Wet Spring Elevates Risk of Stronger Lake Erie Algae Bloom

Wet spring elevates risk of stronger Lake Erie algae bloom

TOLEDO, OHIO — A wet spring and early April runoff could fuel a stronger harmful algae bloom in western Lake Erie this year after the lake experienced one of its mildest bloom seasons in a decade in 2025.

Moderate algal bloom for Lake Erie likely, but not a record-breaker

Lake Erie’s 2026 summer algal bloom has the potential of being the most significant since 2019 because of heavy spring rain that caused a lot of agricultural runoff.