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Department of Ecology News Release - September 29, 2009
09-237
SPOKANE—The Washington Department of Ecology (Ecology) is asking residents near Lake Spokane to keep children and animals away from the water because of blooms of toxic blue-green algae.
Results of toxin analyses of a water sample taken from Lake Spokane on Sept. 23 were returned today, Tuesday Sept. 29. The sample was taken about a mile north of Suncrest Park in Stevens County. The sample contains extremely high concentrations of a toxin called microcystin. The sample was analyzed at King County Environmental Labs.
Although the sample was taken in Stevens County, residents report they see the thick mats of algae throughout Lake Spokane, in Stevens and Spokane counties.
“Most of the toxin is in the scum that people can see on top of the water,” said Ecology aquatic plant specialist, Kathy Hamel. “The public should avoid algal scums. Don’t let pets or livestock drink from scummy water. They are most at risk.”
Algae blooms happen mostly in the summer or fall but can occur anytime. Blue-green blooms may float to the surface and can be several inches thick near the shoreline. They often look like green paint floating on the water and are hard to pick up or hold.
Blue-green algae blooms pose a human health concern and have killed pets and wildlife after exposure in some Washington lakes. No illnesses have been reported from the current bloom in Lake Spokane.
Although many blue-green blooms are not toxic, some blue-green algae produce nervous system or liver toxins. Toxicity is hard to predict. A single species of algae can have toxic and non-toxic strains. A bloom that tests non-toxic one day can become toxic the next.
People may become ill after contact with water such as swimming or water skiing in lakes with toxic blue-green algae. Human health effects may include stomach pains, vomiting, diarrhea, skin rashes, and nerve and liver damage. Blue-green blooms affect lake recreation, creating economic losses.
“In the short term, people and animals need to avoid the scum,” said Jim Bellatty who manages Ecology’s water quality office in Spokane. “Over the long term, Ecology has developed a water-quality improvement plan for the Spokane River and Lake Spokane that is designed to reduce algae by removing the amount of phosphorus in the water.”
Phosphorus acts like a fertilizer and actually increases the growth of algae and other aquatic plants. Decomposition of these plants robs the water of the oxygen that fish need to live.
The water quality improvement plan is being reviewed by the public until Oct. 15, 2009. See the document at www.ecy.wa.gov/biblio/0710073.html.
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Media Contact: Jani Gilbert, Communications Manager, 509-329-3495; cell, 509-990-9177; e-mail, jani.gibert@ecy.wa.gov
For more information on algae, visit this Ecology website: http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/wq/plants/algae/index.html
For information on toxic algae and health, visit the Washington Department of Health website: http://www.doh.wa.gov/ehp/algae/default.htm
For more information about the Spokane River and Lake Spokane water quality improvement plan, visit this website: http://www.ecy.wa.gov/biblio/0810028.html
Copyright © Washington State Department of Ecology. See http://www.ecy.wa.gov/copyright.html.
