The Northland is often perceived as an idyllic landscape of forests generously speckled with cool, clear lakes inviting visitors to water ski, swim, and wade the shorelines with children and pets on warm summer days. As ideal a picture as that might be, concentrated areas of blue-green algae are augmenting those traditional summer plans.
Blue-green algae are technically bacteria that grow in all waterbodies. In small amounts, these algae shouldn't worry beachgoers, but when algae grow into algal blooms, human health becomes a concern. "They really only become a problem when they grow to high levels," says Gina LaLiberte, the Statewide Harmful Algal Bloom Coordinator with the Wisconsin DNR. "Some lakes and rivers have high levels of the nutrients nitrogen and phosphorus, and those are the water bodies that tend to be more susceptible to the growth of blooms." Warm water is also an activating factor for algae, which is why it's particularly present in the late summer into early fall.
If water appears to have a collection of light green dust (though the colors may vary widely) on the surface, find a different place to recreate. Keeping children and pets away from suspicious waters should be paramount. As smaller humans, children are more susceptible to harmful reactions. Pets, such as dogs, are more likely to drink the water and lick it off their own fur, thus increasing their risk of subsequent health issues.
To report areas of severe blue-green algae, email the Wisconsin DNR. For more information about blue-green algae and the best practices around it, visit the Wisconsin DNR website.
You can hear Green Visions at 8:20am every Wednesday on Northland Morning.
