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Blue Algae
- Thread starter meopilite
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It’s probably best to avoid contact with your skin if the algae is fresh. I don’t know, put if you just paddle through it, it’s probably ok.
https://www.ontario.ca/page/blue-green-algae
https://www.ontario.ca/page/blue-green-algae
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There are some established health risks to blue-green algae. I sure as heck wouldn’t swim in it, and would take some precautions just paddling through it
Some species of blue-green algae produce harmful toxins which take effect when eaten, inhaled or skin contact is made. Contact with affected water can cause skin irritation, mild respiratory effects and hayfever-like symptoms. Ingesting toxins can also cause gastroenteritis symptoms, such as vomiting, diarrhoea, fever and headaches. Toxins can also have an effect on the liver and the nervous system.
If you come into contact with affected water, you should remove any affected clothing and wash yourself thoroughly with clean water. Affected wetsuits should be rinsed in fresh water to remove any trace of algae.
Much worse for your canoe dog.
Pets can be poisoned from contact with toxic algae, which could potentially kill them. Do not let your animals swim or drink in algae-affected areas. If your pet does come into contact with affected water, wash them thoroughly with fresh water before drying so they do not swallow algae while grooming their fur.
There are different species of blue green algae, some worse than others. And red tides with massive fish kills.
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/e...e-life-toxins/
But sure, let’s keep effing the planet, and we’ll get what we deserve.
Some species of blue-green algae produce harmful toxins which take effect when eaten, inhaled or skin contact is made. Contact with affected water can cause skin irritation, mild respiratory effects and hayfever-like symptoms. Ingesting toxins can also cause gastroenteritis symptoms, such as vomiting, diarrhoea, fever and headaches. Toxins can also have an effect on the liver and the nervous system.
If you come into contact with affected water, you should remove any affected clothing and wash yourself thoroughly with clean water. Affected wetsuits should be rinsed in fresh water to remove any trace of algae.
Much worse for your canoe dog.
Pets can be poisoned from contact with toxic algae, which could potentially kill them. Do not let your animals swim or drink in algae-affected areas. If your pet does come into contact with affected water, wash them thoroughly with fresh water before drying so they do not swallow algae while grooming their fur.
There are different species of blue green algae, some worse than others. And red tides with massive fish kills.
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/e...e-life-toxins/
But sure, let’s keep effing the planet, and we’ll get what we deserve.
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If you store your canoe inside it will make your garage stink. So it forces you to clean your canoe, adding greatly to your canoe maintenance burden.
I scrub my boat(s) down after every use as I am not a fan of scumlines that get dried on. Here in NH we have the snot rock stuff going this year. Seems to crop up every couple years.
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Occasionally in summer, we get this florescent green "algae" covering the surface of our local Chesapeake Bay tributary river, which is brackish. I know this is not good, but I do not know what kind of critter it is. I am guessing it robs the water of oxygen and allows bad anaerobic bacteria to flourish, and causes fish kills. I will paddle in it, but I try to be extra careful not to go for an unexpected swim. Yes, gotta rinse the canoe afterwards.
Now is the worst time for this florescent green "algae". Big torrential thunderstorm rains, and very hot.
There are many times when there are a few particles of this florescent green algae in the water, depending on tide, time of day, etc., but the water is otherwise a common drab green color. No odors, no floating fish/dead crabs. I will go for a swim to cool off, but try not to get my face wet. I wonder about scratches on my legs etc.
I've not found any obvious information on this issue, other than generalizations about the water quality in various parts of the river.
Now is the worst time for this florescent green "algae". Big torrential thunderstorm rains, and very hot.
There are many times when there are a few particles of this florescent green algae in the water, depending on tide, time of day, etc., but the water is otherwise a common drab green color. No odors, no floating fish/dead crabs. I will go for a swim to cool off, but try not to get my face wet. I wonder about scratches on my legs etc.
I've not found any obvious information on this issue, other than generalizations about the water quality in various parts of the river.
Yeah... blue-greens produce a toxin which can be harmful if the concentrations are high enough... they occur naturally in many lakes and toxin concentrations will often be low, below guideline thresholds, but when nutrient levels, esp phosphorus and maybe nitrogen are high enough, eg. near agricultural runoff high in nutrients (fertilizer), they can bloom causing the water to look pea soup green.
Usually paddling in nutrient-poor water like Algonquin lakes will not result in any harmful exposure... there just will not be enough dissolved nutrient for the blue-greens to grow on and numbers will be low. Even so, Dickson lake in Algonquin has had blue-greens visible, so camping there has been suspended but canoeing through has not.
