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Updated: 8:53 PM Aug 30, 2010
UPDATE: High Algae Levels Cause Problems for State Parks
The advisories are due to high levels algae in the water.
Posted: 8:42 PM Aug 30, 2010Reporter: Randy Yohe; Josh McComas Email Address: randy.yohe@wsaz.com; josh.mccomas@wsaz.com |
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1 Comments 
UPDATE 8/30/10 @ 8 p.m.
OAK HILL, Ohio (WSAZ) -- When things in nature bloom, that usually implies something good, fresh and healthy – unless you're talking about lake and pond algae "blooms."
Natural eruptions, that can -- and in some places are -- turning toxic.
The blooming problem has sparked recreation restrictions at several popular southern Ohio lakes.
On a weekday camping and fishing getaway at Lake Jackson State Park, Al and Linda Schneider know to be cautious around this usually pristine body of water. It's a lake now covered in spots with unusual algae sheen and warnings to limit, if not avoid, water contact.
"We’ll go fishing, but we won't eat what we catch," Al Schneider said. "It's catch and release anyway. We will not swim.”
The targeted algae has cropped up in lakes and ponds around Ohio.
State Park Assistant Manager Sandy Brickey explains that it looks like pollen scum, but it can be toxic.
Experts say the hotter the weather, the worse the scum. At Lake Jackson and at Hope Lake in Vinton County, the algae outcrop is in the early stage -- with the potential to bloom and form toxins.
Brickey says contact with developed toxic algae does raise health concerns for humans, animals -- possibly affecting liver and kidney functions.
But algae blooms are not restricted to large lakes and ponds. The Ohio State Extension service is warning farmers about farm ponds. They've taken 100 calls this summer, three times last year's total.
Experts say the blooms can also be triggered by animal waste, fertilizer runoff and septic leaching. On a nice day at this time of year, there would usually be a half dozen folks fishing along the now empty shoreline of Lake Jackson.
Park managers say the algae advisories have kept some tourists away from beaches and campgrounds.
The Schneider’s did bring water from home for their dog Ziggy -- not that drinking the lake water would necessarily harm him. Still, they wanted to be cautious.
The expectation is that cooler fall weather will eliminate the algae problem.
Some potentially harmful algae was spotted on small ponds at Scioto County's Shawnee State Park golf course. But the park manager says algae treatments have cleared the water.
And we're told the beaches at Shawnee's Roosevelt and Turkey Creek lakes have been algae free this year, as well as being open for swimming.
ORIGINAL STORY 8/30/10
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WSAZ) -- The Ohio EPA has released advisories for several state lakes in our region.
The advisories are due to high levels algae in the water.
Jackson Lake State Park, Shawnee State Park and Lake Alma are a few in our region that are affected. The full list of lakes and parks are listed below.
Although there are advisories, all state parks remain open.
No Contact Advisory: (Avoid any and all contact with and ingestion of the lake water. This includes launching watercraft on the lakes.)
Toxin Advisory: (Avoid contact with any algae and direct contact with water.)
Bloom Advisory: (Cautionary advisory to avoid contact with any algae.)
To learn more about what these advisories mean, click here.
Latest Comments
get used to it as its global warming causing our ponds and lakes to heat up and create this alge problem. blame a republican
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