 August 1, 2024 724 am EDT
Ohio HAB Tracker
from NCCOS satellite monitoring and Ohio BeachGuard
Algal toxin levels up in Grand Lake
Grand Lake in Auglaize County has been under a permanent recreational health advisory for algal toxin for years. The test results for samples taken July 23 show the microcystins level is up at all four sites, the highest measured value found at St. Mary's - Windy Point 21.1 ug/L. The EPA guidelines for recreational water is 8 ug/L. Grand Lake has also been a source of raw water for the City of Celina, currently drawing on the alternate, groundwater supply. The level of microcystins toxin determined not to cause negative health impacts over a ten day ingestion period is .3 ug/L for small children (under 6 years old). The level at which no health effects over ten days is 1.6 ug/L for anyone over 6 years old. Bear this in mind when at the beach, contact with HAB impacted water will cause skin irritation, ingestion can cause nausea, vomiting and gastrointestinal upset while impacting kidneys and liver. Avoid contact with HAB contaminated water and scum mats.
Maumee Bay State Park water sample collected July 18 has come back with microcystins toxin within the EPA safety guidelines for recreational water (8 ug/L). The sample collected July 18 for Maumee Bay State Park had microcystins at 4.7 ug/L. The HAB remains in the bay, showing the highest concentration of the season so far, satellite image captured yesterday shows the widespread bloom up to the beach at 1 million cells per 100 ml with a hot spot forming inside the mass 1.5 million cells. The algal toxin advisory remains in effect until further notice.
The latest image of Lake Erie West basin captured July 31 at wind speed 7.3 mph, a nice clear image showing the tremendous expanded extent of Lake Erie HAB, now escalating in concentration. The west shoreline extent runs from inner Maumee Bay near the outlet of Maumee River up the Michigan shoreline past Monroe, collecting and concentrating along shore at Stony Point. The east extent runs out into open water roughly in line with Camp Perry on the Ohio shoreline.
Sandusky Bay HAB fills the areas west and east of OH-269 with a small band extending past Cedar Point at low concentration. No HAB activity is visible around the Sandusky City water intake in Lake Erie.
Lake Erie West Basin HAB Monitoring Program satellite images supplied by National Center for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS)
The following observations are based on the image from July 28 unless otherwise noted:
- North Maumee Bay widespread HAB 1 to 1.5 million cells per 100 ml
- Toledo - Maumee Bay widespread HAB pressing toward the mouth of Maumee River 800 thousand cells per 100 ml
- Toledo - Maumee Bay State Park widespread HAB block extends 10 to 12 nm from shore at 1 million cells per 100 ml with a small hot spot forming in the interior of the mass 1.5 million cells per 100 ml * see below for algal toxin advisory details
- Mallard Club Marsh Wilderness Area to Cedar Point widespread block from shore to 10 to 12 nm into open water 800 thousand to 1 million cells per 100 ml
- Cedar Point National Wildlife Refuge widespread block from shore to 10 to 12 nm into open water 800 thousand to 1 million cells per 100 ml
- Reno Beach widespread block from shore extending 10 nm into open water up to 1 million cells per 100 ml
- Metzger Marsh Wildlife Area widespread block from shore extending 10 nm into open water up to 1 million cells per 100 ml
- Magee Marsh Wildlife Area widespread block from shore extending 10 nm into open water up to 1 million cells per 100 ml
- Toussaint River outlet no HAB observed
- Camp Perry no HAB activity near shore, the HAB mass starts 2 to 3 nm off shore extends north for 10 nm 200 to 300 thousand cells per 100 ml
- Port Clinton cloud obscured - July 27 image showed localized HAB in Portage River 300 thousand cells per 100 ml
- Catawba Island HABs in the interior harbor and marinas 200 thousand HABs per 100 ml
- Kelleys Island no HABs
- South Bass Island no HAB activity
- Middle Bass Island no HAB activity
Sandusky Bay:
- Muddy Creek Bay - no HAB activity
- Pickerel Point to Bayview/Route 269 - lakewide HAB Aphanizomenon 800 thousand cells per 100 ml
- Bay View/Route 269 toward Cedar Point - lakewide HAB Aphanizomenon 800 thousand cells per 100 ml
- Cedar Point - band of open water HAB extending 2 nm from Cedar Point 200 thousand cells per 100 ml or less
Lake Erie east of Sandusky Bay no HABs observed
Composited Cyanobacteria Index as reported by National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science, a visual scale based on true color imagery from the Copernicus- Sentinel 3a satellite of the EUMETSAT Note: Winds above 4.0 mph may begin mixing the bloom and clouds may obscure it, leading to an underestimate of the area. Moderate and low concentrations may not be obvious to the eye.
