--- description: The bloom has grown to cover 85 square kilometers and is affecting water quality all the way to the Atlantic Ocean. title: Satellite Images Show Massive Algae Bloom Taking Over Florida Lake image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt508c057fda676b4d/69889ac8196cf4a96703c4c1/okeechobee-algae-bloom-detail.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  * [Science](/section/science/) ## Science Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close * [Environment](/tag/environment/) ## Environment Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # Satellite Images Show Massive Algae Bloom Taking Over Florida Lake by [Marisa Gertz](/author/marisa-gertz/) ## Marisa Gertz Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Jul 6, 2016 3:26 PM CUT  A blue-green algae bloom near the St. Lucie Canal (upper right) in Lake Okeechobee, Fla., July 2, 2016. A blue-green algae bloom near the St. Lucie Canal (upper right) in Lake Okeechobee, Fla., July 2, 2016.Joshua Stevens—NASA Earth Observatory by [Marisa Gertz](/author/marisa-gertz/) ## Marisa Gertz Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Jul 6, 2016 3:26 PM CUT [Algae blooms](http://time.com/3985406/great-lakes-toxic-algal-blooms/?iid=sr-link1 "undefined") are a normal summertime occurrence at Florida’s Lake Okeechobee—but this year, the bloom has grown out of control, covering 85 sq. km. and affecting water quality all the way to the Atlantic Ocean. On July 2, the [Landsat 8 satellite ](http://landsat.usgs.gov/about%5Fldcm.php "undefined")captured this natural-color image of the lake’s [blue-green algae bloom](http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/IOTD/view.php?id=88311&src=eorss-iotd "undefined"). The lake is polluted with runoff from farms, spurring algae growth, and discharge from the lake travels through the St. Lucie Canal to spread those conditions throughout the water system.  A blue-green algae bloom in Lake Okeechobee, Fla., July 2, 2016. Joshua Stevens—NASA Earth Observatory Florida Gov. Rick Scott declared a [state of emergency](http://www.people.com/article/massive-reeking-guacamole-thick-algae-bloom-overwhelms-florida "undefined") on June 29 for Martin, St. Lucie, Palm Beach and Lee counties. The [Florida Department of Health](http://www.floridahealth.gov/environmental-health/aquatic-toxins/cyanobacteria.html "undefined") advised people to avoid contact with all algal blooms, as even breathing in water spray “can affect the gastrointestinal tract, liver, nervous system, and skin.” ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/4394608/florida-algae-bloom-satellite-images/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/4394608/florida-algae-bloom-satellite-images/"},"headline":"Satellite Images Show Massive Algae Bloom Taking Over Florida Lake","datePublished":"2016-07-06T15:26:46.000Z","dateModified":"2026-05-11T04:59:48.048Z","description":"The algae bloom is causing widespread problems","url":"https://time.com/4394608/florida-algae-bloom-satellite-images/","keywords":["Environment","Florida","satellite"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt508c057fda676b4d/69889ac8196cf4a96703c4c1/okeechobee-algae-bloom-detail.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Marisa Gertz","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/marisa-gertz/"}],"articleSection":"Science","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt508c057fda676b4d/69889ac8196cf4a96703c4c1/okeechobee-algae-bloom-detail.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"okeechobee-algae-bloom-detail","caption":"Lake Okeechobee algae bloom detail","creditText":"Joshua Stevens—NASA Earth Observatory","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/science/","name":"Science"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"/tag/environment/","name":"Environment"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/4394608/florida-algae-bloom-satellite-images/","name":"Satellite Images Show Massive Algae Bloom Taking Over Florida Lake"}}]}] ```