8/15/2024
WT Staff
 August 15, 2024 1126 am EDT
Expansion of the Lake Erie HAB
Lake Erie west basin from satellite monitoring program of the National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science NCCOS
The new upload from NCCOS was captured August 14 at a low surface wind speed 4.3 mph, as stunning as the prior picture reported here yesterday, take a look for yourself right here.
Another clear view of the western basin of Lake Erie HAB shows the expansion of the bluegreen bloom has reached a new high, approximately forty nautical miles by twelve nm, sporting a massive hot spot in open water estimated 25 nm square, ranging in concentration from 2 million cells per 100 ml at the outer edges up to 6 million cells in the center of the hot mass. Maumee Bay State Park is socked in with bluegreen, three to four million cell count laying right up on the shoreline. WTOH has reached out to NCCOS for more information. As of this report, there are no Ohio beach advisories issued for Maumee Bay State Park, we have requested the status of testing for microcystins from state officials, more to follow.
From our last conversation with Richard Stumph, Program Manager for NCCOS HAB monitoring, extreme high concentrations often build up where HAB mats are stacked by wind and trapped along a sheltered shoreline. The curved shoreline on the west side of Cedar Point National Wildlife Refuge at the east end of Maumee Bay State Park provides such a sheltered location. After three weeks of elevated concentration in this same location last year, a water sample returned a microcystins level 85 times the EPA guidelines for recreational water safety.
Maumee Bay at Toledo is also full of bluegreen, 1 to 2 million cells per 100 ml. Sandusky Bay HAB appears to have broken up and dissipated, the dense bluegreen mat now parked outside Sandusky Bay at a moderate concentration 200 thousand cells above the primary raw water intake for Sandusky City. Get a look at the Lake Erie HAB here.
Hazardous Weather Outlook issued 432 am August 15 by NWS Cleveland
Periods of showers and thunderstorms are expected Friday afternoon through Saturday afternoon. A few of these storms may be strong to severe with isolated damaging wind gusts and large hail possible.
Impacting Lucas-Wood-Ottawa-Sandusky-Erie-Lorain-Cuyahoga-Lake-Geauga-
Ashtabula Inland-Hancock-Seneca-Huron-Medina-Summit-Portage-Trumbull-
Wyandot-Crawford-Richland-Ashland-Wayne-Stark-Mahoning-Marion-Morrow-
Holmes-Knox-Ashtabula Lakeshore-Northern Erie-Southern Erie Counties
WT USA Bluegreen Tracker
New York
The latest image of Lake Champlain was snapped August 14, a clear image of the transboundary water body in the USA and Canada. Northeast Baie Missisquoi appears full of bluegreen algae at extreme high concentration 1 to 3 million cells per 100 ml on both sides of the international border. This bloom reaches south as far as the channel from North Hero Island to Isle la Motte, the south portion of the bloom at 900 thousand cells per 100 ml. St Albans Bay HAB is partially cloud obscured, we see the inner shoreline edge at 1 million cells per 100 ml. Lake Carmi appears clear with no HAB activity; Shelburne Pond is still rocking 2 million cells concentration in Vermont. See our latest report here.
One hundred and seventy-one active HABs are confirmed in New York Thursday morning, down from 182 yesterday, the decline overnight owing to a transfer of HAB reports made prior to Aug 1 hitting the archives. New reports were confirmed yesterday for Chautauqua Lake, Oneida Lake, Harlem Meer and Waneta Lake, all experiencing a second wave of bluegreen growth, some of these water bodies coming out of the 2024 archives.
Bluegreen algae impacted water bodies are listed here.
Louisiana: The latest upload from the NCCOS was captured August 14 at low wind speed 2.9 mph, here.
Lac des Allemands remains the high concentration HAB leader, the hot spot most prominent in the west bay along shore up to 3 million cells. Lakes Pontchartrain and Maurepas are remarkably clear, no HAB activity observed. Lake Fields is showing a high concentration HAB, 1 million in the north half and 2 million cells in the south half. Check out the latest satellite image from NCCOS here.
