Harmful algal blooms (HABs), sometimes known as "red tide", occur when certain kinds of algae grow very quickly, forming patches, or "blooms", in the water. These blooms can emit powerful toxins which endanger human and animal health. Reported in every coastal state, HABs have caused an estimated $1 billion in losses over the last several decades to coastal economies that rely on recreation, tourism, and seafood harvesting. Blooms can lead to odors that require more costly treatment for public water supplies.

Harmful algal blooms (HABs), sometimes known as "red tide", occur when certain kinds of algae grow very quickly, forming patches, or "blooms", in the water. These blooms can emit powerful toxins which endanger human and animal health. Reported in every coastal state, HABs have caused an estimated $1 billion in losses over the last several decades to coastal economies that rely on recreation, tourism, and seafood harvesting. Blooms can lead to odors that require more costly treatment for public water supplies.

[Nonpoint source pollution] is generated by all of us, a product of millions of actions that we take each day, including activities such as applying pesticides, washing our cars, or walking our pets. However, by becoming more aware of the effect of our actions on our rivers, streams, lakes, bays and seashores, we can all develop more water-friendly habits and practices that will enable us to protect and restore the quality of these waters.

Total coliform bacteria are a collection of relatively harmless microorganisms that live in large numbers in the intestines of man and warm- and cold-blooded animals. They aid in the digestion of food. A specific subgroup of this collection is the fecal coliform bacteria, the most common member being Escherichia coli. These organisms may be separated from the total coliform group by their ability to grow at elevated temperatures and are associated only with the fecal material of warm-blooded animals.

This tool "includes information about coastal rivers, tributaries, and watersheds. It gives users the ability to display background information, such as cities and roads, to help them explore areas of interest and learn more about the context. This data can help researchers gauge the status of estuary environments and possible threats - facilitating the use of decision-support tools to help them visualize the effects of potential management actions.

The EnviroAtlas Interactive Map is a discovery and analysis tool for hundreds of data layers relating to ecosystem services, biodiversity, people, and the built environment.

On April 20, 2010, an explosion occurred on the Deepwater Horizon drilling platform in the Gulf of Mexico. The explosion, which killed 11 men, caused the rig to sink and started a catastrophic oil leak from the well. Before it was capped three months later, approximately 134 million gallons of oil had spilled into the Gulf, the largest offshore oil spill in U.S. history.

We're learning how invasive algae are being used to detect cesspool contamination across Hawai?i. Cesspools are leaching excess nutrients into the environment, contaminating our water systems, and negatively affecting the growth of algae and coral reefs. Hawaii has less than 30 years to replace over 80 thousand cesspools. Scientists are analyzing the Nitrogen levels in algae to see where along our coastlines the cesspools are leaking most.

Connect with ocean experts and explore topics from corals to coastal science with our audio podcast." This episode focuses on uncovering the mystery of harmful algal blooms

In this WDSU news segment from 2018, "the [Pontchartrain Conservancy] advises the public of algae bloom in the Northwest corner of Lake Pontchartrain."