EIN Presswire | Newsmatics

Hurricane Ian-related flooding in 2022 flushed excessive nutrients into waterways statewide increasing risks of severe season.

WEST PALM BEACH, FLORIDA , UNITED STATES, March 9, 2023 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Water scientists are concerned about a severe toxic algae season in 2023 that could rival the notoriously disruptive harmful algal blooms of 2018. Early warning signs in Lake Okeechobee and elsewhere have citizens bracing and looking for answers.

“Early indications are not good and unfortunately recent alerts are validating suspicions among the scientific community of a challenging battle against harmful algae this year,” said Eyal Harel, CEO, BlueGreen Water Technologies (BlueGreen). “The good news is Florida state officials are prepared with emergency response tools in place to treat the water and mitigate harmful blooms.”

Harmful algal blooms typically begin popping up on Lake Okeechobee in spring or early summer, but testing by Florida DEP detected an extra-early toxic bloom on Feb. 22, 2023. The Florida Department of Health in Martin County issued a health alert for harmful blue-green algae in the lake near the Port Mayaca Lock and Dam.

“As temperatures increase we can expect to see algal blooms only worsen over the spring and summer,” said Dr. Jessica Frost, U.S. Science Director, BlueGreen. “Harmful algae poses health risks to people and can be fatal to wildlife and pets.

In September, flooding from Hurricane Ian overwhelmed septic systems throughout much of Florida and stirred up nutrient-rich sediment in key waterways that flow south into Lake Okeechobee, which is already highly prone to toxic algae blooms. The increased nutrient pollution is a key bellwether for a rough algae season in 2023 that many fear could rival the severity of 2018.

The state of Florida encourages the reporting of algal blooms and maps current blooms on its Algal Bloom Monitoring and Response webpage.

To protect your family and pets from harmful algal blooms:

• Know before you go. Check for advisories before you head to the lake and avoid contact with the water when warnings are posted.

• Stay out if the water is discolored, smells bad, or has foam or scum on the surface.

• Do not fish, boat, or play water sports when harmful algae are present.

• Immediately rinse exposed skin with clear water.

• Keep pets out of the water.

• Wear gloves and rinse animals immediately after contact with infected water.

• Do not wash dishes or camping gear in water bodies.

• Wash hands thoroughly before preparing food.

• When in doubt, stay out!

BlueGreen water scientists have been successfully eliminating toxic algae from water bodies around the globe by using a unique, floating, timed-release algaecide that targets toxic species and restores the health and biodiversity of the aquatic environment.

"After years of research, we have learned how to treat these blooms by surgically targeting the toxic cyanobacteria," said Dr. Moshe Harel, CSO, BlueGreen. “Our product has a biodegradable coating which allows it to float on the surface of the water. This enables faster contact with cyanobacterial populations. We don’t need to pump gallons of treatment into the water to get the job done.”

To spot harmful algal blooms:

• Water color appears bright green, blue-green, or red.

• Waterbody has slimy plants, foam, scum, or mats floating on the surface.

• Water smells musty, fishy, or like rotten eggs, septic, or gasoline.

About BlueGreen Water Technologies:

BlueGreen Water Technologies is leading the charge in helping preserve and promote life on Earth. We are restoring, safeguarding, and optimizing the health, safety, accessibility, and biodiversity of waterbodies worldwide – including their wildlife, aquatic life, ecosystems, and economies – by pioneering and applying proven scientific ingenuity and deep tech solutions. BlueGreen is the first and only company in the world to develop, obtain regulatory approval for, and commercialize a technology suite that reverses the effects of climate change in water bodies and drastically reduces greenhouse gas levels. The multidisciplinary team of BlueGreen experts is exposing the secrets of lakes and oceans – detecting, analyzing, preventing and remediating some of the most complex and dynamic problems that plague the world’s water systems.

Sally Kidd
Antenna Group
sally.kidd@antennagroup.com