Drought may have triggered toxic algae in Nebraska lakes

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By JOE RUFF

Drought may have helped trigger unusual blooms of toxic algae in several Nebraska lakes that have sickened people and killed dogs, state officials said Tuesday.

Lower water levels create greater concentrations of the naturally occurring blue-green algae, and sunlight reaching to greater depths could stimulate more growth, said Brian McManus, a spokesman for the state Department of Environmental Quality.

In addition, several years of dry conditions in eastern Nebraska were followed this spring and summer by large amounts of rain and cloudy conditions, allowing some strains of the algae to rise to the top of the water and become a more dominant force, McManus said.

Swimming, water skiing, tubing and other full body contact with the water has been banned at popular recreation spots at Pawnee Lake west of Lincoln, Enders Reservoir near Imperial in southwest Nebraska, Swan Creek Reservoir No. 5A near Tobias in the southeast and Hanson Lake No. 4 near the Platte River south of Omaha.

Boating and fishing can continue, but fish should be caught and released, said Jim Carney, central regional parks manager for the state Game and Parks Commission.

Pawnee Lake was placed on a health alert July 16, and more than 40 people who have visited the lake in recent weeks have called health officials complaining of stomach and skin ailments.

Enders Reservoir near Imperial is on a similar alert, with bans on swimming, skiing and other full body contact.

About 500,000 people visit Pawnee Lake each year and about 43,000 visit Enders Reservoir, Carney said. The vast majority of those visits take place in June, July and August.

Just how many people are avoiding the recreational areas is not known, but the impact probably is considerable, Carney said.

Earlier this month, toxic algae, which can cause diarrhea, vomiting, nausea and skin lesions, prompted state officials to temporarily ban full body contact with the water at Lake 20 at Fremont Lakes State Recreation Area. More than 40 other public and private lakes have reported toxic algae blooms.

"I've been in Nebraska 31 years and I've never seen anything like this," Carney said.

State officials first noticed the toxic algae problem in May when they were told three dogs had died after drinking water out of Buccaneer Bay Lake - a residential lake development near Plattsmouth. Around May 15, two dogs died after drinking water from Hanson Lake 2, in Sarpy County.

Testing of lakes around the state was stepped up after those incidents and more sensitive equipment was purchased. Those factors could be contributing to the increased number of toxic algae reports, McManus said.

"It appears to be worse than in previous years, but to what degree we really don't know," McManus said.

Toxins found in the blue-green algae break down naturally, often within a week or two after the algae bloom has subsided. However, algae blooms can occur again at any point.