Michelle Evans, the city’s water quality specialist, checks for algae as Bellingham and Whatcom County respond to reports of algae and green water in Padden Lake and Padden Creek Thursday, March 2, in Bellingham.
Courtesy of The Bellingham Herald
Padden Creek and parts of Lake Padden appeared vibrantly green this week, and Bellingham and Whatcom County officials are urging people and pets to stay out of the water until more is known.
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There’s no immediate threat to people from cyanobacteria, which is commonly called blue-green algae, a Bellingham Public Works Department official told The Bellingham Herald.
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“There were algae blooms and they tested positive for cyanobacteria, but well below the level that the Environmental Protection Agency has determined to be a risk for humans,” said Amy Cloud, spokeswoman for Public Works.
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In a joint statement issued Thursday afternoon, March 2, Bellingham Public Works and the Whatcom County Department of Health and Community Services said that test results are expected next week.
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“Until more is known, and in areas where algal blooms are visible in the lake, stay out of the water, keep kids and pets out of the water, and do not let pets drink from this water,” the statement said.
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Cyanobacteria isn’t actually an algae, but a bacteria that “blooms” in nutrient-rich water and carries a toxin that can be harmful to animals and people, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
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“Cyanotoxins are among the most powerful natural poisons known. They can make people, their pets, and other animals sick. Unfortunately, there are no remedies to counteract the effects,” the CDC said at its website.
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It’s impossible to tell if an algal or bacterial bloom is toxic simply by looking at it, the CDC said.
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“These harmful blooms can look identical to non-harmful blooms, which is why agencies test when blooms are reported,” the Bellingham/Whatcom County statement said.
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“Algae blooms occur naturally in many water bodies including Lake Padden and Padden Creek,” the statement said.
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Renee LaCroix, assistant director of the Bellingham Public Works Department’s Natural Resources Division, said the algae in Padden Creek could be the same bloom that was seen in Lake Padden last week.
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“Recent wind and rain may have pushed the bloom from Lake Padden to the area downstream of Interstate5 in Padden Creek,” LaCroix said.
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Padden Creek flows from the lake’s west side and heads downstream through Fairhaven Park, finally draining into Bellingham Bay north of the Cruise Terminal.
This story was originally published March 2, 2023 at 5:02 p.m.
