Environmentalists are growing concerned about an increasingly common feature of Long Island's waterways, which is having a profound effect on the aquatic ecosystem.
What's happening?
According to Fox 5 in New York, "multiple bodies of water" in Long Island have seen algal blooms forming, bringing biotoxins into water sources and reducing oxygen levels.
"We had a record number of dead zones in 2024 with oxygen levels of less than 3mg oxygen per liter," coastal ecologist Dr. Christopher Gobler at Stony Brook University told Fox. "Ideally, our coastal waterbodies will have 4.8mg oxygen per liter."
An annual assessment of the area's water quality has found bays, lakes, and ponds are not nearly as clean as they need to be, and excess nitrogen levels that help algal blooms form might be being caused by fertilizers seeping into the water or from outdated septic systems.
It's also suggested that a warming climate is reducing oxygen levels in water sources while changing rainfall patterns, due to human-caused global heating, might also be a contributing factor to altered aquatic chemistry.
Why are algal blooms concerning?
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, algae and cyanobacteria in water can "bloom" in the right conditions, growing out of control and producing toxins that are harmful to humans and animals.
In Long Island, Fox reported fish populations are dying, and dogs are also getting sick after entering water sources.
A loss of fish can unbalance the ecosystem, which can have serious knock-on effects for the overpopulation of the creatures and plants these animals feed on and reduce a food source for prey that eat the fish.
Fish also play a role in nutrient cycling and encourage ecosystem resilience, as the Environmental Protection Agency pointed out.
What's being done about the algal blooms?
According to Fox 5, Proposition 2 is on the ballot, and New Yorkers can vote for increased funding for "expanded sewers and grants to homeowners for nitrogen-removing septic systems."
Improving wastewater systems has already proved successful elsewhere in reducing algal blooms, so if it passes, Proposition 2 should have a similar impact on Long Island.
If we zoom out, though, one of the causes of algal blooming is rising global temperatures, so taking steps to reduce our pollution impact can slow the rate of thermometers creeping up.
For example, Long Island residents can rely on New York City's public transport system to get around rather than using personal vehicles. Meanwhile, a composting initiative in the city is also expected to reduce the amount of food waste sent to landfills, which helps prevent methane pollution — which is around 28 times more potent in heating potential compared to carbon dioxide over 100 years, according to the EPA.
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