LOCAL

Toxic algae got you down? Burlington beaches reopen after cyanobacteria led to closures

Maleeha Syed
Burlington Free Press

Get your swimsuits back on and head to the beach: Burlington waters are cleared after a toxic algae scare in mid-July. 

Blue-green algae — cyanobacteria— was detected in Vermont waters through the tail end of last week. Burlington Parks, Water & Recreation tweeted July 12 that Texaco Beach, North Beach and Leddy Beach were all closed  sightings. The department posted at the end of June that water is tested twice a week during the summer and monitored everyday. 

Vermont's health department maintains a cyanobacteria tracker. Recent updates include alerts in Burlington and South Burlington. The department encourages people to check with the town or Vermont State Parks to get updated information on conditions. 

This does not cover all the state's bodies of water.

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Volunteers through the Lake Champlain Committee help by checking on different lakeshore spots for the algae. 

The algae exists in fresh water around the country. The state's health department warns that some cyanobacteria is capable of releasing cyanotoxins, "natural toxins or poisons." Nitrogen and phosphorus can enable the algae to flourish. 

How might cyanobacteria affect me? 

Drinking water with cyanobacteria or accidentally consuming it "during recreational water contact" can have an impact on one's health, according to the World Health Organization. 

Lori Fisher, executive director of nonprofit Lake Champlain Committee, displays a water sample she took at Burlington's Oakledge Park on Thursday, Sept. 21, 2017. Fisher took the precaution of wearing gloves, even though windy conditions precluded formation of cyanobacteria blooms.

The algae can affect humans in a few different ways, depending on manner of exposure (drinking, skin contact, etc.) and the kind of toxin. Some examples include:

  • Sore throat.
  • Joint/muscle pain.
  • Vomiting.
  • Skin irritation.
  • Stomach cramps.
  • Liver damage.
  • Headache. 
  • Fever.
  • Diarrhea. 
  • Mouth blisters.
  • Allergic reactions (rashes, asthma, eye irritation, etc). 

The algae can be poisonous to other creatures, including fish and birds. 

Contact Maleeha Syed at mzsyed@freepressmedia.com or 802-495-6595. Follow her on Twitter @MaleehaSyed89.