RIVERSIDE – In a move designed to improve water quality in Lake Elsinore and Canyon Lake, the Santa Ana Regional Water Quality Control Board adopted stricter limits Friday, July 25, on nutrients that can lead to harmful algal bloom eruptions, threaten aquatic habitat and restrict recreational opportunities
The lakes in western Riverside County have long faced challenges related to excessive amounts of nutrients – primarily nitrogen and phosphorus – that fuel toxic algal growth and deplete oxygen needed for marine life, resulting in fish kills and posted advisories urging the public in affected areas not to participate in water-related outdoor activities.
The Santa Ana Water Board initially adopted the Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs) – which define how much of a specific polluta
