Algae blooms prompt advisories for two NH bodies of water
jbrotton
Published: Jun. 6, 2022 at 8:01 AM EDT|Updated: 17 hours ago
ENFIELD, N.H. (WCAX) - Cyanobacteria, better known as blue-green algae, can be harmful to both humans and pets. And officials say two recent warnings in the Upper Valley could be a sign of things to come.
Floyd Gray and his partner, Miriam, of Canaan, New Hampshire, have been boating on Mascoma Lake in Enfield for years.
“This is our favorite lake to go boating on,” Gray said.
They don’t swim or fish. They come for the scenery.
“Because of the eagles and the loons,” Gray said. “We saw more loons today than we have ever seen.”
But there’s something else to keep an eye out for-- cyanobacteria. It’s been spotted in this lake, as well as Goose Pond in the Hanover/Canaan area.
“It is a little unusual,” said Mindy Morales-Williams, an assistant professor at UVM’s Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources.
The blooms themselves are not unusual. They occur naturally, but officials say this early in the season is not when the blue-green algae typically appears.
“Late July, August, now we are seeing them a lot later into the fall because our fall is warmer,” Morales-Williams said.
The blooms are exacerbated by nutrient runoff from farms and urban areas. They are also caused by warming water temperatures, which officials say are affected by climate change.
“We are seeing blooms pop up in lower nutrient lakes that you wouldn’t expect them to happen in and we think this is the interaction of warming,” Morales-Williams explained.
No swimming signs are now posted at both bodies of water in the Upper Valley.
“It’s a concern,” Gray said. “For both of us. We have to walk in the water to load our boat onto the trailer.”
The experts say if you see green pea soupy water, it’s best to stay away.
The warnings will remain in place until the bacteria levels recede a bit. However, officials say more advisories are likely as the seasons continue to change.
*Editor’s note: According to officials from the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services, the green water shown in the video is pollen, not cyanobacteria. Officials say the two are often mistaken for each other this time of year.
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