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Israeli Scientists Called In to Stop Toxic Algae Bloom in Florida Lake
(Jerusalem Post) Idan Zonshine - Israeli scientists from BlueGreen Water Technologies, who specialize in cleaning algae from large bodies of water, were brought in to keep the toxic algae in Lake Okeechobee from getting into the St. Lucie River estuary. Lake Okeechobee covers an area of 2,200 sq. km. (13 times the size of the Sea of Galilee) and is a major tourist and recreation center. The algae bloom, which feeds on fertilizers that flowed into the lake, turned its normally-clear waters greenish-brown with a pungent odor. Contact with the water can cause serious illness. "We responded quickly to an emergency call from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. In a very complex logistical process, we were able to put up a control station on the shores of the lake less than 36 hours from the call," said Maayan Naveh, VP of BlueGreen.