Print edition: 
LAWRENCE— The toxic blue-green algae that infested many Kansas waterways this summer are dying off as the temperatures drop, but state officials say they're working on a plan to combat the blooms when they return.
The Kansas Department of Health and Environment tracked this summer's blooms in more than 40 lakes and ponds, and at least 16 people became ill from the algae-infested water, which also killed and sickened animals. The warnings also kept people away from some of the state's most popular summer recreation spots.
As the algae blooms disappear, state agencies are studying how well they responded to this year's outbreak and how to better manage future blooms.
"As we go into the winter months, we aren't just going to put the binder back on the shelf," said Tom Langer, KDHE director of the Bureau of Environmental Health. "We are studying what we have learned."
An epidemiologist will study the health effects of the blooms. All the data will be collected and state health officials plan to share any information they garner with other states. They hope to have some method for fighting the blooms, which are certain to return in future summers.
Nutrients that flow into streams and lakes make it easier for algae to flourish, so methods to control those nutrient runoffs are important.
"This is not something you can flip the switch and change," Langer said. "It takes decades and decades to get to a condition like this. And it will take decades before we resolve this."
The algae blooms hurt businesses that depend on visitors who use the waterways for swimming, wading and water skiing.
"We want people to understand the severity of it. It's not just white noise, Chicken Little or a boy crying wolf," Langer said. "It is going to affect every single one of us. We rely on water. It's important that we are taking the proper steps."
