SANTA CRUZ – When it comes to algal blooms, green means stop.
Due to low water levels, warm temperatures and an unseasonal rain event earlier this month, Santa Cruz County is experiencing an unusually high number of reported algal blooms in local lakes, creeks and lagoons, according to a release from the county’s Environmental Health Department.
While some algal blooms are harmless, the unusually high number being reported in recent weeks has health officials concerned about increased potential for blooms stemming from cyanobacteria, or “blue-green” algae, which can be toxic in some cases, according to the release.
“If people see that the water doesn’t look the color that they expect it to, they should just avoid contact with it unless somebody has actually tested it to confirm that it is safe,” said Sierra Ryan, water resources manager for Santa Cruz County Environmental Health. “Don’t wait for us to tell you not to touch the water if it looks funny. Use common sense and be aware that there is potential danger out there.”
According to the California Department of Public Health, toxins from cyanobacteria can be fatal to pets and animals that have consumed the contaminated water, but no known human fatalities have been documented. Still, the health effects to humans that have been exposed through swimming or ingesting the water can be serious and include skin rashes, diarrhea, vomiting and harm to the liver, kidneys or nervous system.
In the past two weeks, Ryan said the county has been made aware of about five sites experiencing large blooms where blooms are typically rare. She said the city of Santa Cruz has detected cyanotoxins at Seabright Beach and the lagoon at Main Beach and levels were “high enough to be a threat to pets, but not to people.”
The county has also detected one non-toxic cyanobacteria bloom on a private property.
Ryan emphasized the risked posed to animals in particular and recommended pet owners confirm that nothing is unusual about the water surrounding play areas before taking pets off their leashes. In addition to blooms that are green or blue, ones that appear brownish or rust-colored should also be avoided, according to the county release. Other signs of an algal bloom include cloudy water, dead plants or fish and a foul odor akin to sewer smell or rotten eggs.
“September and October, while it’s still hot and still dry, really is the peak any year. This year is just a little bit worse than what we typically see,” Ryan said. She added that the September rain event was enough to transport a high level of nutrients and bacteria to warm bodies of water, but wasn’t enough to flush the systems out entirely, leading to ideal conditions for algal blooms.
The increased likelihood of blooms will persist, Ryan says, until the weather begins to cool or consistent rainfall flushes out the bodies of water.
For information, including a list of publicly accessible bodies of water with confirmed toxicity, visit scceh.org. Suspected harmful algal blooms or related illness in Santa Cruz County can be reported to Santa Cruz County Environmental Health by calling 831-454-2022. The California Water Quality Monitoring Council can also be contacted at 916-341-5357 or toll free at 844-729-6466.
Source: Santa Cruz Sentinel
