WALDPORT – The Oregon Health Authority issued a recreational-use health advisory Tuesday for Eckman Lake due to a cyanobacteria bloom and cyanotoxins.
The agency said Tuesday that the bacteria and toxins pose a danger to human and animal health and that people should avoid swimming and other water activities where blooms are present. Risk of illness is most often caused by ingesting affected waters but people with sensitive skin may get a puffy red rash.
On Thursday, the Oregon Fish & Wildlife Department recommended people avoid harvesting and consuming softshell clams from the Alsea Bay estuary. With Eckman Lake feeding directly to the Alsea Bay estuary and that saxitoxins can cause paralytic shellfish poisoning, ODFW recommends people avoid harvesting and eating softshell clams from the Alsea estuary.
Softshell clams from Alsea Bay will be tested for biotoxin levels with results expected next week, the ODFW said.
Children and pets are at increased risk because of size and activity level, the OHA said. Dogs can get extremely ill and even die within minutes to hours of exposure to cyanotoxins.
Toxins cannot be removed by boiling, filtering or treating water with camp-style filters, the notice said. And not all private treatment systems can effectively remove cynotoxins. People who may draw water directly from the area are advised to use an alternative water source.
Fish caught where cyanobacteria blooms are present may pose health risks and the OHA advised not to eat them.
The OHA said symptoms from exposure range from stomach cramping, diarrhea, nausea and vomiting to numbness, tingling, dizziness and shortness of breath, and may require medical attention. Dogs can experience weakness, difficulty walking, seizures, lethargy and loss of appetite. If a dog exhibits symptoms, veterinary treatment should be sought immediately.
For more information or to report an illness, contact OHA at 971-673-0482, or visit OHA’s Cyanobacteria (Harmful Algae) Blooms website.
Thank you for publishing this news that is highly significant. I wonder how this toxic bloom impacts water fowl like egrets and great blue herons who eat fish from Eckman Lake and on the north side of Hwy 34 where the water from Eckman lake runs into the Alsea River flats? Is the city doing any water testing for nitrate levels and assessing if septic field failures or up stream contaminants are contributing factors? I hope there is clear signage at the park and at the Baptist Church where dog walking, kayak launching, and clamming are known to happen?
The algae bloomed is caused by sewage dumping on the property south of Eckman Lake. This happens year round and with the rains excess nitrogen and other contaminates wash into Eckman Lake via several streams and tributaries of Eckman Creek that flow during the rainy seasons. This causes the algae blooms in the summer when the lake teamperatures rise.
Why is sewage being dumped? Is it a legal option?