Could algae state of emergency be extended to Indian River County's Blue Cypress Lake?

Colleen Wixon | Treasure Coast Newspapers

Show Caption Hide Caption Ospreys flock to Blue Cypress Lake With 300-plus osprey nests, Blue Cypress Lake in western Indian River County is the birds' most popular nesting site in the world. TYLER TREADWAY/TCPALM

INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — Could the governor add the county to the state of emergency he issued Monday regarding toxic blue-green algae blooms?

Indian River County commissioners Tuesday directed the county attorney to determine whether Gov. Rick Scott could also declare a state of emergency for the toxic blue-green algae bloom in Blue Cypress Lake.

Scott's order covered only the seven counties affected by Lake Okeechobee algae that discharges carried into the Caloosahatchee and St. Lucie rivers: Martin, St. Lucie, Palm Beach, Okeechobee, Lee, Hendry and Glades.

More: Gov. Rick Scott issues state of emergency

"Could we ask him to move up one county north to include Blue Cypress Lake?" Pelican Island Audubon Society President Richard Baker of Sebastian asked commissioners at their meeting Tuesday. "He is now taken action on the (Lake Okeechobee) discharge. It would seem to me that we could just ask him to include Indian River County and the Blue Cypress problem, which is very similar to that."

"We could look into that," Commission Chairman Peter O'Bryan said.

County Attorney Dylan Reingold said he already was considering the idea.

"I was trying to figure out what angle we could use to incorporate (Blue Cypress) into part of that concept," he said.

Banning biosolids?

The county set a public hearing for 9 a.m. Tuesday (July 17) on its proposal to ban biosolids suspected of causing the lake's algae bloom.

Commissioners want to hear from ranchers and interested residents on the practice of landowners spreading partially treated human waste, either to fertilize crops or make money disposing of biosolids for municipalities, or both.

Environmentalists blame the lake's increasing phosphorus levels and algae bloom on nearby Pressley Ranch, which began spreading biosolids in 2013, after the Legislature banned them in South Florida's Lake Okeechobee watershed. DEP has said there's no proof they directly caused the lake's pollution.

The state recently confirmed algae in the nearby Stick Marsh too, which is not uncommon for summer. Though one test did not detect toxins, the results of two other tests are pending.

Toxic lake

Blue Cypress Lake test results have varied because samples were taken by three different agencies on different days in different locations of the lake.

The Ocean Research and Conservation Association found the toxin microcystin at a level more than twice what the World Health Organization considers "very highly hazardous" in recreational contact, according to scientists at the Fort Pierce nonprofit.

More: World Health Organization deems bloom very highly hazardous

The St. Johns River Water Management District's subsequent tests confirmed the algae's toxicity, only at a much lower level: 0.71 parts per billion. The Environmental Protection Agency has proposed swimming advisories for toxin levels above 4 parts per billion. While the results are well below the EPA guidelines, district spokesman Ed Garland said it's "still of concern, as this algae has a tendency to concentrate."

More: Blue Cypress Lake water sample confirms toxic algae in one area

The Florida Department of Environmental Protection's subsequent tests did not detect toxins.

Microcystin can cause nausea and vomiting if ingested and rash or hay fever symptoms if touched or inhaled. Drinking water with the toxins can cause long-term liver disease.

More: Long-term health effects need study, hospital CEO says