Thirty beach advisories are listed Thursday morning, down from thirty-three Wednesday end of day. Maumee Bay State Park remains under advisory for high algal toxin, nineteen Lake Erie beaches are listed for high bacteria, along with six interior water bodies including Acton, Crystal, Rex and Luna Lakes and Little Miami River's Isaak Walton League in Clermont County. Four permanent algal toxin advisories remain on this list for Grand Lake, new test results are included below.
Ohio Department of Health posts advisories based on updated lab test results with e.coli levels above 235 ug/L, or based on predictive modeling. Beach advisories based on predictive modeling may display e.coli test results well below the threshold 235 ug/L.
The following list are the beaches with active Recreational Public Health Advisories, test results are updated as they come in, check back for the latest results.
Algal Toxin AdvisoriesUS EPA safe limit for microcystins in recreational water 8 ug/L; OEPA safe limit for drinking water sources .3 ug/L
- Lake Erie - Maumee Bay State Park (Erie) advisory posted July 19 415 pm for algal toxin found 40 ug/L in water sample collected July 11. A subsequent sample taken July 18 tested 4.7 ug/L.
- Grand Lake - St Marys Main East Beach - Recreational Public Health Advisory issued 315 pm June 5 for algal bloom toxin - July 23 microcystins 19.5 ug/L up from 12.4 ug/L on July 16
- Grand Lake - St Marys - Windy Point - Recreational Public Health Advisory - Algal bloom-toxin issued May 23, 2024 July 23 microcystins 21.1 ug/L up from 20 ug/L July 16
- Grand Lake - Main West Beach - Recreational Public Health Advisory - Algal bloom-toxin issued May 23, 2024 July 23 microcystins 12.9 ug/L up from 12.1 ug/L July 16
- Grand Lake - St. Mary's Camp - Recreational Public Health Advisory - Algal bloom-toxin issued May 23, 2024, July 23 microcystins 15.9 ug/L up from 9.6 ug/L July 16
Bacteria Contamination Advisory High Bacteria Level confirmed by lab testing
Lake Erie Beaches
- Showse Park - Erie County - advisory issued 841 am July 30, 2024 for e.coli 1119.9 cfu per 100 ml measured July 30
- Lakeview Beach - Lorain County - advisory issued 137 pm July 31, 2024 for e.coli 866.4 cfu per 100 ml measured July 30
- Edgecliff Beach - Cuyahoga County - advisory issued 918 am July 30, 2024 for e.coli 1302 cfu per 100 ml measured July 30
- Lakewood Beach Park - Lorain County - advisory issued 144 pm am July 31, 2024 for e.coli 2400 cfu per 100 ml measured July 30
- Maumee Bay State Park (inland) - Lucas County - advisory issued 228 pm am July 30, 2024 for e.coli 410.6 cfu per 100 ml measured July 29
li>Bay View West - Erie County - advisory issued 915 am July 26, 2024 for e.coli 2419.6 cfu per 100 ml measured July 30
- Bay View East - Erie County - advisory issued 915 am July 26, 2024 for e.coli 396.8 cfu per 100 ml measured July 30
- Lagoons Beach - Erie County - advisory issued 840 am July 30, 2024 for e.coli 1413.6 cfu per 100 ml measured July 30
- Lakeshore Park - Ashtabula County - advisory issued 306 pm July 9, 2024 for e.coli 1733 cfu per 100 ml measured July 29
- Euclid State Park - Cuyahoga County - advisory issued 813 am July 30, 2024 for predictive modeling e.coli 8 cfu per 100 ml measured July 28
- Community Park Beach - Lorain County - advisory issued 148 pm July 31, 2024 for e.coli 1299.7 cfu per 100 ml measured July 31
- Edgewater Beach - Cuyahoga County - advisory issued 138 pm July 29, 2024 for predictive modeling, e.coli 16 cfu per 100 ml measured July 28
- Orchard Beach - Erie County - advisory issued 839 am July 30, 2024 for e.coli 1553.1 cfu per 100 ml measured July 30
- Sims Beach - Cuyahoga County - advisory issued 1021 am July 30, 2024 for e.coli 318 cfu per 100 ml measured July 30
- South Bass Island State Park - Ottawa County - advisory issued 150 pm July 30, 2024 for e.coli 770.1 cfu per 100 ml measured July 29
- Moss Point Beach - Cuyahoga County - advisory issued 935 am July 30, 2024 for e.coli 689 cfu per 100 ml measured July 30
- Nickel Plate Beach - Erie County - advisory issued 838 am July 30, 2024 for e.coli 1119.9 cfu per 100 ml measured July 30
- Noble Beach - Cuyahoga County - advisory issued 1035 am July 30, 2024 for e.coli 646 cfu per 100 ml measured July 30
- Conneaut Sandbar Beach - Ashtabula County - advisory issued 341 pm July 30, 2024 for e.coli 1047 cfu per 100 ml measured July 29
- Clifton Beach - Cuyahoga County - advisory issued 904 am July 31, 2024 for e.coli 326 cfu per 100 ml measured July 31
- Villa Angela State Park - Cuyahoga County - advisory issued 802 am July 30, 2024 for predictive modeling - e.coli 19 cfu per 100 ml measured July 30
