For those looking to enjoy the last fleeting glimpses of northeastern summer swimming and relaxing by the lakeside, be warned.
Lake Winnipesaukee issued a cyanobacteria advisory this past Labor Day weekend, with historic algae blooms dense enough to be considered harmful to the public in multiple surrounding areas. In fact, six other large bodies of water in New Hampshire alone have issued cyanobacteria advisories since Aug. 19, when the first advisory on Winnipesaukee was declared.
In an article written by New Hampshire Public Radio (NHPR) author Mara Hoplamazian states the bacteria “can produce toxins that are harmful to people, pets, and wildlife, causing symptoms that range from nausea and rashes to muscle paralysis.” They even state the bacteria can induce symptoms ranging from abdominal pain and headaches to numbness and speech disturbances according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
With symptoms as detrimental as these, one would think that these affected areas would surely be closed to the public; however, this is not the case. New Hampshire’s Department of Environmental Services has issued only an advisory and safe swimming map for prospective lake-goers, keeping the lake open and releasing a statement instructing swimmers and their pets to try and avoid parts of the water that appear too “green” or “filthy.”
State officials made it very clear that people should still enjoy their long weekend and did not discourage N.H. residents from entering the lake. Yet this can be a tough judgment call for many people, as cyanobacteria can have many tricky appearances; sometimes occurring as a thick, oily, more noticeable algae and other times only changing the surface color of the broader, windswept areas it resides. There is also the fact that many types of aquatic algae exist and it would be quite easy to mistake one for another. Someone could swim directly through the harmful blooms and not even realize their mistake until it’s too late.
The cyanobacteria may be harder to avoid than many realize, but still, there are no real preventative measures being taken by the department to keep the public safe from their own leisure. It is hard not to think of the 1975 film “Jaws,” where town officials declare the beaches safe for swimming despite the known presence of a bloodthirsty shark lurking beneath the waves.
If the department is aware of the many adverse effects these unnatural blooms of cyanobacteria can cause to people and pets alike, the department should be held accountable in blocking off and clearing the area of the toxic algae before allowing anyone to willingly put themselves at risk. They should not allow these affected lake fronts to remain open, risking the health and safety of all those who enter, regardless of the warnings placed online.
Cyanobacteria itself is not a harmful growth and is actually commonly found on many shorelines across the East Coast, but many factors can lead to the algaes’ quick change in density, and therefore, safety. Rising temperatures caused by climate change receive the highest blame for these historic outbreaks, as well as other factors such as wind, heavier rains, and pollution runoff.
On a larger scale, more needs to be done to protect our threatened ecosystems and water bodies from climate change in order to prevent these historic outbreaks from occurring in the first place. While we witness the real-time, never-before-seen effects of pollution on our lakefronts, N.H.’s Department of Environmental Services should work with and for the public to clear the toxic threats to these beloved shores before allowing the public to access them.
Kara Montagano can be contacted at
Kara.Montagano@keene.edu
