What do algal blooms look like

DEC recommends avoiding contact with any floating mats, scums, or discolored water. Complete the form with digital photographs close-up and landscape to show extent and location of the suspected bloom. If you have any issues submitting the form, please email HABsInfo dec. Algae is an important part of aquatic ecosystems and forms the basis of lake food chains.

There are many types of algae commonly found in the freshwaters of New York. The most common types of HABs are made up of blooms of cyanobacteria also known as blue-green algae. Next Previous. If you are interested in participating, please contact Claire Weston, Outreach Coordinator at the Community Science Institute, at claire. Connect with Us. Ithaca, NY info communityscience. Support Our Work. Recent Posts. Help Us Reach our Membership Goal! Burning fossil fuels, deforestation, and land development are increasing the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.

This fuels harmful algal blooms because cyanobacteria can feed on the carbon dioxide not only present at the surface of a water body but also dissolved in the water. And when algae die and sink to the bottom of a freshwater body, they decompose and release carbon that was once sequestered, providing more fuel for cyanobacteria growth. Climate change and more severe droughts also modify the flow regime in freshwater bodies and can increase competition for ever-scarcer freshwater supplies.

Reduced flows in waterways means the remaining water will be warmer and more stagnant, creating conditions ripe for algal blooms. People can be exposed to HAB toxins by swallowing or swimming in affected waters, eating poisoned fish or shellfish even when food is cooked, algal toxins remain , or inhaling airborne droplets of affected water. Depending on the level of exposure and the type of algal toxin, health consequences may range from mild to severe to, in extreme cases, fatal. A recent paper published in the journal Toxins found 63 dog deaths associated with HABs in 13 states.

There are three classes of cyanotoxins , and each type has different effects:. The cyanotoxins most frequently reported in freshwater ecosystems are the liver-damaging toxins microcystins and cylindrospermopsin. It is estimated that some 30 million to 48 million Americans get their drinking water from lakes and reservoirs that could be periodically contaminated by algal toxins.

Inadequate treatment can compromise water quality and threaten public health, and disrupt or even shut down treatment plants. When cyanotoxin levels exceed EPA health advisory levels for tap water, people are at risk of various adverse health effects, from gastrointestinal issues to liver and kidney damage. HABs cause lakes, reservoirs, and rivers to become unsightly and at times dangerous, reducing tourism, recreation, commercial fishing, and property values and increasing water quality monitoring, management, and treatment costs.

Even single bloom events can be crushing for local economies. The toxins released from a HAB can cause large-scale fish kills commonly seen as a result of golden algal blooms and work their way up the food web , impacting mammals, birds, and other wildlife that feed on grasses, shellfish, or fish tainted with toxins. Texas recently experienced a major fish kill that devastated Lake Texoma, a reservoir on the Oklahoma-Texas border. Approximately , fish died in just three days due to a golden algae bloom.

This was not the first time the lake was hit with this type of bloom. Also known as hypoxic zones, dead zones are typically a result of eutrophication, which is what happens when a waterway becomes overly polluted with nutrients.

When algae and bacteria in an algal bloom die, the decomposition process uses up most of the surrounding oxygen, causing other organisms in an affected water body to suffocate and die or be forced to relocate to survive. According to the EPA, more than 16 6 dead zo nes have been reported nationwide.

The largest, in the northern Gulf of Mexico, demonstrates how nutrient pollution from the basin of the Mississippi River, a freshwater river, can impact coasts and saltwater bodies. This dead zone has reappeared each year in recent decades and varies in size. Experts predict will rival as the largest yet , with the dead zone at the mouth of the Mississippi River expected to occupy more than 8, square miles, an area the size of Massachusetts.

They are also less deterred by green, smelly water that may contain harmful algae Animals can experience symptoms within minutes of exposure to the toxins. Symptoms they might experience include vomiting, diarrhea, weakness, difficulty breathing, and seizures. In the worst cases, animals have died. If your pet experiences these symptoms after exposure to algae, contact your veterinarian. Avoid using untreated lake or river water for drinking, cooking, and brushing teeth, particularly for infants and small children.

Boiling water will not destroy toxins and could actually increase toxin levels. Simple treatment options are also not effective, because multiple treatment steps are typically required to remove algal toxins. Water that may be contaminated can be used for handwashing, bathing, washing dishes, or laundry, though it may irritate skin. Young children should be supervised when bathing to prevent them from swallowing water.