Harmful algal bloom reported in Ypsilanti's Ford Lake: What health officials are saying

Washtenaw County Health Department officials are urging caution around Ypsilanti's Ford Lake, after the discovery of a harmful algal bloom.

A resident reported a suspected harmful algal bloom on Tuesday, and testing by health officials that same day confirmed the presence of microcystin toxin levels above the recommended recreational limits set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Different types of naturally occurring algal blooms occur on lakes and rivers, and most are not harmful. But there are some made of cyanobacteria that have the ability to produce toxins, causing a harmful algal bloom. The toxins may affect the liver, nervous system or skin.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, symptoms can range from mild headaches, nausea, itchy skin or eye irritation, on up to life-threatening liver and/or kidney damage or neurological disorders, depending on the types of toxins ingested and levels of exposure. Children and pets are especially susceptible to effects from harmful algal blooms.

Ford Lake has experienced harmful algal blooms in the past as well, county health officials said. The blooms can be caused by sunlight, low water or low-flow conditions, warmer temperatures and excess nutrients such as phosphorus or nitrogen that often come from runoff of fertilizers, animal manure, stormwater runoff, failing septic tanks, industrial emissions or sewage treatment plant discharges.

County health officials offer these recommendations:

• People can swim in or otherwise recreate in Ford Lake, but should stay away from water that has scums or mats that look like colored paint or has colored streaks.

• People and pets should rinse off after swimming.

• Children and pets should be kept away from algae on the shore or in the water.

• People, pets and livestock should not drink water from Ford Lake.

• People waterskiing, boating or tubing in areas with algal scums may be exposed to breathing in water droplets that could contain toxins.

• All fish should be caught and released. Ford Lake is under a Do Not Eat Fish Advisory.

For more information, contact the Washtenaw County Health Department at https://washtenaw.org/health or call 734-544-6700.

Contact Keith Matheny: [email protected].

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Harmful algal bloom reported in Ypsilanti's Ford Lake: What to know