Toxic algae threat in Florida and the Lake Okeechobee connection

OKEECHOBEE, Fla. - Toxic blue-green algae , which can sicken humans and kill animals, has been surfacing in lakes and ponds throughout Florida.

What we know:

While these blooms can appear almost anywhere in the state, scientists trace a large portion of the problem to discharges from Lake Okeechobee, one of the largest freshwater lakes in the U.S.

Decades of pollution from fertilizer runoff, cattle farms, leaking septic tanks and lawn chemicals have turned the lake into a nutrient-rich breeding ground for harmful algal blooms. When these blooms spread, they release toxins like microcystin, which can affect the liver and nervous system.

During major outbreaks like the one in 2018, toxic blooms reached both coasts, killed pets and disrupted tourism and fishing industries.

The backst