9/10/2024
WT Staff
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September 10, 2024 updated 1116 am EDT
Heads up for friends, family in Louisiana today, Hurricane Warning in effect
Streamflow Situation from the USGS network of streamflow gauges in Ohio
As Louisiana and Mississippi make preparations for the arrival of Tropical Storm Francine, expected to make landfall on the Gulf Coast tomorrow as a Category 1 hurricane, reach out and connect with family and friends traveling down south to seek a safe place to hunker down. National Weather Service latest update here, life threatening impacts from the hurricane strike tomorrow include 100 mph wind, storm surge, tornadoes and flooding.
The hurricane warning for Louisiana and Mississippi includes storm surge potential for the large inland lakes, including Lake Pontchartrain. As of our latest satellite image, Lake Pontchartrain has no HAB activity or too low to visualize. Lac des Allemands and Bayou Fortier lakewide HABs run 1 to 2 million cells per ml, the north half of Lake Verret shows a lakewide HAB 700 thousand cells per ml. This water should be presumed to carry cyanotoxin, warn anyone you know down in that part of the world to exercise caution with floodwater from these lakes. See the latest LA HAB Tracker report, here.
Ohio skies are sunny and clear today with no severe weather in the forecast. North central and interior central Ohio streamflows run at seasonal normal while west, south and east creeks and rivers record below to much below seasonal. Two extreme low flows are recorded statewide, one in the northwest, Auglaize River running a 1st percentile volume at Defiance, and Tuscarawas River measured 1st percentile flow at Massillon. Drought is the prevalent water matter in Ohio this week, we see a shift away from severe drought in the south as the Ohio River minor tributary Raccoon-Symmes watershed picks up some relief, today rated moderate drought. The remainder of the Ohio drought map appears as reported yesterday, here.
WT HAB Tracker from the satellite monitoring program of the NOAA National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science(NCCOS), Cyanobacteria Assessment Network (CyAN) and State sources where available
The World Health Organization publishes guidance documents for recreational water as a global health priority, given "recreational water use has long been recognized as a major influence on health and well-being." (WHO update to the Recreational Water Guidance, 2021) The value of beaches is immeasurable for locals and tourists alike. As population density, agriculture and industrial activities increase around the world, so also the impacts of pollution on the treasured recreational beaches. Assessment of health risk associated with recreational water is therefore a public health priority in Ohio and the USA.
Lake Erie west basin
Lake Erie west basin image is revealed in a clear, full color satellite image from NCCOS, captured Sunday Sept 8 at a high wind speed, 16.1 mph. West and south shorelines from north of Monroe, Michigan to Vermilion-on-the-lake in Ohio are blanketed with a HAB layer from ten nautical miles wide in the west and tapering down to less than a mile by Marblehead, increasing to 20 miles wide by Huron and Vermilion-on-the-lake. The high wind speed indicates we may not be seeing the full extent of this bloom as the edges may be submerged out of sight. Maumee Bay at Toledo to North Maumee Bay run 1.5 to 2 million cells per ml, the highest concentration found in Maumee Bay State Park's east end wrapping around Cedar Point National Wildlife Refuge all the way to the Metzger and Magee Marsh Wildlife Areas with 2 to 3 million cells per 100 ml. Sandusky Bay Aphanizomenon HAB has filled in all open water possibilities and stepped up in concentration, 1 million cells per ml. The area east of Sandusky Bay is cloaked in bluegreen, including the area around Sandusky City drinking water intake at a lower concentration, 300 to 400 thousand cells per ml. See the latest Ohio HAB Tracker update, here.
New York
Two hundred and forty-seven active HAB reports on the notifications board Tuesday, down from 352 Monday as all reports initiated prior to August 27 are cleared away and logged in the 2024 archive. The season has gone well past the total number of bluegreen reports confirmed during the 2023 season. The 2024 HAB archives now hold 965 reports, along with the current reports total 1212, with weeks to go. First HAB of the season was confirmed yesterday for Seneca - Cayuga Canal with most current HAB activity centered in the Finger Lakes region. The latest impacted water body list is available here.
A new satellite image uploaded yesterday is completely cloud obscured, we therefore refer to the prior image captured September 8, partially cloud obscured showing a glimpse of the widespread bluegreen bloom in St Albans Bay at high concentration 600 to 700 thousand cells per ml. The image is mostly cloud obscured at Baie Missisquoi with no HABs visible between clouds. The last image with a significant HAB signal in the northeast was captured August 29, at that date a large localized HAB along the north shore 2 million cells per ml has not been spotted since. Lake Carmi is mostly cloud obscured, there is a small spot visible with HAB evident at high concentration 600 to 700 thousand cells per ml. See the NCCOS color image of Lake Champlain here.
California
California Water Boards Recent HAB Update came out Friday, Sept 6 with 12 DANGER and 12 Warning advisories posted in recreational water bodies. Danger and Warning advisories are posted on the beaches, be sure to heed the specific safety measures to avoid inhaling, ingesting or absorbing cyanotoxins. The symptoms of contact with toxins include skin irritation and gastrointestinal upset in humans, and rapid demise for pets. The presence of bluegreen algae is not always indicative of cyanotoxins, this can only be established through water testing. Presumption of the presence of the toxins with the bluegreen algae is a cautious approach to public safety, given the health risk. Cyanotoxins damage vital organs, the signs of which may not be felt until damage is done. Find the US EPA national beach advisories dashboard, here.
Check out the latest California HAB Tracker report, here and while you are visiting WTCAL.us, see the bluegreen tags on the California map for more information.
Georgia from Cyanobacteria Assessment Network (CyAN)
Cyanobacteria cell counts have been added for select Georgia water bodies as available from CyAN satellite early detection system. Jackson Lake, Lake Lanier and Lake Hartwell have been assessed, the measurements are not current, however do indicate the past presence of cyanobacteria. Georgia does not presently require drinking water facilities to test for cyanotoxins, this is a discretionary matter for the State to determine. Lake Burton is the high cell count leader at over 500 thousand cells per ml, measured April 20, 2024. Next is Alexanders Landing in Walter F George Reservoir, measured around 125 thousand cells per ml in early June this year. More to follow as we work through the Cyanobacterial Assessment Network (CyAN) collected data for the major water bodies in Georgia. See the Georgia water bodies list with cell counts here.
Louisiana
The latest satellite image of Lake Pontchartrain and the southeast water bodies is dated Sep 8, snapped in high wind conditions over 18 mph. The hurricane warning includes storm surge potential for the large inland lakes, including Lake Pontchartrain. As of our latest satellite image, Lake Pontchartrain has no HAB activity or too low to visualize. Lac des Allemands and Bayou Fortier lakewide HABs run 1 to 2 million cells per ml, the north half of Lake Verret shows a lakewide HAB 700 thousand cells per ml. This water should be presumed to carry cyanotoxin, exercise caution and remove yourself and pets from around these water bodies if at all possible. See the latest LA HAB Tracker report, here.
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