07-16-2016, 04:19 PM
[#0000FF]Without a qualified lab analysis you can't know for sure. However, the worst of the algae bloom was and is in the NE quadrant of the lake...near where the waste water treatment comes in...between Lindon and American Fork. But it spread quickly and aerial photos show other areas "greened up" in other parts of the lake.
The culprit is the [url "https://www.epa.gov/nutrient-policy-data/cyanobacteriacyanotoxins"]CYANOBACTERIA[#0000FF]. (LINK)[/#0000FF][/url]
From what I have read, the toxins are not secreted on an ongoing basis, but are more prevalent when the cells are ruptured or the bacteria are dying off. That would mean that there is little livelihood of fish in a lightly affected area having been exposed to enough toxins to have rendered them deadly. I would probably have no problem in smoking or frying them for consumption. But you have to make your own call on that one.
People and dogs who have developed symptoms are usually those who have actually ingested some water with active bacteria in it. As the digestive process breaks the cells down they release the toxins. But there is little to suggest that you will absorb them through bare skin. Still, better safe than sorry. Stay out of the water until we get the all clear.
The downside, for the future, is that the longer the bloom lasts and the thicker it gets the greater the potential for long term toxicity...and even fish kills. As the web article linked above points out, in addition to the toxins released into the water these bacteria suck a lot of oxygen out of it...both while alive and after dying and decaying. Sensitive species (like June suckers) will be the first to go belly up. But if it gets bad enough even the catfish and carp could suffer.
Makes me mad. When the algae bloom and warnings came a couple of years ago...about 2 months later in the year...I forecast that if the lake got much lower there would be an even greater problem. And when the "decision makers" decided to keep Utah Lake low for the benefit of the new water toys at Jordanelle I predicted we would have a bad algae bloom this year. But I had no idea it would come this early or be this bad.
From what I have picked up in studying this situation, I fear that even a big downstream flush of fresh water would do little to alleviate this year's algae bloom. It has to run its course...until cooler water in fall kills off the remaining bacteria. I can only hope that there is more remaining alive in the lake than some scummy green carp.
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The culprit is the [url "https://www.epa.gov/nutrient-policy-data/cyanobacteriacyanotoxins"]CYANOBACTERIA[#0000FF]. (LINK)[/#0000FF][/url]
From what I have read, the toxins are not secreted on an ongoing basis, but are more prevalent when the cells are ruptured or the bacteria are dying off. That would mean that there is little livelihood of fish in a lightly affected area having been exposed to enough toxins to have rendered them deadly. I would probably have no problem in smoking or frying them for consumption. But you have to make your own call on that one.
People and dogs who have developed symptoms are usually those who have actually ingested some water with active bacteria in it. As the digestive process breaks the cells down they release the toxins. But there is little to suggest that you will absorb them through bare skin. Still, better safe than sorry. Stay out of the water until we get the all clear.
The downside, for the future, is that the longer the bloom lasts and the thicker it gets the greater the potential for long term toxicity...and even fish kills. As the web article linked above points out, in addition to the toxins released into the water these bacteria suck a lot of oxygen out of it...both while alive and after dying and decaying. Sensitive species (like June suckers) will be the first to go belly up. But if it gets bad enough even the catfish and carp could suffer.
Makes me mad. When the algae bloom and warnings came a couple of years ago...about 2 months later in the year...I forecast that if the lake got much lower there would be an even greater problem. And when the "decision makers" decided to keep Utah Lake low for the benefit of the new water toys at Jordanelle I predicted we would have a bad algae bloom this year. But I had no idea it would come this early or be this bad.
From what I have picked up in studying this situation, I fear that even a big downstream flush of fresh water would do little to alleviate this year's algae bloom. It has to run its course...until cooler water in fall kills off the remaining bacteria. I can only hope that there is more remaining alive in the lake than some scummy green carp.
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