Presque Isle Monitoring Harmful Algae Blooms to Keep People, Pets Safe

Summer is now in full swing, and that means careful monitoring by Presque Isle State Park officials to keep people and their pets safe.

That includes putting up signs to warn visitors of harmful algae blooms.

“Algae has moved up in the water column, has taken in enough light, and it actually blooms,” explains Holly Best, Presque Isle State Park Manager. “You'll see the surface of the water that looks like a bright paint slick - it's usually very bright and very concentrated, and those blooms have a high probability of having toxins in them.”

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Blue-green algae, the cause of harmful algae blooms, occurs naturally, but high concentrations can cause problems.

The Regional Science Consortium at Presque Isle tests the waters every once a week in the summer months, when harmful algae blooms are most common.

Blue-green algae thrive in sunlight, warm temperatures, and bursts of heavy rainfall which can wash fertilizers and other nutrients into the lake, providing the algae with extra food.

Presque Isle's beaches don't often have algae levels high enough to hurt human swimmers, but that's not the case for dogs.

Best says, “They can be very harmful to dogs, because dogs are licking that water, drinking that water, licking it off of their fur - they're also smaller, so it can happen a lot quicker.”

If your dog does go into waters with algae bloom signs posted, start off by thoroughly rinsing them off and giving them some fresh water to drink. And if your dog starts acting sick, contact your vet as soon as possible.