Algal bloom reaches Port Clinton

SANDUSKY — This year's harmful algal bloom in Lake Erie has expanded and spread east, according to scientists who track it every year. The algal bloom, which began in the far west of Lake Erie, has spread to the east as far as Port Clinton, according to the latest National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration email bulletin that tracks the bloom. It now covers 160 square miles and has grown since Aug. 2. It now extends from Maumee Bay north to Monroe, Michigan, east to Port Clinton and extending to West Sister Island. The administration uses satellite photos to track the progression of the algal blooms. In addition to the main bloom, a "local widespread bloom" continues in Sandusky Bay and toxins have been detected in that local bloom, the report states. And toxins can be concentrated in the scums that form on the surface of the water. "If you see scum, keep your pets and yourself out of the water," the report says. Scientists gathered at Stone Laboratory at Put-in-Bay on June 27 forecast that Lake Erie's main harmful algal bloom would be mild to moderate, 3 on a scale of 10. The forecast appears to be on track, said Richard Stumpf, an administration scientist, who has tracked Lake Erie's harmful algal blooms for years. "The bloom was slow to develop, about two weeks slower than the last few years," Stumpf said. "Otherwise we haven't seen signs that it will be different from our forecast.