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Images show algae activity explodes on Lake Okeechobee

Posted at 7:40 PM, Jun 18, 2018
and last updated 2018-06-19 08:33:41-04

Jacqui Thurlow-Lippisch has many titles, but today we give her the title of algae chaser.

"If someone had told me this is what my life would become, I would not have believed them," said Thurlow-Lippisch.

RELATED: Toxic algae found at lake in Indian River County

She and her husband Ed are known to capture the images.

"In the morning and the weekends I'll say are we chasing algae today?"

Ed captured a possible algae bloom on Lake Okeechobee Saturday.

On Monday, WPTV received a NOAA image showing large algae bloom activity on the lake.

That's a big concern as the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers continues to discharge water east and west.

A spokesperson says the Corps has not decided whether to discontinue those releases, but are aware of the activity on the lake.

Meanwhile Mary Radabaugh at Central Marine is having flashbacks.

"It's not good," said Radabaugh.

The Department of Environmental Protection is aware and took samples of the algae Monday.