Worst case of blue-green algae I've seen on a western WA lake 11/30/2023

krusty

We're on the Road to Nowhere...
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Good to know. Thanks, Curt.

Is there a high risk of tranferring the algae to other lakes via boat? It gets really thick and seems to collect at the launch. Or, is it already present in the other lakes with blooms dependent only on local conditions?
I think water fowl would provide plenty of transport capability. It's also likely that a very large variety of dormant algal cysts are already present in most lakes awaiting just the right environmental conditions of temperature, sunlight, and nutrients suitable for their species to bloom. The lack of a single critical limiting nutrient (most often bioavailable phosphorus) can prevent the occurrence of algal blooms, and the presence of inhibitory substances (such as dissolved metals) can also prevent such occurrences.

Throw in lake structure, hydraulic residence time, and prevailing wind orientation and you've got an exceedingly complicated situation.

Lakes are born, they eventually die...and the process is certainly accelerated by human nutrient contributions. All organisms excrete phosphorus rich waste while they live, and it's released when they die....to be taken up by other organisms.

Why is phosphorus so important? Because it's absolutely essential for cellular metabolism at a very fundamental level.

A eutrophic (nutrient rich) lake's inevitable death can sometimes be postponed through human intervention. The addition of large quantities of aluminum sulfate or other coagulation chemicals can 'lock-up' phosphorus so that it is not available to support algal blooms but, as you'd no doubt suspect, it's very expensive.

Along with coagulation it is often also necessary to eliminate nutrient contributions from septic drainfields if the lake is densely surrounded by residences, by connecting them to a wastewater treatment facility.

Liberty Lake near Spokane is a good example of a once dying lake that was rejuvenated by coagulation chemical treatment and septic drainfield reduction.

The small shallow trout lakes that so many flyfishers enjoy are rarely of sufficient economic interest to justify such human intervention...so enjoy 'em while you can!
 
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SSPey

loco alto!
Few folks consider that fish stocking can be a large nutrient/phosphorus input to lakes, in some cases larger than shoreline development.

Hatchery fish are fed a nutrient-rich diet and they excrete that stuff into lakes where they’re stocked. Uncaught fish decompose and release nutrients into lakes. Of course the net effect depends on pounds of fish (and phosphorus) that are planted vs. caught/removed. Just because a lake “looks” pristine doesn’t mean it is.
 

krusty

We're on the Road to Nowhere...
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Few folks consider that fish stocking can be a large nutrient/phosphorus input to lakes, in some cases larger than shoreline development.

Hatchery fish are fed a nutrient-rich diet and they excrete that stuff into lakes where they’re stocked. Uncaught fish decompose and release nutrients into lakes. Of course the net effect depends on pounds of fish (and phosphorus) that are planted vs. caught/removed. Just because a lake “looks” pristine doesn’t mean it is.
Indeed.

Conversely, there are remote Scandanavian lakes that are actually so pristine (oligotrophic) that they introduce large quantities of phosphorus via aircraft to support biological productive capacity.
 

RCF

Life of the Party
FYI: After submitting a report I received a quick response as follows:

=======================================

Thank you for reporting this cyanobacteria bloom. Unfortunately as of November 13th the lab is not taking any more samples to test for toxins produced by cyanobacteria this season. Our general recommendation is to stay out of the lake and minimize contact with the lake if you have concerns. The presence of cyanobacteria does not guarantee the presence of potential toxins, but it can be an indicator. We have a sign at the public boat launch reiterating our caution when spotting cyanobacteria.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Best,

John Haberlin, Environmental Health Specialist
Thurston County Public Health and Social Services Department
412 Lilly Rd NE, Olympia WA 98506
C: 360.968.9990 | P: 360.867.2558 | Fax: 866.928.1181

john.haberlin@co.thurston.wa.us | www.co.thurston.wa.us/health

Kudos to Thurston County personnel for responding so quickly. Glad to learn that they are responsive for future reporting...
 

SurfnFish

Legend
Forum Supporter
I got my Master’s degree studying lakes in western WA, including a few on Fidalgo Island. Short story is that many lakes in western WA are very shallow, which keeps them in a perpetually eutrophic state. Nutrients and blue-green algae (in a resting state) get stored in the sediments and resuspended for all sorts of reasons, including wind, leading to rapid blooms. In deeper lakes, it is fairly common for them to stratify thermally in summer and then turnover/mix in fall as surface waters cool, bringing nutrient-rich deep water to the surface, causing algae blooms.
Based on your knowledge, perspective on fertilizer run-off generating algae bloom in lakes subject to the run-off? Reason for the ask, a moderate sized lake I used to float tube back in the 80's became the 'pass through' for upstream irrigation run-off from a newly built golf course = increase in bloom every year until what had been a thriving fishery was gone. Complaints were stonewalled due to the economic benefit the golf course brought to the county.
 

