Introduction

Is Lake Erie reversing its ecological soundness and reverting back to the  “dead” lake it once was in the 1960s?  Scientists are very concerned that it might be headed in that direction due to the recent discovery of extremely low levels of oxygen found in the central basin of Lake Erie.  These areas are referred to as a “dead zone” which is an oxygen-deprived area where there is no life.  Although this is not a new phenomenon to Lake Erie, the cause of this dead zone is not consistent with the cause of past dead zones.  A dead zone is expected to form again this summer on Lake Erie and scientists plan to find out why.

Purpose of Activity

To learn about the processes that contribute to the development of the dead zones in Lake Erie and examine a decision making process to determine how to treat or cure the dead zone.