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Officials warn of toxic algaeTRAIL — The toxic algae that has left a blue-green hue on parts of Lost Creek Lake also has the potential to leave an ugly mark on an upcoming July 4 weekend at Jackson County's most popular recreational reservoir. Jackson County health officials have issued a public health advisory, warning people and pets to have no contact with Lost Creek Lake water and its fish until further notice. Tests completed Saturday identified the presence of Anabaena flos-aquae, an algae that releases neurotoxins that can cause everything from a skin rash and dizziness to rapid death. It is most threatening to children and pets, and it congregates most in shallow, stagnant coves and along shorelines. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers officials recommended that visitors especially avoid water contact in the Talkema Park and Stewart State Park areas as well as Catfish Cove and the shoreline access areas around Lewis Road. Tests on samples taken last week showed Catfish Cove had an algae density of 14 million cells per milliliter of water. Oregon health officials issue public-health advisories when tests show concentrations of 100,000 cells per milliliter. "It's not that anything's closed," said Jim Buck, the Corps' project manager at Lost Creek. "We just want to make sure the public is aware of the potential risk. The message is to avoid water contact." The advisory does not create any happy days for Ron Howard, the Corps' park manager who was preparing for full campgrounds and boatloads of water-skiers, anglers and personal watercraft riders fleeing the Rogue Valley during the coming four-day Fourth of July weekend. "To have this come on us right before the Fourth is an ugly scenario," Howard said Monday. "But this is a part of nature and we're reacting to what nature's given us." Corps and Stewart State Park officials have posted signs at all public-access spots warning visitors of the toxic algae and the health risks involved. "We're going to err on the side of caution," Howard said. "We're not going to tell anyone to leave the lake. It's your decision." And Lost Creek Lake visitors are both taking heed to caution as well as tossing it to the wind. Normally, about 15 boats with anglers ply the lake for its trout and bass on weekdays, said Howard, who spied just two boats Monday. "The word seems to have gotten out," he said. But at least a half-dozen swimmers walked past at least one warning sign to wade and splash under Monday's intense sun that triggered record highs in the Rogue Valley. "The public-health advisory is out there, and as the rangers here at the park, we tell people they should get out of the water," park Ranger Lisa Miller said Monday. "But that's all we can do." Howard took water samples Monday from three sites on the lake as well as the Rogue River directly downstream of Lost Creek dam. The below-the-dam samples were taken to see if discharged water poses any health threats, but Howard said the algae concentration seems far less below the dam than on the lake. Results are due Thursday, and those likely will be the last samples before the holiday weekend, Howard said. "I expect a lot of people will be calling me Thursday before finalizing their weekend plans," he said. The algae bloom is the latest bad-news scenario to hit upper Rogue businesses that cater to summer visitors. A poor return of wild Rogue River spring chinook salmon this year has triggered changes in fishing rules that allow anglers only to keep fin-clipped spring chinook. "We have the (chinook) situation, and now we have this," said Susan Billows, of Pat's Hand-Tied Flies near Trail. "That's just more fuel on the fire here. It sure doesn't help us businesses along the upper river." The naturally occurring algae has been seen at the lake since shortly after it was created in 1977 with the closing of Lost Creek dam. But last week marked the first time Corps officials tested for the toxins during a summer bloom, Howard said. Blue-green algae blooms have triggered well-documented public-health advisories and even lake closures throughout Oregon. At Diamond Lake, blooms triggered toxic levels high enough for closures in 2002 and '03. A 2004 bloom one park official called "hellacious" caused Lake Selmac in Josephine County to be closed to the public from Aug. 19 through Dec. 21. Those outbreaks enticed Corps officials to get training in blue-green algae blooms, and they developed a protocol for responding to a bloom here, Howard said. "We've had algae blooms for ages, but nobody's ever been dialed into them," Howard said. "We never took water samples. It wasn't a big deal." Reach reporter Mark Freeman at 776-4470, or e-mail mfreeman@mailtribune.com. |
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Despite health warnings, some still splashed in the toxic algae-tainted waters in Lost Creek Lake on Monday. Some areas are worse than others, but Jackson County health officials have recommended no contact with any of the lake’s water. (Mail Tribune / Roy Musitelli)
