COLUMBUS, OH — Recreational users of the three public beaches at Grand Lake St. Marys State Park are advised against swimming and wading, water should not be swallowed, and surface scum should be avoided, according to the Ohio departments of Environmental Protection, Natural Resources, and Health. Advisories will be erected at West, East, and Camp beaches which are located at the eastern end of the lake.
News of this, of course, is not good. Visitors and campers to the state park have understandably dropped off significantly since the toxins were first discovered a few years ago. Both last summer and this summer park officials have offered 50-percent discounts to entice campers to the park. You can read about those discounts by clicking here. Actually, if you're able to abide by the water restrictions, the offer is very appealing.
The State is recommending that visitors exercise caution because an algal bloom has been indentified at Grand Lake St. Marys. Water samples taken earlier this week at the three beaches by the Ohio EPA indicated that Planktothrix was the dominant cyanobacteria in the water. The bloom is not confined to the beaches, but is visible over most of the lake. This type of bloom holds the potential for producing algal toxins, including mycrocystin, such as those experienced at the lake in recent years.
Algal blooms can produce neurotoxins (which affect the nervous system) and hepatotoxins (which affect the liver). The toxins can potentially impact the health of people and animals that come into contact with water where algal toxins are present.
Testing is ongoing and the State of Ohio has chosen to post advisories in order to assure that lake-goers are aware of the levels of risk that exist, and the steps they can take to minimize those risks. For updated information, visit the Ohio EPA’s Web site at www.epa.ohio.gov/dsw/HAB.aspx.
The State of Ohio remains committed to working with regional partners on improving the water quality of the lake. Efforts by the state include:
- Alum testing demonstrations earlier this spring
- Addition of a third dredge and a longer dredging season
- Rough fish removal
- Water quality testing
- Funding for in-stream treatment trains
Nearly 5,000 acres of the central lake area will receive a concentrated dose of aluminum sulfate beginning the first week of June.
No comments
Post a Comment