CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Discolored 'blue-green' water and scum on the surface are visual indicators of an algae bloom.
Most people would avoid blue-green water, but oftentimes it is pets or young kids who are most at risk during lake season when they want nothing more than to play in it.
Recent news of a dog’s death after swimming in a lake in central North Carolina is sending some red flags across the state. Experts say algae may be to blame.
“Typically, these blooms, you visibly can see them. That is 9 times out of 10, that is what you’re going to observe are visual indicators or smells, but in this case, they did not see the typical indicators,” said Olivia Edwards.
Edwards is with Charlotte-Mecklenburg Storm Water Services. She said toxins produced by Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs) can cause adverse health effects on people, pets, and wildlife.
“The way you get sick from it is ingestion. That’s typically how people get sick, or pets get sick, "she said. "And people aren’t usually drinking that water, whereas dogs or other animals they’ll go down and pretty much splash around in anything and drink it."
She says the case involving the dog in North Carolina is still under investigation for a cause of death. Edwards also notes summertime conditions in the Carolinas are perfect for algae blooms.
She said the six different species seen here locally thrive off sunlight, warm water temperatures, stagnant water, and nutrients such as stormwater runoff.
“You can’t tell if it’s producing the toxin or not. It’s not always producing the toxin, so we just go ahead and tell people just pretend it’s producing the toxin because you don’t know," she said. "I could sample today for the toxin, and tomorrow it could be fine and there could be no toxin and for whatever reason, the algae might decide tomorrow is a better day to produce my toxin."
So how can you keep yourself and your pets safe? Experts say keep an eye out for discolored water, scum across the surface, and grass-like clippings grouped together in a colony.
Edwards said her team samples area lakes monthly for bacteria and algae blooms and other pollutants. If they ever reach the threshold set by the EPA, they will issue a no-swim advisory until levels are safe.
You can call 3-1-1 to report an algae bloom. Edwards says the team at Charlotte-Mecklenburg Storm Water Services depends heavily on people along the lake to report possible algae blooms.
Experts say there are chemicals such as algaecide for treatment. However, it creates a problem when algae cells are dying – they release their toxins.
Contact KJ Jacobs at kjacobs3@wcnc.com and follow him on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.