Myself, I wouldn't paddle in any pea-soupy water... one good thing about having a landscape with nothing but rocks and trees, the water's often good enough to drink and PS.... filtering water will not remove cyanotoxin produced by blue-greens. It seems deaths due to blue-green poisoning are rare in history, but the few that did occur were pretty horrible... whoever drank that pea-soup water must have been really thirsty.
Usually paddling in nutrient-poor water like Algonquin lakes will not result in any harmful exposure... there just will not be enough dissolved nutrient for the blue-greens to grow on and numbers will be low. Even so, Dickson lake in Algonquin has had blue-greens visible, so camping there has been suspended but canoeing through has not.
Myself, I wouldn't paddle in any pea-soupy water... one good thing about having a landscape with nothing but rocks and trees, the water's often good enough to drink and PS.... filtering water will not remove cyanotoxin produced by blue-greens. It seems deaths due to blue-green poisoning are rare in history, but the few that did occur were pretty horrible... whoever drank that pea-soup water must have been really thirsty.
Not all cyanobacteria are toxic
https://www.maine.gov/dep/water/lake...obacteria.html
Most of the lakes in Maine don't have algal blooms. Those that are Often or Sometimes are in agricultural country
Except Nubble Pond which is basically a swamp in a saddle of a mountain in my town.. Nobody would drink that
https://www.maine.gov/dep/water/lake...obacteria.html
Most of the lakes in Maine don't have algal blooms. Those that are Often or Sometimes are in agricultural country
Except Nubble Pond which is basically a swamp in a saddle of a mountain in my town.. Nobody would drink that
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Friday morning paddle, on the Sassafras River, Maryland, after the big rain, we had an algae bloom. I would be grateful on any intel on what species, toxicity, etc., it might be. Obviously, not voluntarily swimming in it, but in any paddle, there is always the chance of an unexpected swim.
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Arrrrg, I know it is futile to resist the borg, but I stubbornly continue to avoid facebook. (Missed Conk's last several trip reports because of it, sadly). So, I don't think of facebook as an information resource. I had looked at the shorerivers.org website, but it was not much help.
Facebook let me see the Riverkeeper site without having to log in, and the page had good information and links, thanks,
Facebook let me see the Riverkeeper site without having to log in, and the page had good information and links, thanks,
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Dave, right there with you. I have thought of joining Facebook just to see Conk’s trip reports, and Joel’s stuff, but increasingly have issues with that social media platform, especially the way it has been and is being manipulated for political ends.
And other peculiarities. I was on a trip where a paddling friend’s name came up, and mentioned that I thought he was now doing ABC. One of the other guys replied that he was doing XYZ.
“Cool, when did you see him last?”
‘Oh, I’ve never met him, we are Facebook friends”
It somehow cheapens the word “friends”. Before I start ranting, contact info for the Sassafras Riverkeeper:
Zack Kelleher
zkelleher@shorerivers.org or 410.810.7556 ext. 281
I would not touch Facebook either, not with a pea-soupy green scummy paddle myself... anyway, blue-greens, since, well, ... ahhh... mentioning no names from the White House now.... well, yeah, him, has rolled back the federal Clean Water Protection Act safeguards, maybe the state is the best place to look. If they still have the money to monitor esp during these stressful COVID times.
True Confessions, I used to work in an Ontario water quality lab and blue-greens were always being looked at. For a while back, the Canadian side of the Great Lakes wasn't quite up to matching the USian efforts to keep things clean. But now... ahhh, never mind.
Yes, here it is... harmful algal blooms... (they spelled "questions" wrong, not a good sign, these misteaks)...
https://mde.maryland.gov/programs/Wa...ges/index.aspx
PS.... an Alberta dog died recently after running into a blue-green bloom for only about 20 seconds, probably licked some off. Dogs seem esp vulnerable. No help from the vet, either.
True Confessions, I used to work in an Ontario water quality lab and blue-greens were always being looked at. For a while back, the Canadian side of the Great Lakes wasn't quite up to matching the USian efforts to keep things clean. But now... ahhh, never mind.
Yes, here it is... harmful algal blooms... (they spelled "questions" wrong, not a good sign, these misteaks)...
https://mde.maryland.gov/programs/Wa...ges/index.aspx
PS.... an Alberta dog died recently after running into a blue-green bloom for only about 20 seconds, probably licked some off. Dogs seem esp vulnerable. No help from the vet, either.
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