The Malevolent Seven

Lake Erie has seen some difficult times. Considered the poster child of water pollution in the 1960s, with one tributary so polluted it burned, many thought of it as dead. But Lake Erie recovered, thanks to comprehensive phosphorus restrictions and inter-agency collaborations, and turned into an impressive success story of what ecosystem recovery efforts can accomplish in just a few years. The lake became a major economic player once again, producing more fish than the other four Great Lakes combined, supporting thousands of jobs, and showing nay-sayers just how resilient it can be.

But over the last ten years, Lake Erie has had to do battle once again. And it’s a battle many fear could seriously challenge its resiliency.