Interior Ohio Beach Advisories
- Camp Dennison Municipal Park, Little Miami River - Clermont County - advisory issued 919 am August 1, 2024 e.coli 560 cfu per 100 ml measured July 29
- Hueston Woods, Acton Lake - Preble County - advisory issued 1256 pm July 30, 2024 e.coli 517.2 cfu per 100 ml measured July 29
- Akron Rotary Camp - Rex Lake - Summit County - advisory issued 344 pm July 24, 2024 e.coli 326 cfu per 100 ml measured July 23
- Hillside Park - Luna Lake - Summit County - advisory issued 350 pm July 24, 2024 e.coli 248 cfu per 100 ml measured July 23
- Isaak Walton League - Little Miami River - Clermont County - advisory issued 228 pm July 23, 2024 for e.coli 580 cfu per 100 ml measured July 22
- Crystal Lake Club - Crystal Lake - Summit - advisory issued 348 pm July 10, 2024 e.coli 361 cfu per 100 ml measured July 16
Removed from the active advisory list this week:
- Sherod Park Beach - Erie County - advisory issued 840 am July 25, 2024 for e.coli 344.8 cfu per 100 ml measured July 25
- Nokomis Park - Erie County - advisory issued 842 am July 25, 2024 for e.coli 2419.6 cfu per 100 ml measured July 25
- Castaway Campground - Lorain County - advisory issued 858 am July 26, 2024 for e.coli 2419.6 cfu per 100 ml measured July 25
Ohio BeachGuard is a public facing app displaying active advisories for recreational water bodies, including high bacteria advisories and toxic algae advisories. Sampling is done by County Health, water utilities or Ohio Department of Natural Resources with advisories issued and lab test results reported by the Ohio Department of Health. Ohio Environmental Protection Agency oversees standard testing of raw water sources for bacterial and cyanotoxin levels in water to be treated for drinking. OEPA and ODNR, Ohio DOH publish test results for drinking water and recreational water separately, even on the same water body. WT tracks bacterial and cyanotoxin values from both the recreational BeachGuard and Ohio Drinking Water Watch.
Toxic algae advisories indicate avoid all contact with the water. Algal toxins have been found at unsafe levels. Swimming and wading are not recommended. Keep pets away.
For more information check Ohio State resources here
or call 1-866-644-6224
Western Basin Lake Erie National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science
HABS Hazardous Algae Blooms
Get informed and stay safe around the water this summer
WaterToday collects algal bloom monitoring information from state and federal agencies including but not limited to the CDC, EPA, NOAA and state public health authorities.
HABs alerts are posted on our state maps according to the best available information reported by citizen groups, universities, state and/or federal monitoring agencies.
Before you head out to the beach, pond or stream, check with local authorities to confirm the latest HABs conditions.
Consider carrying a rapid test kit for micro-cystin, the most common of the cyanobacteria toxins.
Sources for algal bloom data:
National Centres for Coastal Ocean Science
A department of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, NCCOS provides harmful algal bloom forecasting for certain water bodies and regions including:
West Basin Lake Erie https://coastalscience.noaa.gov/science-areas/habs/hab-monitoring-system/cyanobacteria-algal-bloom-from-satellite-in-western-lake-erie-basin/
Lake Pontchartrain https://coastalscience.noaa.gov/science-areas/habs/hab-monitoring-system/cyanobacteria-algal-bloom-from-satellite-in-lake-pontchartrain-la/
The forecasting is based on true color imagery provided by OLCI sensors on Copernicus Sentinel-3a satellite of the EUMETSAT group
Environmental Protection Agency Cyanobacteria Assessment Network (CyAN)
The mission of the CyAN project is to support the environmental management and public use of U.S. lakes and estuaries by providing a useful and accessible approach to detecting and quantifying algal blooms and related water quality using satellite data records.
What is CyAN: Mobile and web-based application for cyanobacteria monitoring
How does it work? Users can enter the coordinates or name of local water bodies for monitoring information.
The CyAN project officially started October 1, 2015. It provided continental U.S. coverage using the Envisat MERIS archive from 2002-2012
Sign up here: https://www.epa.gov/water-research/cyanobacteria-assessment-network-application-cyan-app
Centers for Disease Control
Environmental Public Health Tracking provides data and information on health outcomes, the environment, population, and exposures, including hazardous algal blooms occurring in water bodies of the USA, both freshwater and marine.
