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Source: NCDEQ, 5/2/22
As summertime approaches, the N.C. Department of Environmental
Quality Division of Water Resources (DWR) reminds the public to avoid contact
with discolored water that could indicate the presence of an algal bloom. Algae are a natural occurrence in all waterbodies, but certain environmental
conditions can cause rapid cell growth called blooms. “Algal blooms can occur throughout the year, but conditions during the warmer months help to increase the number of blooms that occur,” said DWR’s Daniel Wiltse, Algae Bloom Response Coordinator. These
conditions include increased nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorus), elevated
temperatures, increased sunlight, and low or no water flow. Algal blooms can appear as surface scums (which look like spilled
paint and can be bright green, red, brown or blue), algal mats (dense,
macroscopic growths that float on the water surface) or discoloration
throughout the water column. Blooms tend to move due to wind and wave action.
Decaying algae may produce a strong, foul odor that can impact a large area. Certain algae can create toxins that can lead to adverse health
effects in humans, pets and aquatic organisms. Blooms that can cause negative
impacts to people, animals and the environment are called Harmful Algal Blooms
(HABs). You cannot tell by looking at a bloom whether it is harmful. N.C. Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Public
Health (DPH) routinely encourages the public to avoid contact with large
accumulations of algae and to prevent children and pets from swimming or
ingesting water in an algal bloom. Remember: when in doubt, stay out! DPH suggests the following steps to safeguard against algal
blooms:
- Keep
children and pets away from water that appears bright green, blue,
discolored, or scummy.
- Do not handle
or touch large mats of algae.
- Avoid
handling, cooking, or eating dead fish that may be present.
- If you
come into contact with an algal bloom, wash thoroughly.
- Use clean
water to rinse off pets that may have come into contact with an algal
bloom.
- If your
child appears ill after being in waters containing an algal bloom, seek
medical care immediately.
- If your
pet appears to stumble, stagger, or collapse after being in a pond, lake,
or river, seek veterinary care immediately.
To report an algal bloom, contact the nearest
DEQ regional
office or
submit a report online. To view reported algal bloom events, visit DWR’s Fish Kill & Algal Bloom Dashboard. To learn more about algal blooms visit the DWR website. For more information
on the potential health effects from algal blooms, visit the DPH website.
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