Conditions are prime for the development of harmful algae blooms in Pennsylvania waters as the state enters the annual HAB season of July-September.
HABs occur when cyanobacteria, commonly known as blue-green algae, grow in large dense populations, said Tom Decker, DEP community relations coordinator in the Northwest Regional Office of the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection.
“Blooms generally occur where there are high levels of nutrients present, together with the occurrence of warm, sunny, calm conditions,” he noted in a DEP advisory. “However, human activity often can trigger or accelerate algal blooms.”
HABs have been observed worldwide, including in Lake Erie and other Pennsylvania waters. They can occur almost anywhere, including lakes, ponds, stormwater retention basins, rivers, streams and reservoirs.
Some Presque Isle State Park beaches along Lake Erie were closed temporarily earlier this month when lifeguards spotted what appeared to be HABs in nearby waters.
A Penn State Extension project on HABs in ponds and lakes in Pennsylvania found HABs in 20 percent of 92 samples submitted from across the state.
In announcing a 7 p.m. Thursday, July 23, webinar on “Protecting Dogs and Animals from Harmful Algae Blooms,” Bryan Swistock, senior water resources extension association with Penn State Extension noted that toxic algal blooms can be identified by appearance.
They usually create a stagnant scum layer that often looks like spilled paint or pea soup,” he said. “The scum layer can be shades of green, blue, gray, red, brown or white and can have floating foam. A few species can create floating mats that look like grass clippings or jelly-like blobs.”
However, stressed Decker, some blooms are not visible at the water surface.
When organisms in a bloom die and decompose, they can release unpleasant odors, like that of rotting plants.
According to Decker, natural sources of nutrients such as phosphorus or nitrogen compounds can be supplemented by a variety of human activities to produce blooms.
For example, in rural areas, agricultural runoff from fields can wash fertilizers into the water. In urban areas, nutrient sources can include treated wastewaters from septic systems and sewage treatment plants, and urban stormwater runoff that carries nonpoint-source pollutants such as lawn fertilizers.
A healthy body of water generally contains a variety of different types of algae. Problems arise when that diversity disappears and instead the waterbody becomes dominated by blue-green algae.
While they can grow to very high densities, they are not necessarily dangerous unless they start producing cyanotoxins and become a toxic algal bloom.
The toxins are invisible to the human eye and impossible to know whether they are present without analyzing them for certain chemical compounds.
People can get sick when they come in contact with water or food contaminated with algal toxins through recreational activities such as swimming, kayaking, fishing or wading; breathing in contaminated water droplets or mist from recreational activities or wind-blown sea spray; drinking contaminated water; or eating contaminated fish or shellfish.
Symptoms can vary depending on the type of exposure, amount and type of toxin and how long the person was exposed to the contaminated water or bloom. Topical symptoms include rashes, blisters, hives, and eye and nose irritations. If swallowed, symptoms could include diarrhea, vomiting, abdominal pain, numbness of lips, tingling in fingers and toes, dizziness and headache.
Dogs are much more susceptible than humans to cyanobacterial poisoning. When toxins are present, dogs can be exposed to toxins by drinking the water, by eating washed-up mats or scum of toxic cyanobacteria, and by having skin contact with water. After leaving the water, dogs can also be poisoned by grooming their fur and paws.
Signs of toxic poisoning in dogs, such as excessive salivation, weakness, staggered walking, difficulty breathing or convulsions can occur within 30 minutes to a few hours after exposure., depending on the size of the dog, the type of toxin, the toxin concentration and how much toxin the dog has ingested.
In severe cases, dogs can show signs of cyanobacterial poisoning within a few minutes and can die within an hour of toxin exposure.
Parks and other public waters regularly post HAB warning signs, but personal safety when a water is suspect urges everyone:
- Stay out of the water.
- Don’t let children or pets play in HAB debris on shore.
- After swimming or wading in water, even with no visible HABs, rinse off with fresh water as soon as possible.
- Never swallow untreated surface water. It may contain algal toxins or bacteria, parasites or viruses that could cause illness if consumed.
- Do not let pets lick or eat HAB material from their fur.
- Don’t drink or cook with suspected water. In-home treatments like boiling, chlorine bleach or water filtration units offer no protection from HAB toxins.
- See a doctor if you or your children might be ill from HAB toxins.
- Contact your veterinarian for sick pets.
The webinar on keeping dogs and other animals safe from toxic algae blooms in water – beginning at 7 p.m. Thursday, July 23 – is free. Advance registration is required here.
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Contact Marcus Schneck at mschneck@pennlive.com.
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