throughout the Treasure Coast.
The green slime is polluting the St. Lucie River in Martin and St. Lucie counties and Blue Cypress Lake in Indian River County.
Here are some things you should, but may not, know about it:
It’s not really algae
Blue-green algae is actually cyanobacteria, naturally occurring microscopic bacteria that, like plants, use photosynthesis to produce food from nutrients and sunlight.
A combination of things can cause normal levels of blue-green algae to explode into a full-tilt bloom: high levels of nitrogen and phosphorus from fertilizer runoff and septic tank leakage; long, hot days; and low salinity.
The article below details the different types of algae and the potential health risks:
Read more HERE