Brian Miller

Be vewy vewy quiet, I'm hunting Cutthwoat Twout
Forum Supporter
Just check the "Washington State toxic algae" web site and it appears the Offutt was last sampled in mid October and toxic levels for both mcrocystin and anatonn A were below state guidelines. Interestingly it appears that Offutt is sampled fairly often and has not had toxin levels above guidelines for at least 5 years.

Curt
1701806659772.png
 

Chucker

Steelhead
The algae bloom in greenlake in Seattle has persisted much longer than usual this year as well. There was still lots visible last week. The lake is still closed to recreation I think, at least there are still some signs up.

The lake was treated in 2016 with alum, which is supposed to reduce the amount of phosphorus available to phytoplankton. Cost $700k. The alum binds with the phosphorus and causes it to sediment out. The expectation was that this treatment would be effective at reducing plankton blooms and preventing closures due to toxic algae for 10 years. It was not a success. The effects seemed to last a couple of years, and then it was right back to the usual state. Closures happen most years. It isn’t clear if this is because there are higher phosphorus inputs than anticipated, or if the carp are disturbing the sediment and bringing the stuff back into the water column.

 

SSPey

loco alto!
Based on your knowledge, perspective on fertilizer run-off generating algae bloom in lakes subject to the run-off? Reason for the ask, a moderate sized lake I used to float tube back in the 80's became the 'pass through' for upstream irrigation run-off from a newly built golf course = increase in bloom every year until what had been a thriving fishery was gone. Complaints were stonewalled due to the economic benefit the golf course brought to the county.

Seems plausible, most golf courses are fertilized to the hilt.

 

Parabola

Steelhead
SSPey, Is it possible for these blooms to be a problem on a flowing river? I live on small river and there have been a few instances where dog deaths have been blamed on algae in the river. Nothing has ever been confirmed. This river stays relatively cold even through the heat of summer. I believe the blame is due to algae bloom hysteria. Sorry for the high jack everyone.
 

SSPey

loco alto!
SSPey, Is it possible for these blooms to be a problem on a flowing river? I live on small river and there have been a few instances where dog deaths have been blamed on algae in the river. Nothing has ever been confirmed. This river stays relatively cold even through the heat of summer. I believe the blame is due to algae bloom hysteria. Sorry for the high jack everyone.

Yes, it’s possible, the toxins can be present in small wadable streams. Possible but impossible to say without testing. Presence of the candidate blue-green algae does not necessarily mean they’re producing toxins. However, to appreciate the potential reach of the issue, there’s even a report of sea otters dying from freshwater algal toxins delivered from land to sea. It is nasty stuff.
 

Bass-O-Matic

Life of the Party
I ran into the blue/green sludge on a lake just outside of Ellensburg I use for trying out lines back about 2016 and called ecology in Yakima. Sent them a video. They made a visit and got back to me saying or there wasn't enough to be toxic. That particular lake has never been the same as far as water clarity goes. I think it is only at 11' deep at most. Can't say I've seen it again though.
 

Eastside

Life of the Party
Forum Supporter
Blue-green algae has been an issue on the Columbia River in Richland for the past two summers. This year it lasted well into the fall and the signs were up for a long time.
 

BriGuy

Life of the Party
I think water fowl would provide plenty of transport capability. It's also likely that a very large variety of dormant algal cysts are already present in most lakes awaiting just the right environmental conditions of temperature, sunlight, and nutrients suitable for their species to bloom. The lack of a single critical limiting nutrient (most often bioavailable phosphorus) can prevent the occurrence of algal blooms, and the presence of inhibitory substances (such as dissolved metals) can also prevent such occurrences.

Throw in lake structure, hydraulic residence time, and prevailing wind orientation and you've got an exceedingly complicated situation.

Lakes are born, they eventually die...and the process is certainly accelerated by human nutrient contributions. All organisms excrete phosphorus rich waste while they live, and it's released when they die....to be taken up by other organisms.

Why is phosphorus so important? Because it's absolutely essential for cellular metabolism at a very fundamental level.

A eutrophic (nutrient rich) lake's inevitable death can sometimes be postponed through human intervention. The addition of large quantities of aluminum sulfate or other coagulation chemicals can 'lock-up' phosphorus so that it is not available to support algal blooms but, as you'd no doubt suspect, it's very expensive.

Along with coagulation it is often also necessary to eliminate nutrient contributions from septic drainfields if the lake is densely surrounded by residences, by connecting them to a wastewater treatment facility.

Liberty Lake near Spokane is a good example of a once dying lake that was rejuvenated by coagulation chemical treatment and septic drainfield reduction.

The small shallow trout lakes that so many flyfishers enjoy are rarely of sufficient economic interest to justify such human intervention...so enjoy 'em while you can!

Thanks for the detailed explanation, Krusty!

What actually happens when an affected, nutrient lake dies? Obviously, the life that can't thrive in that environment, like fish, perish. After that, will the lake eventually recover, or does the algae bloom, die, decompose, bloom cycle just continue? Or, once most non-algae life forms, and any human nutrient sources disappear, will the rains and other natural forces begin restoring the lake?

