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Officials investigating blue-green algae in Thames River

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For the third time in four years, a blue-green algae bloom has hit the lower Thames River near Chatham.

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However, this current bloom appears to be more widespread, conservation authority officials say.

Following reports of this potentially harmful bloom, the Ontario Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks began an investigation and collected samples.

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Previously, there was a bloom in the river last September, as well as in 2017.

Jason Wintermute, the manager of watershed and information services for the Lower Thames Valley Conservation Authority, said the current bloom is different than the one that spread last year.

“Last year’s was largely contained to the City of Chatham area,” he said on Thursday, “and I would say it was more pronounced in the City of Chatham. It was much more green and obviously noticeable.

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“What we noticed Tuesday when we started to expand beyond the City of Chatham is that this algae and green colour in the river actually extends the entire lower Thames.”

Wintermute said the green tint in the water was noticed upstream in Thamesville, Dutton-Dunwich and Delaware.

A release from Chatham-Kent public health stated samples were taken from McGregor Creek in Chatham and that the situation is being monitored.

Drinking water and public beaches are not affected in Chatham-Kent at this time, officials added.

Normally, the algae – microscopic plants that live in fresh water – are barely visible, but during warm weather it can rapidly grow to form a bloom and alter the colour of the water.

Nutrients such as phosphorus and nitrogen can contribute to the growth of the algae. Agricultural runoff, household fertilizer runoff, faulty septic systems and improper waste management systems can cause increased levels of phosphorus and nitrogen in the water.

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A laboratory analysis will determine whether toxins are present in the algae in levels significant enough to pose a health risk.

Potential health impacts from the toxins can include irritated eyes and itchy skin from direct contact, such as swimming.

If contaminated water is swallowed, symptoms, including headaches, fever, diarrhea, abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting, are possible.

Wintermute said he remains hopeful in anticipation of the lab results.

“I don’t think that it’s toxic that whole stretch,” he said. “As you get further upstream, the colour diminished and there wasn’t as much algae in the water.

“In those (previous) cases, the river looked very similar and the toxin concentrations didn’t come back, so we’re fairly optimistic about that. Of course, there can always be a surprise. The quantity of algae isn’t always necessarily tied to toxicity.”

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Seasonal factors and weather patterns can also have an impact on how quickly the bloom will dissipate.

“In 2017, it kind of dragged on all the way to October,” Wintermute said. “We’d get cooler temperatures and some rain, and it would flush out. Then it would stop raining for three weeks and heat up, and then it would come back.

“We could see small recurrences of this for a month or so still.”


Staying safe

C-K public health offers the following tips concerning the affected water:

  • Do not drink, bathe or shower in untreated surface water;
  • Do not allow children, pets or livestock to drink or swim in the water;
  • Do not cook with or boil the water. This may release more toxins into the water;
  • Be cautious about eating fish caught where blue-green algae blooms occur, and do not eat the liver, kidneys, or other organs;
  • Do not treat the water with a disinfectant like chlorine (bleach). This may release more toxins into the water.
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