© 2024
Virginia's Public Radio
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Algae Bloom Persists in Lake Anna

Wikimedia Commons

Florida has its Red Tide. Virginia’s Lake Anna is dealing with a similar situation. A significant algae bloom has persisted into the Fall, and is the first in the state to earn a human health advisory.

 

The bloom in Lake Anna isn’t concerning from a toxin standpoint, but concentrations of the bacteria that could produce toxins remain high. Margaret Smigo is with the Virginia Department of Health.

“There is something there that is feeding the cyanobacteria and is causing the bloom. It is not new,” Smigo says. “But something over the last year or two seems to have changed.”

This off-season Smigo and others will be working to figure out exactly what has changed. Smigo has some hypotheses, including the climate.

Higher rainfall means increased runoff, delivering the kind of phosphorus and nitrogen rich diet that cyanobacteria love.  

“When you have extreme events, flashy events, that push a large amount in a short amount of time and then it’s followed by very warm temperatures. That’s the perfect conditions for bloom events,” she says.

Lake Anna is just one of many lakes, including drinking reservoirs, that could be facing a future with more algae blooms. And with limited resources, Smigo says she hopes the public can help by reporting discoloration or funny smells in the water.

You can learn more and submit a report online at swimhealthyva.org

 
This report, provided by Virginia Public Radio, was made possible with support from the Virginia Education Association.

Mallory Noe-Payne is a Radio IQ reporter based in Richmond.