CDC Public Notice on Hazardous Algae Blooms
It is not possible to know if a large growth, or bloom, of algae or cyanobacteria (also called blue-green algae) is harmful just by looking at it. Some blooms make toxins (poisons), which can still be in the water even when you can’t see a bloom. Learn how to protect yourself and your loved ones from harmful algae and cyanobacteria, what to do if you or a pet is exposed to them, and how to help prevent these blooms.
Swimming and Wading: Stay out of water with a bloom, rinse off if you or your pets are in contact with water
If you see signs of a bloom, stay out of the water and keep your pets out of the water. Do not fish, swim, boat, or play water sports in areas where this is possible harmful algae or cyanobacteria.
Do not go into or play in water that:
- Smells bad
- Looks discolored
- Has foam, scum, algal mats, or paint-like streaks on the surface
- Has dead fish or other animals washed up on its shore or beach
Protect your pets and livestock from getting sick by keeping them away from water with possible harmful algae or cyanobacteria. Do not let animals:
- Get in the water
- Drink the water
- Lick or eat mats of cyanobacteria or algae
- Eat or graze near the water
- Eat dead fish or other animals on the shore
- Go on the beach or shoreline
If you or your pets do go in water that may have a bloom, rinse yourself and your pets immediately afterward with tap water from a sink, shower, hose, or outdoor spigot. Do not let pets lick their fur until they have been rinsed. Pets may have harmful algae, cyanobacteria, or related toxins on their fur if they swim or play in water with a bloom.
Do not fill pools with water directly from lakes, rivers, or ponds. The water could contain algal or cyanobacterial toxins or unsafe levels of germs.
Drinking Water:
Follow local guidance about toxins in tap water
If you are notified of cyanobacteria or their toxins in your public drinking water supply, follow guidance from your local or state government or water utility to reduce the chances of you or your animals getting sick.
Harmful cyanobacteria may grow in water bodies that supply tap water. Although many water treatment plants can remove these toxins, tap water can be contaminated in certain situations. Cyanobacteria can also produce substances that are not harmful, but can change the taste or smell of tap water.
If you have concerns about the appearance, smell, or taste of tap water that you are using, contact your water utility or health department. Consider using bottled water for drinking and cooking until the problem is resolved.
Don’t boil water contaminated with toxins. Boiling water does not remove toxins and can concentrate the toxin.
Fish and shellfish:
Be aware of advisories and health risks related to eating contaminated fish and shellfish
Avoid eating very large reef fish (such as grouper or amberjack), especially the head, gut, liver, or roe (eggs). Large reef fish may be contaminated with ciguatoxin, the algal toxin that causes ciguatera fish poisoning. See the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Fish and Fishery Products Hazards and Controls Guidance for more information on reef fish associated with unsafe levels of toxins.
Check for and follow local shellfish and fish advisories before eating any fish or shellfish you collect yourself. Algal and cyanobacterial toxins in fish or shellfish have no taste or odor. Cooking or preserving food does not remove toxins. Thus, you cannot tell if the seafood is safe by just looking at, smelling, or tasting it.
- Check to see if shellfish beds are closed. State shellfish control authorities (usually state health departments or other state agencies) are required to control for toxins where harmful algal blooms are likely to occur and toxins could build up in shellfish. Common ways state authorities control for algal toxins include routine monitoring for toxic algae or shellfish and testing shellfish for toxins before or after harvesting. If levels of toxins are unsafe, state authorities will close the area for shellfish harvesting until shellfish are safe to eat.
- Check safety advisories from the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Fish and Shellfish Advisories and Safe Eating Guidelines website.
Report any concerns to your local public health authorities.
EPA notice to the public on harmful algae
Harmful algal blooms can be green, blue, red or brown. They can be scummy or look like paint on the surface of the water.
What are harmful algal blooms?
Harmful algal blooms are overgrowths of algae in water. Some produce dangerous toxins in fresh or marine water but even nontoxic blooms hurt the environment and local economies.
What are the effects of harmful algal blooms?
Harmful algal blooms can:
- Produce extremely dangerous toxins that can sicken or kill people and animals
- Create dead zones in the water
- Raise treatment costs for drinking water
- Hurt industries that depend on clean water
The EPA has a role in enforcing environmental protection regulations to limit discharges into water bodies that contribute to the growth of harmful algal blooms.
The EPA also maintains list of Impaired Water Bodies by state, those water bodies that are not supporting their ideal uses for recreation, including swimming, fishing and wading. The EPA works with state authorities to identify water bodies that are not supporting their intended recreational uses, to set daily maximum loads for contaminants and nutrient load for impaired water bodies. The EPA works with state and other federal agencies to investigate and prosecute violations of the Clean Water Act, with a role in ordering watershed plans that limit discharges to these water bodies to allow for recovery.
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