New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services issued the following announcement on Sept. 28.
A cyanobacteria bloom has been reported on Country Pond in the towns of Kingston and Newton, New Hampshire. A sample collected September 26, 2018 was identified and enumerated. An estimate of about 20 million cells/ml of cyanobacteria, comprised of Microcystis, two varieties of Anabaena/Dolichospermum,Woronichinia and Coelosphaerium were found. The state threshold for a warning or advisory is 70,000 cells/ml of cyanobacteria in NH lake water. The bloom was concentrated near the Kingston side of the lake on 9/26, but quickly dissipated the same day. There have been no reports or sightings of the bloom since then. NHDES will sample again next week and will update as soon as possible. At this time, the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services (NHDES) has issued a lake warning for those who use the waterbody for recreation. Please continue to monitor your individual shoreline for changing conditions.
This warning is not based on a toxin evaluation and is intended as a precautionary measure for short term exposure. NHDES advises lake users to avoid contact with the water in areas experiencing elevated cyanobacteria cell conditions typically where lake water has a surface scum, green streaks or blue-green flecks aggregating along the shore. NHDES also advises pet owners to keep their pets out of any waters that have a cyanobacteria bloom.
NHDES routinely monitors public beaches and public waters of the state for cyanobacteria. Once a cyanobacteria lake warning or beach advisory has been issued, NHDES returns to affected waterbodies on a weekly basis until the cyanobacteria standards are again met. Cyanobacteria are natural components of water bodies worldwide, but blooms and surface scums may form when excess nutrients are available to the water. Some cyanobacteria produce toxins that are stored within the cells but released upon cell death. Toxins can cause both acute and chronic health effects that range in severity. Acute health effects include irritation of skin and mucous membranes, tingling, numbness, nausea, vomiting, seizures and diarrhea. Chronic effects include liver and central nervous system damage.
The warning went into effect on September 28, 2018, and will remain in effect until additional samples reveal cyanobacteria levels have diminished.
Visit the NHDES Beach Program website for photos and more information about cyanobacteria at www.des.nh.gov/organization/divisions/water/wmb/beaches/index.htm
Updates on advisories and warnings may be obtained at www4.des.state.nh.us/WaterShed_BeachMaps/WaterShed_BeachMaps.aspx
Follow the Beaches twitter feed:
If you notice anything resembling cyanobacteria, please refrain from wading, swimming, or drinking the water. Keep all pets out of the water and contact NHDES immediately. Please call NHDES to report a cyanobacteria bloom at (603) 848-8094.
Original source can be found here.
Source: New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services
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