July 2017 - Parks & Recreation - 64

Operations
Blue-Green Algae and Recreational Waters
Potential public health concerns and management options
By Matt Graul and Becky Tuden

I

n the San Francisco Bay area, a bounty of waterfront recreation is found east of the
bay. More than 25 million visitors annually enjoy fishing, kayaking and swimming
throughout the East Bay in nine large bodies of water managed by the East Bay Regional Park District. However, the effects of climate change have besieged these areas
in recent years: warmer temperatures and extreme changes in weather have contributed to
the length and frequency of blue-green algae blooms in our recreational waters.

Blue-green algae (also called cyanobacteria) are natural organisms that are present in almost all freshwater streams, rivers
and lakes. They can also be found in estuarine and marine waters. In some cases,
these algae blooms may contain toxins,
which, when released, can affect people
and animals, either through contact with
or ingestion of the toxins. Thick mats of
this algae, often composed of dead algae
cells, can create layers of " scum " that
tend to contain the highest levels of toxin.
Warmer temperatures, increased nutrient deposition, poor circulation and
low water levels have led to an increase
in cyanotoxin algae blooms throughout
the United States in the last decade. According to Ana Alvarez, deputy general
manager for the East Bay Regional Park
District, " With the rising temperatures
and extended drought conditions, new
to Northern California, public parklands
and park users are struggling to mitigate
the effects from a changing climate. "
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Parks & Recreation

The East Bay Regional Park District had
its first recorded blue-green algae bloom
in 2014. Around the country, microcystin,
cylindrospermopsin, anatoxins and saxitoxins are the cyanotoxins most commonly
found and each can have different health
outcomes. Microcystins, for example, primarily affect the liver (hepatoxin) but can
also affect the kidney and reproductive system: anatoxins are neurotoxins that affect
the central nervous system. Exposure to
toxic algae can result in rashes, skin and eye
irritation, allergic reactions, gastrointestinal problems, and, at high doses, serious
illness or death. The effects of long-term
exposure are not fully known, but children
and pets are at the greatest risk. Dogs are
particularly vulnerable when they lick the
algae off their fur after a swim. Of course,
the safest approach is to avoid any contact
with or ingestion of blue-green algae; however, if contact is made, rinse thoroughly
with tap water and seek medical help if
symptoms arise.
The East Bay Regional Park District
regularly monitors its lakes for any visual indication of cyanotoxins and, where
needed, samples the water to determine
toxin levels. Through a variety of communication channels - posting signs, issuing
news releases, updates and advisories on
its website - the agency keeps visitors informed about lake conditions. It relies on
recent state and federal guidelines to decide when to post swimming advisories.

| J U LY 2 0 1 7 | W W W. PA R K S A N D R E C R E AT I O N . O R G

Remediation Efforts
Most remediation efforts focus on nutrient reduction, with the removal of
phosphorous as the key target. There
are a number of possible options for
remediating cyanobacteria, including
physical methods, such as oxygenation
of the water, or removal of sediments
(dredging); chemical treatments, such
as coagulants or algaecides; and biological methods such as using floating
wetlands to filter and trap the nutrients
and creating riparian buffers to reduce
nutrients entering the water. The most
effective method will depend on characteristics of the water body, including the
size and depth of the surface water to be
treated, and the potential effects of the
treatment on recreational uses.
We strongly recommend consulting with
other surface water managers and experts
who have dealt similar issues and/or have
applied the treatment methods in comparable situations and site characteristics,
as well as working with your recreational
community to ensure support of the chosen outcome.
If your park system is experiencing issues
with blue-green algae or would like more
information on notification and/or testing
procedures for recreational water bodies,
contact Hal Maclean, water management
supervisor at hmaclean@ebparks.org. The
EPA webpage, www.epa.gov/nutrient-policy-data/control-and-treatment, is also a
good place to start your research.
Matt Graul is Chief of Stewardship for the East
Bay Regional Park District (mgraul@ebparks.org).
Becky Tuden is the Environmental Services
Manager for the East Bay Regional Park District
(btuden@ebparks.org).



July 2017 - Parks & Recreation

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