Cyanobacteria are single-celled organisms that live in fresh, brackish, and marine water. They use sunlight to make their own food. In warm, nutrient-rich environments, microscopic cyanobacteria can grow quickly, creating blooms that spread across the water’s surface. Freshwater CyanoHABs can use up the oxygen and block the sunlight that other organisms need to live. They also can produce powerful toxins that affect the brain and liver of animals and humans.

Humans can be exposed to cyanobacterial toxins by drinking water that contain the toxins, swimming in water that holds high concentrations of cyanobacterial cells or breathing air that has cyanobacterial cells or toxins.

Health effects associated with exposure to high concentrations of cyanobacterial toxins include:

• stomach and intestinal illness
• trouble breathing
• allergic responses
• skin irritation
• liver damage
• neurotoxin reactions, such as
               tingling fingers and toes.

Scientists are exploring the human health effects associated with long-term exposure to low levels of cyanobacterial toxins. Some studies have suggested that such exposure could be associated with chronic illnesses, such as liver cancer and digestive-system cancer.

In an effort to predict toxic cyanobacterial blooms and alert lake users of potential health concerns Northwest utilizes state of the art optical probes to monitor both and blue green algae densities. Our YSI 6600 V2 sampling equipment automatically acquires sampling data from any point of the water column. In conjunction with the algae data collected, the equipment is also capable of recording pH, temperature, conductivity and turbidity parameters. Over time, as data is collected and evaluated, our monitoring provides another level of safety and assurances to lake users.

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