Austin to begin final phase of harmful algae reduction program on Lady Bird Lake

The City of Austin will begin the final phase of its pilot program to reduce harmful algae blooms on parts of Lady Bird Lake this summer.

The City says that the program aims at reducing blooms of Cyanobacteria, or blue-green algae, which can produce toxins that can make people sick and be fatal to pets.

The program, now in its fifth and final year, consists of applying lanthanum-modified clay in specific areas of the lake. According to the City, the lanthanum molecule added to the clay binds to phosphorus, a key source of nutrients fueling excessive Cyanobacteria growth algae.

Once bound into a mineral form, the phosphorus becomes unavailable to the algae, essentially robbing the algae of one of its primary food sources and reducing its growth.

The City says that the first of the pilot