A record bloom of toxic algae in Klamath River reservoirs prompted health warnings Monday from state and federal officials. Concentrations of the algae Microcystis aeruginosa are so great that even breathing vapors caused by water skiing could cause illness, officials said, and swallowing even a few ounces of lake water could bring effects as severe as organ failure.
The algae is not a new problem on the Klamath. But the highly toxic concentrations now present are yet another bruise for a troubled river that also triggered a commercial salmon fishing disaster this year. The bright green algae is so thick that parts of Irongate and Copco reservoirs on the Klamath look like radioactive putting greens. It's no longer just a matter of fish. It's now a human health issue," said Zeke Grader, director of the Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen's Associations.
The algae itself is usually not toxic and is common, at low levels, in many water bodies. But in warm, stagnant water it often blooms in huge floating mats, releasing a toxin, called microcystin, that can cause illness. "There isn't any way to dance around this. It's a serious situation," said Peggy Lehman, an environmental scientist at the state Department of Water Resources and an expert on the algae. Lehman is studying another large Microcystis bloom in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta suspected of contributing to the decline of several fish species.
A consultant hired by the Karuk Tribe recently tested water samples from the reservoirs and found algae concentrations 3,900 times greater than a standard set by the World Health Organization, the operating standard for California water agencies.
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http://www.sacbee.com/content/news/environment/story/14297372p-15153377c.html
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