Harmful Cyanobacterial Blooms Detected in Pathfinder and Alcova Reservoirs

According to the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) harmful cyanobacterial blooms (HCBs) have been detected in several of Wyoming's waters including Pathfinder and Alcova Reservoir.

HCBs are also called blue-green algae. Some, but not all, blooms may become visible and can look like foam, scum, or mats. They can be blue, green, brown or red. Sometimes the blooms look like paint floating on the water's surface.

The department has issued a toxin adivsory for Pathfinder and a bloom advisory for Alcova.

A Toxin Advisory is issued for a waterbody when toxin concentrations exceed recreational use thresholds. Blooms and toxins may only be present in certain areas of a waterbody and conditions can change frequently.

A Bloom Advisory is issued for a waterbody when cyanobacterial blooms are present, but have not yet been deemed toxic.

Why are these blooms harmful?

HCBs can make toxins, called cyanotoxins, which can make people, their pets, and other animals sick. People or animals that have direct contact with the contaminated water by swimming, breathing in aerosols, or swallowing the contaminated water can experience symptoms. These symptoms can vary depending on how they were exposed, how long they were exposed, and the particular toxin involved.

What are the symptoms?

People or animals who are directly exposed to cyanotoxins can experience:

• Skin irritation
• Eye irritation
• Nose irritation
• Throat irritation
• Respiratory irritation

Pets and animals may experience more severe symptoms such as:

• Excessive salivation
• Vomiting
• Fatigue
• Staggered walking
• Difficulty breathing
• Convulsions
• Liver failure
• Death
• Death in animals can occur within hours to days of the exposure

Follow the recommendations below to protect yourself, your family, and your pets from HCBs:

• Don’t swim, water ski, or boat in areas where the water is discolored or where you see foam, scum, or mats of algae on the water’s surface.
• Do not allow children or pets to play in or drink scummy water.
• If you do swim in water that might contain harmful cyanobacteria, rinse off with fresh water as soon as possible afterward.
• Don’t let pets or livestock swim in or drink from areas where the water is discolored or where you see foam, scum, or mats of cyanobacteria on the water’s surface.
• If pets, especially dogs, swim in scummy water, rinse them off immediately. Do not let them lick the cyanobacteria off their fur.
• Report any “musty” smell or taste in your drinking water to your local water utility.
• Follow any water-body closures or advisories announced by authorities.