I can't say I've ever really seen a dead lake, but I am curious if and how these lakes might recover.

Correction: I get skunked a lot, so I can only assume I'm fishing dead lakes. 😉
 

krusty

We're on the Road to Nowhere...
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Thanks for the detailed explanation, Krusty!

What actually happens when an affected, nutrient lake dies? Obviously, the life that can't thrive in that environment, like fish, perish. After that, will the lake eventually recover, or does the algae bloom, die, decompose, bloom cycle just continue? Or, once most non-algae life forms, and any human nutrient sources disappear, will the rains and other natural forces begin restoring the lake?

I can't say I've ever really seen a dead lake, but I am curious if and how these lakes might recover.

Correction: I get skunked a lot, so I can only assume I'm fishing dead lakes. 😉
If you've ever been to a small shallow lake surrounded by an expanse of meadow you're likely witnessing a lake in its death throes. A dying lake accumulates sufficient sediment and plant detritus to end its life as some sort of open water reservoir.

It's also likely to never exist again, unless another cataclysmic event (such as glaciation or extreme flooding) creates a fresh new basin.
 
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Buzzy

I prefer to call them strike indicators.
Forum Supporter
If you've ever been to a small shallow lake surrounded by an expanse of meadow you're likely witnessing a lake in its death throes. A dying lake accumulates sufficient sediment and plant detritus to end its life as some sort of open water reservoir.

It's also likely to never exist again, unless another cataclysmic event (such as glaciation or extreme flooding) creates a fresh new basin.
I can't remember if I mentioned this dying lake on this site or WFF; a mile or so SSW of Coulee City sits Castle Lake, or what if anything, remains of this once fun trout fishery. Castle Lake's access was sketchy: a rebar ladder was (is?) set into holes drilled into vertical columnar basalt provided access from the coulee rim to the top of talus slope, then that trickly hike on the talus (carrying a donut float tube) slope to the lake edge. Castle Lake is where I first experienced a water boatmen "hatch" (so much fun!), on another trip to the lake a friend of mine harvested two fat rainbows that had these hard bulges in their stomachs (big crawfish). It was (WAS) a fun lake for a younger man to hike into and fish.

@Engee and I hiked into this lake about 2005-06, it was much smaller than the lake that Darc Knobel showed me in 1986 when I moved to the Basin. Here's an image from Google Earth - worth the hike to view the magesty of Glacial Lake Missoula flood events but that's maybe what Krusty means it will take to restore this lake to a "live" lake.

1701961040043.png

Conspiracy theory: blame the lakes death (eutrophication?) on the Banks Lake drawdown a decade or more ago?
 

krusty

We're on the Road to Nowhere...
Forum Supporter
I can't remember if I mentioned this dying lake on this site or WFF; a mile or so SSW of Coulee City sits Castle Lake, or what if anything, remains of this once fun trout fishery. Castle Lake's access was sketchy: a rebar ladder was (is?) set into holes drilled into vertical columnar basalt provided access from the coulee rim to the top of talus slope, then that trickly hike on the talus (carrying a donut float tube) slope to the lake edge. Castle Lake is where I first experienced a water boatmen "hatch" (so much fun!), on another trip to the lake a friend of mine harvested two fat rainbows that had these hard bulges in their stomachs (big crawfish). It was (WAS) a fun lake for a younger man to hike into and fish.

@Engee and I hiked into this lake about 2005-06, it was much smaller than the lake that Darc Knobel showed me in 1986 when I moved to the Basin. Here's an image from Google Earth - worth the hike to view the magesty of Glacial Lake Missoula flood events but that's maybe what Krusty means it will take to restore this lake to a "live" lake.

View attachment 93908

Conspiracy theory: blame the lakes death (eutrophication?) on the Banks Lake drawdown a decade or more ago?
Excellent example!

Perhaps the drawdown hastened its demise, but that lake is succumbing to the natural process of succession, in which it slowly transitions from aquatic to terrestrial vegetation.
 
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Wadin' Boot

Badly tied flies, mediocre content
Forum Supporter
The algae bloom in greenlake in Seattle has persisted much longer than usual this year as well. There was still lots visible last week. The lake is still closed to recreation I think, at least there are still some signs up.

The lake was treated in 2016 with alum, which is supposed to reduce the amount of phosphorus available to phytoplankton. Cost $700k. The alum binds with the phosphorus and causes it to sediment out. The expectation was that this treatment would be effective at reducing plankton blooms and preventing closures due to toxic algae for 10 years. It was not a success. The effects seemed to last a couple of years, and then it was right back to the usual state. Closures happen most years. It isn’t clear if this is because there are higher phosphorus inputs than anticipated, or if the carp are disturbing the sediment and bringing the stuff back into the water column.

Can confirm.... plus... Geese......
 
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