Impaired Lakes, Rivers, and Streams Pose Risks to Park Visitors

WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, UNITED STATES, October 14, 2022 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Too many of America’s iconic national parks are being threatened by a toxic menace that is choking waterways and posing health risks for visitors, pets, volunteers, staff, and wildlife. Outbreaks of toxic cyanobacteria, commonly known as blue-green algae, are a growing concern in our national parks, with harmful algal blooms increasing in frequency and intensity and, in some locations, lasting year round.

National parks are home to 4 million acres of lakes, reservoirs, and oceans, with 150,000 miles of rivers and streams flowing through them. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), waterways in 207 of America’s 397 national park sites do not meet water quality standards under the Clean Water Act and are designated as “impaired.”

“From Yellowstone to the Dry Tortugas, our national parks are American treasures,” said Eyal Harel, CEO, BlueGreen Water Technologies (BlueGreen). “They’re home to stunning lakes that reflect snow-capped peaks, rocky shorelines, and forested landscapes. These water bodies serve as important habitats for fish and wildlife and, in many cases, are vital water sources to surrounding communities.”

The National Park Service (NPS) and U.S. Geological Survey in 2021 launched a two-year study of harmful algal blooms in 12 freshwater and 6 marine national parks to determine management and rapid response protocols.

“Whether you’re kayaking on the Grand Teton’s Snake River or watching green herons stalk the shoreline of Indiana Dunes’ Great Marsh, toxic algae should not be part of the scenery,” said Lucia Ross, CMO, BlueGreen. “Yet we are seeing an increase in outbreaks in our national parks. This problem is being fueled, in part, by changes in our climate: warmer temperatures, more intense weather events, and in some areas, changes in salinity and coastal upwelling.”

Recent toxic algal blooms affecting national parks include:

• September, 2022: NPS detected cyanotoxins in the Blue Mesa Reservoir in Curecanti National Recreation Area in Colorado. The area remains closed.

• August, 2022: Warning advisories were posted after a toxic algal bloom was detected on Hebgen Reservoir at the western edge of Yellowstone National Park.

• June, 2022: NPS issued warnings for toxic algal blooms in Lake Richie and Chickenbone Lake in Isle Royale National Park, Michigan. The warnings remain in effect today.

• June, 2022: NPS issued warning advisories for Zion National Park’s North Fork of the Virgin River and all connecting tributaries due to cyanotoxins in the water. In July, 2020 a dog died an hour after swimming in the North Fork where toxic algae was present.

• September, 2021: NPS issued warnings for toxic algae in Yosemite National Park’s Tenaya Creek and alerted visitors that harmful algal blooms may be present in other waterways throughout Yosemite Valley.

• Since 2016, blooms of toxic algae have been detected regularly in Voyageurs National Park. In October, 2016 blooms were detected in Kabetogama Lake and Black Bay of Rainy Lake.

Toxic algae can sicken people, pets, and wildlife who come in contact with infected water, and in some cases, be fatal. Prolonged and recurring outbreaks can drive down property values and damage livelihoods and local economies.

About BlueGreen Water Technologies:

BlueGreen Water Technologies is leading the charge in helping preserve and promote life on Earth. We are restoring, safeguarding, and optimizing the health, safety, accessibility, and biodiversity of waterbodies worldwide – including their wildlife, aquatic life, ecosystems, and economies – by pioneering and applying proven scientific ingenuity and deep tech solutions. BlueGreen is the first and only company in the world to develop, obtain regulatory approval for, and commercialize a technology suite that reverses the effects of climate change in water bodies and drastically reduces greenhouse gas levels. The multidisciplinary team of BlueGreen experts is exposing the secrets of lakes and oceans – detecting, analyzing, preventing and remediating some of the most complex and dynamic problems that plague the world’s water systems.

Sally Kidd
Antenna
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