Charter captains help monitor Lake Erie water quality

SANDUSKY, Ohio (AP) — Charter boat captains are helping the state monitor water quality and watch for harmful algae blooms in Lake Erie’s western basin between Toledo and Sandusky.

Participating members of the Lake Erie Charter Boat Association will coordinate with one another to make sure at least four offshore locations are checked as part of their regular charter outings.

The boat crews will turn the samples over to the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency to track water quality, the agency announced Monday.

The boat sampling will provide the state with “a more complete picture of water quality conditions in Lake Erie’s western basin,” the Ohio EPA said.

The Ohio EPA already checks water quality monthly from 13 near-shore locations across the Lake Erie coastline from March through October.