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Harmful Algal Blooms:An OverviewAnthony Prestigiacomo, Research ScientistFinger Lakes Watershed Hub
Division of Water, Bureau of Water Assessment & Management
NYSAC 2017
September 14, 2017
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Presentation Outline
1. Cyanobacteria
2. Health concerns, briefly
3. Other harms
4. The DEC’s HABs Program
5. What causes HABs?
6. What to do about HABs?
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1. Cyanobacteria
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Cyanobacteria(a.k.a. Blue-green Algae)
• Present in nearly every aquatic environment
• Prokaryotic bacteria, numerous types/forms
• Contain chlorophyll and blue-green
pigments (phycocyanins)
• Highly specialized and competitive:
• gas vacuoles (moderate buoyancy)
• fix nitrogen
• produce toxins
Anaebena – Cayuga Lake, July 2017
5http://epa.ohio.gov
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Acronym time: HABs
H: Harmfulproduction or potential to produce
toxins
A: Algal (ish)(freshwater HABs refer to
cyanobacteria, not truly algae)
B: Blooms: proliferation of cells, dense
accumulations/concentrations
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Characteristics of HABs: Know it when you see it
DEC Harmful Algal Blooms webpage:
http://www.dec.ny.gov/chemical/77118.html
Spilled Paint Pea soup
Streaks Dots/clumps
Avoid exposure!Keep children and pets away
from scums or discolored water
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2. Health
Concerns, briefly
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Three Main ToxinsMicrocystins (liver toxin)
• Most common toxin in New York
Anatoxins (nerve toxin)
• Potentially fatal to dogs
Lipopolysacharides (endotoxins)
• Skin irritants and allergens
• Produced by most cyanobacteria
Others
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Routes of Exposure
1. Consumption:
• drinking water, incidental
swallowing (recreation)
2. Inhalation:
• sprays, aerosols created during
household use or recreation
3. Dermal exposure:
• skin contact during swimming,
fishing
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HABs and Health
• Symptoms include:
• diarrhea, nausea or vomiting; skin, eye or throat irritation; and allergic
reactions or breathing difficulties
• If exposed to blooms/scums:
• stop using the water, rinse off yourself, children, and animals with
clean water
• seek immediate medical assistance for symptoms consistent with
exposure
• report any symptoms to local/state Health Department
Health department email:[email protected]
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3. Other Harms
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Other Harms
Dissolved oxygen depletion:
• bloom crashes, aerobic
respiration by bacteria can
deplete oxygen
• can lead to fish kills
• unpleasant odors
Bloom on Oneida Lake, August 1
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Other Harms
HABs can disrupt lake food
webs
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Other Harms
Economic harm• Degraded aesthetics
• Recreational losses:
• fishing, bathing, swimming
• Reduction in tourism
• Property value impacts
• Costs of advanced drinking water treatment
• perceptions matter
More Than $2 Million State Investment is Safeguarding Owasco Lake Drinking Water for 46,000 Central New Yorkers
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4. DEC HABs
Program
Overseen by Dr. Rebecca Gorney
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What is the DEC HABs Program?
The program consists of DEC staff who:
1. oversee HAB monitoring and surveillance activities,
2. work to identify bloom status,
3. conduct outreach/education and communicate public
health risks,
4. conduct research
5. provide data, insights for the management of NY waters
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The DEC HABs ProgramSurveillance/sampling
• Funded through EPA recurrent grant to DEC (2011-present)
• Coordinate with “professional” and volunteer surveillance and sampling programs
• SUNY ESF and Stony Brook contracted for lab analyses: fluorometry (chlorophyll and blue-green pigments), microscopic ids & toxins
• Additional sampling and reporting by DEC, DOH & OPRHP
Bloom Status• Determine bloom status (Suspicious, Confirmed, or
Confirmed with High Toxins Blooms)
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Is the observer aprofessional?
No(lay person)
Yes
Is the bloom in a regulated swimming area?
Yes
Does DEC HABs staff determine descriptions/imagery are credible/likely to be cyanobacteria?
