Toxic algae closing Iowa beaches at record numbers

The state is closing Iowa beaches in record numbers this year because of toxic blue-green algae that makes the water unsafe for families and their pets.

So far, Iowa state park beaches have been closed 25 times this year, outpacing 2013, when beaches were closed two dozen times.

And more closures are expected before the summer ends.

The state tests weekly for microcystins — toxins that can be produced by blue-green algae — at nearly 40 state park lakes. But experts warn that dozens of other public and private lakes are not tested by the state and could be befouled with toxic algal blooms.

“We advise people if you see that really scummy water to stay out of it. There’s no way of knowing for sure if it’s producing toxins or not,” said Mary Skopec, an Iowa Department of Natural Resources water quality expert. “It’s better to be safe than sorry.”

Since 2006, the state has issued 139 beach warnings for high microcystin levels. No tests were taken in 2008, as the state battled record flooding.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers also closed two beaches at Saylorville Lake because of toxic algal blooms this week.

Children and pets are especially vulnerable to microcystin poisoning, since they are more likely to ingest the toxins through their skin or fur, said Susan Heathcote, a water program director at the Iowa Environmental Council. The toxins can be deadly to pets and livestock.

People exposed to the toxins can experience skin rashes, hives or blisters, stomach pain and nausea, among other symptoms.

The blooms are caused by high levels of nutrients — primarily phosphorus, but also nitrogen — along with warm temperatures. The issue is more prevalent on lakes than rivers and streams.

Waterworks on alert

The large number of toxic algae blooms has Des Moines Water Works on alert, but it’s not threatening drinking water for about 500,000 customers, said Bill Stowe, the utility’s CEO.

Saylorville reservoir sits on the Des Moines River, a source of drinking water for Water Works, along with the Raccoon River.

Stowe said the toxic blue-green algae at Saylorville Lake typically is dispersed as the water is released in the river and flows a dozen miles south.

“We’re not getting a rush of toxin-filled water as they open that spillway,” he said. “We’re not drawing directly from there.”

Toxic blue-green algae forced Toledo, Ohio, to shut down its public drinking water last year. The water was undrinkable for two days.

The utility has expanded the algae toxins it tests for when blooms are present on the rivers, under new federal guidelines. The blooms primarily occur in August and September.

New EPA advisories

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency also is expected to roll out new health advisories on toxic blue-green algae at recreational lakes, rivers and streams, DNR’s Skopec said.

It will likely require expanded state monitoring for water safety — and potentially more swimming bans on state lakes.

The increasing number of beach alerts has Stowe, Heathcote and others saying the state needs to take more action to reduce the nutrients entering Iowa’s waterways.

The state has adopted the Nutrient Reduction Strategy, which is intended to reduce levels of nitrogen and phosphorus from farm fields and wastewater treatment plants, among other sources.

“The underlying issue is too many nutrients in the water, and given our watersheds, those nutrients aren’t coming from urban or suburban lawns, but agricultural pollution,” Stowe said.

The Des Moines utility is suing three rural counties — Buena Vista, Calhoun and Sac — claiming drainage districts there act as conduits that move excessive nitrates from farm fields into the Raccoon River.

The utility is seeking federal oversight of the drainage districts, and indirectly farmers, under the Clean Water Act. Environmental activists have criticized the state’s voluntary nutrient reduction plan, saying it’s ineffective.

State officials and farm leaders say a cooperative approach is needed to address Iowa’s complex water quality challenges. They note that the plan has been in place for only two years.

Attorneys for the counties have denied the field tiles that help drain water from farmland are contributing to Des Moines’ nitrate problems. They are seeking to have the lawsuit dismissed.

Pushing for standards

The Iowa Environmental Council also wants the state to set water quality standards that would help protect recreational lakes. That would push a reduction in nutrients that enter waterways.

“We need water quality standards ... that would make sure recreational uses are protected,” Heathcote said.

“We have a phosphorus problem in Iowa. We can set standards that can limit the amount of phosphorus that’s acceptable in our recreational lakes.”

Skopec, the DNR water quality expert, said the mere presence of phosphorus and nitrogen in the water, combined with warm temperatures, isn’t enough to fully explain the increase in toxic algae blooms in Iowa and elsewhere.

Scientists are exploring several possible factors, including the impact of climate change, particularly extended periods of high temperatures, and rainfall that can wash nutrients into lakes and streams but also disrupt algae as it grows.

“Blue-green algae has been around a billion years, so why is it producing more toxins now,” Skopec said. “It’s probably a combination of factors.”

Toxic algae dangers

•Symptoms: People exposed to microcystin toxins can experience skin rashes, hives or blisters, stomach pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, headaches, fever, runny eyes and nose, cough, sore throat and chest pain.

•Treatment: If exposed to toxic blue-green algae, thoroughly wash it off with fresh water. If you or your pet experiences symptoms associated with high microcystin levels after suspected exposure, seek medical or veterinary care immediately.

Iowa beach closings

Iowa beaches have been closed 25 times this year because of toxic algae levels. Below are the number of times each beach has been closed this year.

Big Creek Lake Beach (Big Creek State Park): 1

Black Hawk Lake Campground Beach (Black Hawk St. Park): 6

Denison Beach , Black Hawk Lake (Black Hawk Lake St. Park): 1

Geode Lake Beach (Geode State Park): 1

Green Valley Lake Beach (Green Valley State Park): 6 times

Lake Darling Beach (Lake Darling State Park): 1

Lake of Three Fires Beach (Lake of Three Fires State Park): 1

Lake Wapello Beach (Lake Wapello State Park): 1

Pine Lake Beach (Pine Lake State Park): 3

Red Haw Lake Beach (Red Haw State Park): 1

Union Grove Lake Beach (Union Grove State Park): 1

Springbrook Lake: 1

Twin Lake West (Twin Lakes State Park): 1

Source: Iowa Department of Natural Resources