For additional information, go to www.epa.ohio.gov/pic/glsm_algae.aspx .
The crisis at Grand Lake St. Marys entered a new phase late Friday afternoon as the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency warned against all human contact with the lake water poisoned by toxin-spewing cyanobacteria, popularly known as blue-green algae.
“As a result of extremely high levels of microcystin, Ohio EPA, Ohio Deptartment of Natural Resources and Ohio Dept. of Health are raising the advisory level at the lake to ensure public health,” Dina Pierce of the OEPA said. “At this time, the state recommends people do not contact the water, do not allow pets to contact the water and do not take boats onto the lake.”
Pierce said the warning is an advisory “but it’s a very strong advisory.” The toxins “are very deadly to small animals,” Pierce said.
Earlier warnings didn’t explicitly ban boating. Uncontrolled runoff of livestock manure is fueling the algae blooms, experts say.
The warning added that due to the high levels of microcystin, a liver toxin, coupled with the uncertainty of the buildup of microcystin toxins in fish tissue, people are advised to not consume fish caught in Grand Lake St. Marys.
The warnings were spurred by water samples taken by OEPA at the three state park beaches on Monday. Lab analysis by the Celina Water Department indicate microcystin levels have reached very high levels of at least 2,000 parts per billion at East Beach, West Beach and Campground Beach, Pierce said.
“It is important to continue noting that Celina’s treated drinking water is tested regularly and remains free of algal toxins,” Pierce said.
Previously, the OEPA had said that fish were safe to consume if people only ate filets and discarded the organs, fat and skin.
“However, those studies were not done on fish from waters with microcystin levels this high, so we are advising people to stop eating” Grand Lake “fish, for now,” Pierce added.
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