NOAA’s early 2026 forecast predicts a mild to moderate harmful algal bloom in western Lake Erie this summer, with bloom severity expected to fall between 2 and 5.5 on the agency’s scale. Scientists say the blooms are driven largely by phosphorus runoff flowing into the lake, especially from the Maumee River watershed, and can threaten drinking water, tourism, and aquatic ecosystems. Read the full story by The Plain Dealer.