If you haven’t been to the River yet this summer, it probably won’t be long before you join the River fun. It has been so HOT lately, and what better way to cool off! Unfortunately, this also means that it is that time of year where we again see algal blooms popping up in our drought-stricken waterways. While not all are toxic to humans and pets, it is important that extra precautions be taken to ensure the waters are not ingested.
Thriving on low flows due to drought, nutrient build-up, and warmer temperatures, climate change has essentially created the perfect recipe for algal blooms to thrive in our region where they may not have previously. In recent years, they have been blooming at scales never before seen. While most of this algal growth is relatively harmless, there are some species of blue-green algae that can produce toxins which can make humans sick and kill our pets if ingested. These more toxic algae blooms are commonly known as “HABs”, or harmful algal blooms. Fortunately, to-date these more toxic HABs have not been observed in the Russian River on any large scale, but it is important to be aware of the potential harms all the same, especially as impacts of climate change continue to provide ideal conditions for algal blooms.
This doesn’t mean you cannot still enjoy your weekends at the River, or that have to look elsewhere for hot summer relief. It just means that maybe you shouldn’t allow your child to turn that handful of green slime into a new hat for his brother, or start throwing it around like a ball! To help make sure you spend your time keeping cool and not getting sick, we’re including some easy tips for you below.
Here are some tips to help keep you and your family safe from any HABs this summer:
- Review the County of Sonoma Department of Health Services website for up-to-date information before going to your local waterway, they test every week for HAB’s.
- Look for any water advisories in your area and be sure to follow all instructions.
- When in doubt, it is better to avoid algae blooms and to stay upstream of them. This is especially true if the water looks slimy, a lot of algal mats are present, the color of the algae looks weird (blue, neon green, brown or red), or if there are any pungent smells.
- Don’t drink the water and make sure pets have their own bowl of freshwater on shore.
- If there is an advisory, keep your pet from the shoreline areas as dogs are often attracted to the sweet smell of algae.
- Keep kids, especially toddlers, away from the shoreline where HAB’s often are- everything goes into the mouth at that young age.
- Wash yourself, your family, and your pets with clean water after playing in any waterway where algal blooms are present. Pay special attention to thorough hand washing.
You can check the status of HAB’s here: