Iowa DNR News
Environmental Services Division
 
For immediate release                                                                                   July 16, 2008 
 
PUBLIC ADVISED TO AVOID SWIMMING NEAR LARGE ALGAL BLOOMS AT STORM LAKE
 
STORM LAKE – The public is being advised to avoid swimming in areas at Storm Lake due to an excessive algae bloom where the water has a deep green, blue green or even reddish brown color.
 
On Tuesday afternoon, the DNR was alerted of floating scums concentrating on the northeast shores of Storm Lake.  Two samples were analyzed and both were below the state threshold for issuing a health alert.
 
“The algae bloom we are seeing right now is definitely much worse than we would normally see,” said Julie Sievers, a DNR environmental specialist at Storm Lake.
 
“We are going to continue to monitor at Storm Lake. Occasionally we have huge blooms like this that have small amounts of toxins, but when the blooms start to recede we see higher levels,” said Eric O’Brien of the DNR’s water monitoring section.  
 
Hot conditions as experienced in Iowa during recent days provide the perfect conditions for creating algae blooms, according to O’Brien.
 
Algae can grow quickly and become very abundant in warm, shallow, surface waters that receive a lot of sunlight. Excess nutrients are key factor in causing excess algal blooms.  Currently, the algae has been blown by the winds to the northeast portion of the lake.
Sievers said the public should avoid contact with the water where it is obviously discolored from the algae.
 
Blue-green algae do not always produce toxins and it is impossible to know if the bloom is producing toxins without actually running the laboratory test.  Therefore, it is best to avoid contact with large algae blooms or scums.  
 
Precautions that should be taken to prevent health-related problems due to algal blooms include:
 
·         Don’t swim, water ski or boat in areas where the water is discolored or if there is foam, scum or mats of algae on the water.
·         If you come in contact with water that might have a harmful algal bloom, rinse off with fresh water as soon as possible.
·         Don’t let pets or livestock swim in or drink from areas where water is discolored, of if there is foam, scum or mats of algae on the water.
·         Don’t let pets (especially dogs) lick the algae off their fur after swimming in scummy water.
·         Don’t irrigate lawns or golf courses with pond water that looks scummy or has a bad odor.
·         Don’t drink the water. Boiling the water will not make it safe to drink.
·         Fish are safe to eat.
 
For more information, contact: Julie Sievers at 712-260-0625 or Kevin Baskins at 515-249-2814.
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