Contra Costa Environmental Health (CCEH) encourages anyone planning to boat or enjoy the water in or around the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta this weekend to stay safe and avoid harmful algae blooms (HAB).
A bloom is a buildup of blue-green algae (cyanobacteria) that creates a green, blue-green, white or brown coloring on the surface of slow-moving waterways. Contact can make people or pets very sick.
The East Bay Regional Park District has posted an advisory at Big Break Regional Shoreline in Oakley at the kayak launch and around the fishing dock after detecting cyanobacteria in the water:
- Stay out of the water, and do not touch algae scum in the water or on the shore
- Do not use the water for drinking, cleaning or cooking
- Do not let pets or livestock enter or drink the water
- Do not eat fish or shellfish from the water
Additionally, the California State Water Resources Control Board has posted a “caution” advisory around the mouth of Mormon Slough near the Morelli Boat Ramp due to the presence of cyanobacteria.
Visitors should follow the directions on all posted signs and:
- Do not swim or wade near algae or algae scum
- Keep children and pets away from algae in the water or on the shore
- Do not drink the water or use it for cooking or cleaning
- Don’t eat shellfish from the water
Visit cchealth.org/eh/hab for health and safety instructions associated with HAB advisories.
The California State Water Resources Control Board also found small amounts of cyanobacteria in water sampled in three other areas: Fourteenmile Slough/White Slough, Buckley Cove and the San Joaquin River at Windmill Beach. Other waterways may also have cyanobacteria, but they’ve not been reported.
Whether or not there’s a posted advisory, protect yourself and your pets by rinsing off with fresh water after touching the water, and make sure dogs don’t drink the water or swim near algae blooms. Bring fresh drinking water for your pets.
If you see large algae blooms in the water, do not swim and avoid contact. More information about harmful algae blooms at cchealth.org/eh/hab
10 comments
Here is a link to an interactive map of California that posts the latest Harmful Algae blooms. There are always going to be waterways that are not listed because they haven’t been reported or tested bit it’s a start This stuff is almost always fatal to dogs within hours.
https://mywaterquality.ca.gov/habs/where/freshwater_events.html
What a shame. I first ever heard of Algae blooms at Lake Temescal about ten years ago. Used to go there frequently in the summer in the 1970s, and it was a pristine, undiscovered gem. Now it has invaded the Delta and elsewhere,too. Must be one guy going around everywhere sticking his raunchy feet in the water.
OMG — I grew up skiing and swimming in Clearlake in the 70’s & 80’s. With all the DDT they sprayed up there in 60’s that lake had more algae in it then most places today. There were plenty of summers EVERYONE would swim in the lake and not care at all about the green slime they would get on them. Never heard about anyone getting sick back then.
Matt, you should have seen Clear Lake in the 60’s……it was so bad it actually was floating on top of the water and looked like green sponge.
Did not seem to stop any swimming or water skiing though. My aunt and uncle still survived for another 50 yrs.
Is this algae bloom stuff new or is it another contrived hazard that has been around for many years?
Clear Lake has always had pollution problems that I remember.
jose, I remember having such a good laugh the first time I saw CLEAR Lake.
Generalize much negative Nancy? Love boating and never had a drop.
More importantly what are they doing about it?
The algae problem in Clear Lake pretty much cleared up when sewer systems were put around the lake. The outhouses were leaching in to the lake causing the problem.
Can’t say what is being done at other places though.
Does anyone know: Is this algae limited to growing in natural bodies of water (lakes, etc.), or can it also grow in other ‘non natural’ water sources such as unmaintained swimming pools?
@ Mary Fouts.
Sure it can grow even in a bird bath or a bucket of water, so can black algae which will make some people and animals sick as well.
I lost my Labrador retriever to B.G.A after she was swimming in a pond in the Sacramento valley. She was lethargic and wouldn’t eat or drink the night after she swam. I just figured she drank some pond water and wasn’t feeling well. The next morning she could hardly stand up. I took her to the Vet. they said she most likely had some sort of infection. Two days later she was gone, it still brings tears to my eyes thinking about it. It completely blew out her kidneys. This was before B.G.A was well known.
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