No
No
Yes
SUSPICIOUS BLOOM
NO BLOOM
Collect a sample for
analysis(if possible)
BG Chla ≥ 25 µg/L &/or cyano majority; MC ≤ high toxin threshold; or a regulated swimming area closed
CONFIRMED BLOOM
BG Chla < 25 µg/Lor non-cyano
majority
Confirmed Bloom & Microcystin ≥ 10 (open water)/ ≥ 20 µg/L (shoreline) or high risk of other cyanotoxin exposure
CONFIRMED WITH HIGH
TOXINS BLOOM
Bloom Report and/or Digital Photos Received
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Bloom Designation
No Bloom DEC staff determines that the
report is not a HAB
A potential bloom report is filed
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Non-HABs Examples
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Bloom Designation
No Bloom
Suspicious
Confirmed
Confirmed with High Toxins
Credible evidence indicates
likelihood of both BGA and
bloom conditions from visual,
field report, other
Not (yet) verified by laboratory
analysis
A potential bloom report is filed
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An easy one . . .
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Bloom or no bloom?
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Bloom Designation
No Bloom
Suspicious
Confirmed
Confirmed with High Toxins
HAB confirmed by:
1. BG chlorophyll-a levels > 25 µg/l
(interpretation of WHO
guidance)
2. Dominance by BGA
(fluoroprobe, microscopic
analysis)
3. or – a regulated swimming area
has been closed
A potential bloom report is filed
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The Difficulty of Confirmation
July 16 July 17
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Bloom Designation
No Bloom
Suspicious
Confirmed
Confirmed with High Toxins
High Toxins confirmed by:
1. Open water microcystin
concentration ≥ 10 µg/L (ppb)
2. Shoreline microcystin
concentration ≥ 20 µg/L (ppb)
A potential bloom report is filed
For ALL categories, public advised to AVOID it and REPORT it.
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The DEC HABs Program
Education & Outreach
• Website: HABs primer, FAQs, photos,
notifications, map, and archived data
• Conduct presentations & trainings
• Weekly updates: MakingWaves, Twitter,
• Summary results in DEC & CSLAP reports
• NEW! Brochure and Program Guide
• Notifications sent to stakeholders:
▪ date, bloom status, photos, raw data, etc.
DEC Harmful Algal Blooms webpage
http://www.dec.ny.gov/chemical/77118.html
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5. What Causes
HABs?
30From Paerl and Otten 2013
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Wild Cards Affecting HABs
1. Climate change
2. Trophic interactions
• selective feeding by
dreissenid mussels
3. Emerging contaminants
4. Toxicity triggers
5. Causes of bloom collapse
www.invasive.org
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6. What to do
about HABs?
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Research Leads to Management
1. Education and outreach
2. Research: data collection and analyses
▪ occurrence, distribution, timing
▪ water chemistry indicators, chl-a,
phycocyanins, toxins
▪ trophic state interactions
▪ trends, case studies and statistical analysis
▪ watershed drivers (e.g., land use) with
likelihood of blooms
Use research and applied science to
target management and funding to lake-specific HAB drivers
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Management Targets
Temperature, stratification, light availability, trophic interactions
are important factors but not easily controlled
“In a great majority of cases, nutrient input reductions are the most direct, simple, and ecologically/economically feasible CyanoHAB management strategy” – Paerl & Otten 2013
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Nutrient Management• Watershed planning and nutrient
management
▪ Total Max. Daily Loads (TMDLs), Nine-
element plans
• Nutrient criteria development
• Stormwater program
• Nutrient reduction strategies
▪ Point source restrictions
▪ Non-point best management practices
▪ In-water body controls
What is causing HABs in low nutrient lakes?
Keuka Lake, July 2017; summer average TP ~ 5-10 µg/L
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Summary/Conclusions
• The DEC HABs program:
▪ coordinates surveillance and
sampling, assigns bloom status,
provides results to stakeholders
▪ conducts research to better
manage and protect NYS
freshwater resources
• Surveillance networks are
invaluable
• The DEC partners to monitor
and educate
Bill Hecht
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Summary/Conclusions
• Data sets include: field observations, algal community information,
pigments, and cyanotoxin results
• Assigning bloom status is a collaborative approach
• Research objectives include: understanding HABs dynamics, HABs
likelihood, and drivers
• HABs are caused by multiple, interconnected factors
▪ nutrients, temperature, wind, biological interactions
• Management tools are driven by research, applied science
▪ nutrient management is key – controllable (?)
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Thank You
• Anthony PrestigiacomoResearch Scientist
615 Erie Bvd. West; Syracuse, NY 13204
(315) 426-7452
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