Georgia: from Coastal Health Region
There are 56 Beach Advisory signs posted along the Georgia coast at popular access points on Tybee, St. Simons, and Jekyll Islands. These signs show the current advisory status of a beach based on the result of the most recent water sample. Our data has shown that elevated bacteria levels are frequently associated with specific weather events, especially heavy rains and strong winds. Significant levels of rainfall increases runoff from surrounding uplands and may contribute to elevated bacteria levels in adjacent waters. Similarly, high winds along with heavy surf conditions will often resuspend sediment loads in the water column and may increase bacteria levels.
To report stranded dolphins, whales, sea turtles or other marine wildlife, call 800-2-SAVE-ME
To report conservation law violators or poachers, call 800-241-4113 or *DNR from an AT&T mobile phone.
A COOPERATIVE PROGRAM OF U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Georgia Department of Natural Resources - Coastal Resources Division along with
Georgia Department of Public Health - Coastal Health District
No new information has been found pertaining to bluegreen algae reports in Georgia since our last update. Georgia Environmental Protection Division does accept reports from the public of suspicious algal blooms. As we receive updates from EPD, the results will be found here.
California: The new bluegreen bloom report expected Friday afternoon head of the weekend, not yet available as of this update Thursday. WTCAL connected with Director of EPA for Big Valley Pomo Tribe for an update on Clear Lake, more to follow.
The latest HAB Recent Bloom report is dated August 2, seven water bodies are posted with DANGER level advisories, including Lago Los Osos, Lake Chabot, Lake Anza, Discovery Bay, Contra Loma Reservoir, Big Break Regional Shoreline and Copsey Creek. Three water bodies have been posted with HAB Warning level advisories, including Discovery Bay, Tahoe Keys and San Luis Reservoir's Dinosaur Point Boat Launch. Caution advisories have been activated for another 31 sites. See the California HAB tracker report with advisories by watershed region, HAB DANGER and WARNING advisories are pinned to the map with bluegreen tags, the full list is here.
Post Debby, flooding continues in the southeast
Forty-three reference sites in the monitored streamflow network of the USGS are still in active flood mode Thursday including seven in south Georgia.
Atlantic basin major rivers continue to overflow in Chatham, Atkinson and Charlton Counties, the Gulf of Mexico drainage area flooding in Clinch County. In Chatham County, the Ogeechee River is down less than a foot over 24 hours, still operating a foot and three quarters above the channel near Eden. Savannah River is still flooding near Cylo, currently a foot and four inches out of the channel, steadily receding.
Little Satilla River continues to flood near Offerman, seven or eight inches above flood stage and leveling off, the rate of decline is slowing down. Flooding may continue here well into next week. Downstream at Atkinson, the Satilla River is more than three and a half feet over flood stage, dropping almost a foot every 24 hours. This site could be under the channel rim on Monday. St Mary's River is still flooding near MacClenny, FL two and a half feet over the rim. Downstream at Folkston Landing in Georgia, St Mary's is still out of the crate by more than 6 ft of flow depth, just about double the channel capacity. Suwannee River is Georgia's only flood flow heading for the Gulf of Mexico. Suwannee runs a foot and four inches above flood stage at US441 near Fargo. Provisional data from the USGS appeared to indicate a sudden spike in water level yesterday, yet to be confirmed.
Municipal and private groundwater wells in Chatham, Atkinson, Charlton and Clinch Counties have been impacted by this flood and will require intervention to restore potability when the flood waters have fully receded. Wells supplying public utilities are managed as per the Safe Drinking Water Act, boil water advisories are in place until the flood subsides and tests confirm potability of the water supply. For those on private wells, the flood water must fully recede from around the well head before the surrounding surface area, casings and the water itself can be sanitized. Advice for disinfecting wells from Georgia Coastal Health here.
Watch for water advisories in your local area whenever water service has been disrupted or the water pressure drops for any reason. Flush stagnant water from the lines by running the water for several minutes after service is restored. As a precautionary measure for drinking water, maintain water for minimum of one minute at a rolling boil to sanitize potential microbiological contamination.
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