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Lake Winnipeg Algae Crisis

Lake Winnipeg, Canada, true color

Date: 2017-05-19

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Info: In the last 30 years Lake Winnipeg has experienced a steady surge of cyanobacteria, also known as blue-green algae. Although microorganisms grow naturally in the lake, excessive cyanobacteria blooms are caused by high levels of nitrogen and phosphorus draining into it via rivers and surface runoff. The toxins that cyanobacteria release can destroy freshwater ecosystems and can be dangerous for humans and other species.

 

Immense blooms have appeared in the northern part of Lake Winnipeg in the last decade with hundreds of square kilometres of the lake covered with a thick toxic layer of cyanobacteria, which can be easily seen from outer space.

 

Contains modified Copernicus Sentinel data [2017], processed by Sentinel Hub

 

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Uploaded on January 30, 2019