According to the Save Windermere campaign group, a study reveals a direct association between tourist numbers in the Lake District and algal blooms. These blooms could lead to water toxicity and starve wildlife of oxygen.
Crisis in Lake Windermere
This study is considered the first to look into how tourist numbers could affect a Cumbrian lake's ecology.
According to the Save Windermere campaign group, which aided in organizing the study, there is a direct correlation between algal blooms and visitor count. Matt Staniek, the group's founder, explains that with a clear association between algal growth and human activity, action is imperative. Staniek adds that Save Windermere calls for total sewage removal from the lake.
Based on the group's analysis of EA (Environment Agency) data, United Utilities has released over 27,000 untreated sewage hours since 2020. Water companies can legally do this during emergencies to prevent the backup of sewage somewhere else. However, the discharge proliferation has sparked questions regarding whether they routinely do this.
The EA also allows some effluent that is treated to be discharged. Though these are already cleaned, they still contain high nutrients from detergents and human waste.
Lake Windermere is considered the largest in England. The Lake District also attracts roughly 18 million tourists each year.
Algal Bloom Growth and Tourist Influx
For the study, Map Impact, a research company, also examined mobile photo data to determine the number of people within the area alongside detected chlorophyll-a, an algae indicator.
The researchers found that on a single day, over 300,000 people were present in the area. These figures were compared with the area's resident population, which is around 35,000.
They also noted that they had discovered an association with high temperatures. More intense blooms were observed during 2022's hot weather despite the unusually lower visitor count.
Richard Flemmings, Map Impact's chief executive, explains that the study shows the role of technology in understanding more about pollution sources and mitigation strategies.
According to United Utilities, its infrastructure can cope with the peak of visitor counts.
A spokesperson from the Environment Agency also says that Windermere is impacted by pollution from various source ranges, such as sewage discharges from treatment works of waste waters, septic tanks, storm overflows, and agricultural run-offs.
Algal Blooms
Harmful algal blooms happen when algae grow out of control, producing harmful or toxic effects among marine mammals, shellfish, fish, birds, and humans. While it is normal for algae to be present in aquatic settings, they could produce harmful algal blooms when they bloom in high numbers. This could lead to the depletion of oxygen and the generation of toxic byproducts.
Along with high temperatures, high nutrient levels, which could come from sewage, fuel algal blooms. These could make water toxic or starve wildlife of oxygen.
RELATED ARTICLE: Algae Bloom Causes 'Glacial Blood', Researchers Fear its a Climate Change Marker
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