So far in 2016, more than 40 California state lakes and waterways have been infected by cyanobacteria, also known as blue-green algae. Although cyanobacteria is a naturally occurring substance, the toxic blue-green algae has harmful effects as it takes over any body of water. Its ill effects have reached Berkeley, San Jose, Discovery Bay, the Russian River and Redding to Los Angeles. Officials say that this is the highest count ever of contaminated waterways and it has almost doubled from last year’s number of 22. A recent article on the East Bay Times website covers the story more in depth.
 
The Cause of Algal Bloom & its Ill Effects
 
Since California’s 5-year drought they’ve experienced hotter temperatures, low water flows and stagnant water with lingering fertilizers and nutrients. These are ideal conditions for the cyanobacteria to multiply and reach toxic levels in any lake or waterway. Although California has had more rainfall this year, the cyanobacteria is still causing problems because nutrients were built up during the drought and washed off hills. As a result there have been health warnings and advisories, swimming areas being closed off, lifeguards being laid off and parks experiencing a reductions in visitors and revenues.
 
Exposure to the toxic blue-green algae has many negative affects to humans such as gastrointestinal upsets, skin rashes and allergic reactions. It can also cause sickness and death among dogs, livestock, sea otters and other wildlife.
 
Due to the nature of interconnected waterways, the cyanobacteria runoff also causes problems in the ocean. A study published in the Plos One journal in 2010 reveals the correlation between the toxic blue-green algae and the death of 21 southern sea otters the Monterey Bay area between 1997 and 2008. Because of its many ill effects, the cyanobacteria contamination should not be an issue that’s taken lightly.
 
The 2015 Case of Lake Chabot
 
One winter day in 2015, Katie Stone experienced how devastating the blue-green algae could be. She took her chocolate lab, Josie, for a walk that day along Castro Valley’s Lake Chabot, but little did they know the lake was full of toxic algae. There were no warning signs to indicate that humans and animals were prohibited to make body contact with the water. But on that winter day Josie swam in the lake and took a gulp of the toxic water. Within a few hours the 5-year old lab became ill and died of kidney failure later that night. For Stone this was an upsetting and traumatic experience because of the regional park district’s lack of warning signs. But since then she says the district is doing a much better job of informing the public.
 
Lake and Waterway Closures
 
Park district spokeswoman, Carolyn Jones, said that the toxic algal blooms has caught everyone off guard because prior to recent closures, the park has gone 80 years without having to close off the lake. When the outbreak first hit they did not have clear guidance or protocols on how to address the situation. The reporting of algal blooms has been inconsistent among different lake operators and owners, so it’s difficult to track the outbreaks over time.
 
The East Bay Regional Park District has created more warning signs to ensure the safety of the public, however, the problem of toxic algae seems to getting worse throughout California. Other waterways that experience closures are the Del Valle Reservoir near Livermore, Pyramid Lake near Los Angeles and Lake Elsinore in San Bernardino County. Since 2010 Almaden Lake has had on and off closures because of algae-related issues. And recently in San Jose, Cunningham Lake has been closed to boaters and fishers because of the toxic algae. Closures also compromise recreation and tourism since the waters are no longer safe for swimming or boating. Discovery Bay is a boater-oriented community which has been experiencing the negative effects of the algal bloom since they’ve had to implement closures. And according to environmental scientist, Beverley Anderson-Abbs, global warming is also making this a problem in other states such as Ohio and Florida.
 
What’s being Done in Response to the Toxic Waterways
 
State officials have been taking charge to make the public aware of the toxic lakes and waterways, and asking them to take heed of all warning signs which prohibit humans and pets from the contaminated areas. They’ve also spoken with water officials and given them guidelines on how to manage the water bodies. State officials have also asked lake operators to continually monitor for the toxic algae and follow state guidelines when putting up caution or closure signs.
 
Anderson-Abbs says that “the best thing to do is to stay out of the water until the bloom is over.” And for pet owners, Stone suggests keeping your dog on a leash at all times to ensure they don’t accidentally wander into a contaminated body of water.
 
What we see happening are the ill effects of climate change on the Earth’s waterways. Although water is essential for all facets of life, its importance can be taken for granted. It seems that only when we face a drought or have contaminated waterways do we realize how precious water really is.