Officials Advise Caution with Water Fun in Algae
Officials Advise Caution with Water Fun in Algae
Representatives of the South Dakota Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources (DANR) remind the public to remain vigilant when recreating on lakes around the state as harmful algal blooms (HAB) can develop rapidly and without notice during the warm summer months.
Big Stone Lake is among the bodies of water that are home to the HABs during hot weather. The local attraction saw an increase in the surface population of blue-green algae last week.
“HABs can be harmful to people, pets and livestock so remember, when in doubt, stay out,” said Hunter Roberts, DANR secretary in a press statement.
HABs typically occur during the warm summer months of July, August and September in nutrient enriched lakes and ponds. The HABs can occur earlier or later in the year, depending on the conditions.
In South Dakota, HABs are usually produced by blue-green algae, a primitive photosynthetic alga also known as cyanobacteria. Blue-green algae produce toxins that can be harmful to people, especially children, pets and livestock. Officials warn the public to be cautious when recreating during the warm summer months and advise refraining pets from drinking lake water.
DANR and its partners collect toxin samples at lakes throughout the state and sample results are posted to an interactive web map found at: https://sdbit.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=ec7a545532...
The map shows toxin concentration levels at specific times and locations. The results should not be used to determine if waters are safe to use at any given time.
For more information on HABs, visit https://danr.sd.gov/Conservation/WatershedProtection/HAB.aspx.
Those with questions about HABs should contact Joshua Strobel at 1-800-438-3367 or Joshua.Strobel@state.sd.us.
