Shun the Scum

State issues advisory for Lake Spokane after “extremely high” levels of toxin are measured in sample from algae bloom.

In a press statement sent out late Tuesday, the Washington Department of Ecology said it is asking residents along Lake Spokane (Long Lake) to keep children and pets out of the water because of toxic, blue green algae blooms.

“In the short term,” said Ecology eastern Washington water manager Jim Bellatty, “people and animals need to avoid the scum. Over the long term, Ecology has developed a water-quality improvement plan for the Spokane River and Lake Spokane that is designed to reduce algae by removing the amount of phosphorous in the water.”

Bellatty was referring to the most recent dissolved oxygen cleanup plan for the Spokane River and Lake Spokane that the agency published for public comment just two weeks ago. Low dissolved oxygen in the river and the lake is caused primarily by algae blooms that consume oxygen when they die and decompose. Because the algae blooms are fueled by nutrients in water pollution (i.e. phosphorous) the Ecology plan, known as a Total Maximum Daily Load, or TMDL, is aimed primarily at achieving dramatic reductions in phosphorous discharges to the river.

While low dissolved oxygen persistently threatens the river and lake’s trout and other aquatic life, the toxic blue-green mats of algae are the most horrific symptom of the water quality problem that the dissolved oxygen plan aims to remedy.

Ecology said the presence of the toxic algae was confirmed Tuesday when the agency got the results of a sample collected by a private citizen on September 23rd, about a mile from Suncrest Park in Stevens County. The lab result showed the sample “contains extremely high concentrations of a toxin called microcystin.”

“Although the sample was taken in Stevens County,” Ecology reported, “residents report thay see the thick mats of algae throughout Lake Spokane” on both counties.

–CFJ