Toxic algae makes a comeback

• New advisories health advisories for several lakes.
• Authorities warn of a moderate chance of adverse health effects.
• Officials developing satellite screening protocol.
• Oddly, blue-green algae didn't go away during the winter; it just changed types.

With temperatures warming into the 90s, and water sampling results coming in, state and federal authorities are posting the summer recreational season's first advisories for toxic algae in some regional lakes and reservoirs.

However, officials have stopped short in telling the public to stay out of the water.

"We would want people to think about whether they would feel comfortable with a moderate risk of experiencing health effects," said Jade Young, a biologist and water quality specialist with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in Louisville.

State and federal officials are also collaborating to use satellite images to help identify lakes with elevated levels of blue-green algae, which can make people and pets sick.

Kentucky is using the system as a screening tool, but needs to further compare satellite images with water sampling to be confident in its accuracy, said Peter Goodmann, director of the Kentucky Division of Water.

"We believe we can make accurate predictions, as to what the conditions are," Goodman said. "Not just for whole lakes, but to narrow it to certain areas (of lakes)."

Meanwhile, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in Louisville says five of its Kentucky lakes, including Taylorsville and Rough River, and two of its Indiana lakes, have elevated levels of toxic algae. Those five lakes had a total of 5.1 million visitors in 2012, Corps officials said.The Kentucky Division of Water counts one lake it sampled on the list.

Most were placed in the "caution" category, where officials warn of a moderate chance of adverse health effects.

Indiana Department of Environmental Management monitors a number of lakes from May through August and had not issued any health alerts for blue-green algae as of earlier this week.

Flu-like symptoms

Harmful algae blooms typically occur with sunlight, slow-moving water and too many nutrients, such as nitrogen and phosphorus, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. State and federal officials say some are natural, but additional nutrients can come from sewage treatment plants, septic systems and runoff from fertilized farms and lawns.

The blue-green algae is actually a cyanobacteria, which can produce toxins that can lead to skin or eye irritation, nausea, flu-like symptoms and liver damage. Dogs are said to be particularly at risk if they drink the water or lick the algae off their coats.

It's a fairly new concern for Kentucky. It was identified for the first time in Kentucky by the Corps at Taylorsville Lake in late 2012, and officials have been working on establishing common sampling and public communication strategies.

Health alerts last year at Taylorsville Lake scared some people away and hurt water recreation businesses, said Javan Montgomery, who runs the Taylorsville Lake Marina.

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"We need to do more testing in order to be sure we are issuing the proper advisories," he said. "And if the water quality is not something we like, we need to know what we can do to make it better."

The Corps plans to sample its lakes once a month this year, instead of every three weeks as it did last year.

Montgomery said he suspects blue-green algae can be found at lakes throughout Kentucky, and that there is no need to panic.

Space technology

Goodmann said he does not believe the toxic algae isit's found in all the state's lakes

That's one reason, he said, why the satellite screening could be useful.

With more than 300 lakes in Kentucky, frequent sampling for what amounts to a newly identified health threat is impractical, he said.

Goodmann said the state is working with the Corps, NASA, U.S. Geological Survey and other partners on developing screening methods to produce lake images from space where water chemistry produces different colors that may indicate varying blue-green algae concentrations.

"If you have good predicting tools, you don't have to collect as much data," saving time and money, he said.

Oddly, officials said, the blue-green algae lingered all winter at the monitored Corps lakes, despite a deep freeze brought on by repeated visits of the polar vortex.

In the winter, different cold-tolerant varieties emerged, and the quantity of those commonly associated with the summer heat declined, Young said.

The winter varieties don't seem to be as much of a risk for producing toxins, said Mark Martin, a Division of Water biologist.

"We thought the cold would knock it back, but it didn't," said Goodmann. "We're on a learning curve."

Reach reporter James Bruggers at (502) 582-4645 or on Twitter @jbruggers.