Residents cautioned to avoid Ohio River algae
Charleston Gazette-Mail
Residents cautioned to avoid Ohio River algae
State public health officials on Friday cautioned West Virginians to avoid contact with Ohio River water that appears to contain blue-green algae, the latest action as concern continues across the region about a potentially toxic algae that’s been moving down the river over the last few weeks.
The state Bureau for Public Health advised residents to “be proactive” and avoid water that looks like spilled paint, has surface scum, mats or film, is discolored or has colored streaks, or has green globs floating below the surface.
Dr. Rahul Gupta, commissioner of the bureau, said that agency officials wanted to get the word out about the issue at the start of the long Labor Day weekend to residents who may be fishing, swimming or boating. “We wanted to make sure going in that people are getting the right information,” Gupta said.
Bureau officials stopped short of issuing a more serious “no contact” advisory for the Ohio River. They said that, despite seeing some high levels in some samplings of river water, most samples were well below the 20-part-per-billion concentration for the higher level advisory. They also said that a second requirement for such an advisory — one or more probable cases of human illness or pet deaths attributable to toxic algae exposure — had not been met.
State officials said blue-green algal blooms have been observed and monitored between the Pike Island Lock and Dam near Wheeling downriver to the Kentucky border. ...
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