'Explosive' Season For Toxic Algae Possible in 2023

HUDSON VALLEY, NY — Warmer temperatures have set the stage for a potentially explosive season of harmful algal blooms, those toxic growths in ponds and lakes that led to a national awareness campaign by a woman whose three dogs died after swimming.

Scientists note trends toward more frequent rain-on-snow events, with fewer days of below-freezing temperatures and a reduction in ice cover on water bodies.

"Less ice cover means sunlight can penetrate the water earlier in the year, jumpstarting the production of harmful algae," said Dr. Jessica Frost, U.S. Science Director at BlueGreen Water Technologies, which is warning of a potentially explosive toxic algae season in 2023. "This also contributes to the rise that we’re seeing in harmful algal blooms year round."

Toxic algae have already been reported in Austin, Texas, earlier than in previous years.

The Hudson Valley's mild winter is a warning sign, Frost told Patch.

"You haven’t gotten the usual snow levels, it's been 15 to 20 degrees above average," she said. "Not a lot of precipitation, that’s an additional factor. Algae like it when they’re baking in the sun."

They threaten bodies of water across New York. The state Department of Environmental Conservation, which has an interactive map showing hazardous algae blooms during the warmer months and a link for reporting that will be available when the 2023 season begins in May, in 2022 recorded reports of dangerous blooms in 44 lakes, ponds and streams in the Hudson Valley:

Putnam County

• Barger Pond
• Barrett Pond
• Croton Falls Reservoir
• Diverting Reservoir
• Kirk Lake
• Lake Carmel
• Lake Casse
• Lake Peekskill
• Oscawana Lake
• Peach Lake
• Putnam Lake
• Roaring Brook Lake
• Seven Hills Lake

Westchester County

• Bedford Lake
• Glenwood Lake
• Lake Lincolndale
• Lake Lucille
• Lake Mohegan
• Lake Purdys
• Lake Waccabuc
• New Rochelle Reservoir No.1
• Peach Lake
• Sheldrake Lake

Orange County

• Beaver Dam Lake
• Goshen Reservoir
• Guymard Lake
• Lake Tiorati
• Little We Wah Lake
• Orange Lake
• Wee Wah Lake

Rockland County

• Congers Lake
• Lake Welch
• Lake Welch Lagoon
• Rockland Lake
• Rudd Pond
• Tomkins Lake

Ulster County

• Ashokan Reservoir
• Chodikee Lake
• Rondout Creek
• Sturgeon Pool
• Wallkill River

Dutchess County

• Deer Lake
• Nooteeming Lake
• Round Pond

Individual algal cells cannot be seen with the unaided eye; however, they can form large, visible colonies called blooms. Harmful algal blooms are made up of colonies of toxic cyanobacteria (also known as blue-green algae).

They usually multiply and bloom when water is warm, stagnant and filled with nutrients from sources such as septic systems, wastewater treatment plants and fertilizer runoff.

Hence the proliferation, Frost said.

The 10 warmest years since record keeping began in 1880 have all occurred since 2010, according to NOAA.

The biggest problem, she said, is nutrient pollution — and climate change is making that worse too.

Nutrient runoff into ponds, lakes and rivers — from phosphorus and nitrogen in septic systems, fertilizers, manure, animal feed and more — has affected water quality for decades.

Historically, cold temperatures and a continuous snowpack froze nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorous in place until the watershed thawed in the spring, when plants could help absorb excess nutrients. Now, water quality in 40 percent of the contiguous U.S. is at risk, according to NOAA.

Frost pointed out that the Hudson River's top watchdog group has been warning about dangerous algal blooms for years.

"It's time to treat the source of harmful algal blooms, not just the symptoms," Riverkeeper said in a blog post. "In other words, the underlying conditions – excess phosphorus and ecosystem changes from invasive species – are exacerbated by changing weather patterns associated with climate change: warmer temperatures and more intense storms. We can and should act immediately to reduce the risk of harmful algal blooms by reducing nutrient pollution. Adopting strong numeric nutrient criteria is an important step that New York must take to address the cause, and not just the symptoms, of excess nutrient pollution."

In her 25-year career, Frost said, she has seen things change.

"The events that are happening are causing enough damage —either economical or affecting the health and welfare of humans — that it’s now causing humans to pay attention," she said, citing declining property values in waterfront communities with HABs and the reports of sick and dying pets. "Unless you have something that causes a personal effect, most times people aren’t going to give it recognition."

The thing is, toxic algae didn’t come out of nowhere.

"They’ve been around 2.5 million years, but they may not have been subject to environmental conditions that are ideal for intense reproduction, such as warmer air, warmer water temperatures, winter sunlight and nutrients to keep them alive," she said.

"Everything else aside, our activities are driving the frequency of these blooms," she said, singling out human and animal waste, farming, and pressure on homeowners to have year-round green lawns. "We can be responsible for our municipal practices, our land use practices. Our best defense is to adapt — as the algae adapt."

Property owners and communities need knowledge first, she said. "If you have a bloom that you can see with the naked eye, what is it? Then discuss a treatment plan to reduce the bloom. It’s not ever going to eliminate it to the point that it'll never exist again.

"Waste is waste. Fish poop in the water, birds poop in the water, we do our things in our homes, and it has to go somewhere. It’s how we manage it that's the issue," she said. "It's costly to put in sewers. It’s super costly and without those grant programs it would be nearly impossible. That then perpetuates the cycle."

"If one solution is too expensive, how else can we do? Those are the questions we have to start asking," she said.

The New York Department of Environmental Conservation says it is best to avoid swimming, boating, otherwise recreating in, or drinking water with any algae bloom:

• People, pets and livestock should avoid contact with any floating mats, scums, or discolored water. Colors can include shades of green, blue-green, yellow, brown or red.
• Never drink, prepare food, cook, or make ice with untreated surface water, whether or not algae blooms are present. In addition to toxins, untreated surface water may contain bacteria, parasites, or viruses that could cause illness if consumed.
• People not on public water supplies should not drink surface water during an algal bloom, even if it is treated, because in-home treatments such as boiling, disinfecting water with chlorine or ultraviolet (UV), and water filtration units do not protect people from HABs toxins.
• If you suspect that you have seen a HAB, please report the HAB to DEC. Fill out and submit a Suspicious Algal Bloom Report Form. If possible, attach digital photos (close-up and landscape to show extent and location) of the suspected HAB in the web form. Email HABsInfo@dec.ny.gov if you are not able to complete the form.
• Please report any health symptoms to NYS Health Department at harmfulalgae@health.ny.gov and your local health department.

If contact occurs:

• Rinse thoroughly with clean water to remove algae.
• Stop using water and seek medical attention immediately if symptoms such as vomiting, nausea, diarrhea, skin, eye or throat irritation, allergic reactions, or breathing difficulties occur after drinking or having contact with blooms or untreated surface water.

Plus, if you see something, say something, Frost said. "Report it! Then the scientists can do their work."

SEE ALSO:

• Toxic Algae That Killed Dogs Found In New York Lakes
• County Exec, Candidate Seek EPA Help With Toxic Algae