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Page 8 The Skanner June 27, 2018 News Warming Drives Spread of Toxic Algae in US, Researchers Say By TOM JAMES Associated Press SALEM, Ore. — The words blasted to cell- phones around Oregon’s capital city were omi- nous: “Civil emergency . prepare for action.” Within half an hour, a second official alert clar- ified the subject wasn’t impending violence but toxins from an algae bloom, detected in Sa- lem’s water supply in May. Across the U.S., reser- voirs that supply drink- ing water and lakes used for recreation are expe- riencing similar events with growing frequency. The trend represents another impact of glob- al warming and raises looming questions about the effects on human health, researchers say. “When water bodies warm up earlier and stay warmer longer ... you increase the number of incidents,” said Wayne Carmichael, a retired Wright State University professor specializing in the organisms. “That’s just logical, and it’s being borne out.” Technically called cy- anobacteria, the ancient class of organisms that create the blooms are present nearly every- where water is found but thrive in warm, still bodies like lakes and ponds. They also create a unique class of toxins, the impact of which on humans is only partly understood. Long linked to animal deaths, high doses of the toxins in humans can cause liver damage and attack the nervous sys- tem. In the largest out- breaks, hundreds have been sickened by blooms in reservoirs and lakes, and officials in some areas now routinely close water bodies used for recreation and post warnings when blooms occur. “ environmental engi- neering professor at Tufts University. Chapra led a team in- cluding scientists from the Massachusetts Insti- tute of Technology and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in one of the most compre- hensive studies of the interplay between global warming and the blooms, published in 2017. Because they prefer warm water, higher summer temperatures It’s absolutely certain in my mind that warming tem- peratures are going to end up causing more of these algal blooms But less is known about exposure at lower doses, especially over the long term. Small studies have linked exposure to liv- er cancer — one toxin is classified as a carcin- ogen, and others have pointed to potential links to neurodegenerative disease. But definitive- ly proving those links would require larger studies, said Carmichael, who helped the World Health Organization set the first safe exposure standards for the toxins. “It’s absolutely certain in my mind that warming temperatures are going to end up causing more of these algal blooms,” said Steven Chapra, an and more frequent heat waves help the organ- isms. More frequent droughts also cause res- ervoirs to be shallower in summer, causing them to warm faster. And more intense rain- storms, also conclusively linked to climate change, can wash more nutri- ents into lakes and res- ervoirs, especially from farms where nitrogen and phosphorous-rich fertilizers are used, Chapra said. In Utah, a 2016 algae bloom in a recreation- al-use lake sickened more than 100. When the story made national headlines, other states reached out. “We started getting AP PHOTO/TOM JAMES, FILE Cyanobacteria that poisoned Salem’s water supply this spring may become more common In this May 29, 2018, file photo, supermarket shelves are stripped bare of bottled water in Salem, Ore., after officials warned residents that tap water was unsafe for children and the elderly due to an algae bloom. Researchers and officials across the country say increasingly frequent toxic algae blooms are another bi-product of global warming. They point to looming questions about their effects on human health. calls from other health departments all over the country saying, ‘Hey, we’re dealing with an al- gal bloom in a lake that has never ever had one before,’” said Aislynn Tolman-Hill, Utah Coun- ty Health Department spokeswoman. Officials only recently started carefully log- ging the blooms, but they seem to be becoming more intense, said Ben Holcomb, a biologist for Utah’s environmental agency. “They’re starting earlier, they’re lasting longer, and their peaks seem to be getting big- ger,” Holcomb said. “I don’t think any state is A career you can be proud of. Being a carpenter isn’t just a job. It’s a way of life. We’re devoted to strengthening the lives of our members with steady work, wealth and personal growth. We take a stand for our members and all workers. We work together to lead the building industry in safety, training and compensation. We create rich lives for our members and partners. To learn more about becoming a union carpenter, go to NWCarpenters.org. 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The water supply serves a population of just over 150,000 in the city, along with residents outside city limits. Officials also warned that dozens of other wa- ter supplies could be vulnerable, and indeed, when workers from the city of Cottage Grove in- spected another reser- voir, they found a bloom, according to a report by Oregon Public Broad- casting. Testing for the blooms isn’t required by either federal or state law, offi- cials noted. Researchers say that needs to change because blooms are likely to be- come more common, in- cluding in states where low temperatures previ- ously provided a buffer against them. “These things like you’re seeing in Lake Erie and in Oregon are kind of like the canary in the coal mine,” said Chapra, the Tufts researcher. “It’s going to get worse, and it’s going to get worse in a big way.” COMING NEXT WEEK: A Special Report from The Skanner Did Aaron Campbell pull a gun on Portland Police officers before being fatally shot in 2010? Did Keaton Otis reach into his car for a gun before being fatally shot by officers that same year? A new database by the Oregon Department of Justice documenting uses of force by law enforcement statewide includes big errors.
