Advisories issued for Utah Lake, Jordan River as harmful algal blooms return

PROVO — Utah Lake visitors are being urged to avoid swimming, skiing, wading or drinking water from Utah Lake because a harmful algal bloom is impacting all parts of the popular lake.

Utah Lake Authority officials issued an advisory on Thursday after tests confirmed the algal bloom, days after the Utah Division of Water Quality alerted the agency that satellite imagery and initial inspections suggested a massive algal bloom had returned.

State officials have issued a series of “health watches” across the lake’s eastern marinas in recent weeks. Those have been extended to areas along the western shore, like Saratoga Springs Marina. The lake serves as the headwaters of the Jordan River, and some watches have also been issued for parts of the river in Utah County.

On top of avoiding the water, those using paddleboards, kayaks or smaller crafts are also urged to be careful with contacting the water. People are also urged to keep their pets away from the water and to discard the skin and guts of fish collected from the lake.

Motorized boating and sailboating are still considered safe.

“(Harmful algal blooms) are an unfortunate, but natural part of lake life that require some temporary adjustments for avid recreators. It’s like the need for precaution in Utah’s ski country during avalanche season, or in red rock country during flash flood season,” said Luke Peterson, executive director of the Utah Lake Authority, in a statement.

Harmful algal blooms are an aquatic bacteria that photosynthesize like a plant, usually forming in the water as something appearing to be blue-green algae, according to the Utah Division of Water Quality. They’re problematic because they produce cyanobacteria, a bacterium that can cause kidney, liver or neurologic system damage in humans, and is also dangerous to animals.

National Ocean Service officials note that they form when the wrong wind and water currents combine or when nutrients like phosphorus, nitrogen, and carbon — often from lawns and farms — build up at rates faster than algae in a body of water’s environment. Poor water circulation, above-normal water temperatures and drought are all potential factors.

They are a fairly common issue for Utah Lake and other bodies of water across the state, especially during the summer.

Utah Lake isn’t alone in the current issue, either. The Utah Division of Water Quality has a few watches and warning advisories still in place across the state, which can be found on its website.

 

Jordan River algal bloom

 

Salt Lake County Health Department also issued a warning Thursday for portions of the Jordan River and its canals due a presence of harmful algal bloom.

Algal bloom has been found in sections of the Jordan River, the health department said. The department is still waiting for laboratory results regarding toxic levels, but the department has issued a warning to limit access to potential toxic algae.

“Within Salt Lake County, the impacted stretch of the Jordan River extends from the southern county line north to approximately 9000 South. Harmful algae species have also been detected in connected canals as far north as 3000 South,” the notice said.

The health department has warned residents against swimming in the Jordan River or canals, eating fish that have not been cleaned or still have guts that have not been discarded, or drinking the water. It also suggests keeping animals, including pets, away from the water.

Despite the advisory, all bodies of water remain open in Salt Lake County.

“Officials urge caution throughout the entire river and canal system, as algae and toxin levels can change rapidly,” the health department added Thursday.

Examples of symptoms of exposure are headaches, fever, diarrhea, abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting and occasionally a skin irritation or allergic reactions on the skin.

The Salt Lake County Health Departments asks those who think they have been exposed to harmful algal bloom to call the Utah Poison Control Center at 800-222-1222 or contact your health care provider.

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