It’s August in Whatcom County, the busy season for recreation on our region’s freshwater lakes. People flock to nearby lakes to go boating, fishing, paddling, swimming, or wading from the shoreline. Unfortunately, the high temperatures that drive lake recreation also drive the proliferation of algae. While some algae is a normal part of a healthy lake ecosystem, warm water temps and an excess of nutrients like phosphorus and nitrogen can lead to problematic rapid algae growth, also known as harmful algal blooms, or HABs. Like any ecosystem, balance is key. Too much algae can choke out other organisms and cause dissolved oxygen levels to crash, dead zones where fish and other wildlife can’t survive.
Harmful algal blooms are also a threat to the public and our pets, ranging from moderate irritations like skin rashes and gastrointestinal issues to neurological effects and even death in wildlife and domestic animals. As the potential for harmful algal blooms increases with development and runoff pollution, not to mention higher temperatures brought on by climate change, it is vital to monitor our lakes for early signs, and to protect Whatcom County residents and pets from harm. That’s why we developed our Freshwater Lake Monitoring program, which monitoring five Whatcom lakes in collaboration with Western Washington University’s Institute for Watershed Studies, and Whatcom County Health and Community Services.
Learn more about the program through Louisa Loi’s in-depth reporting for the Salish Current. You can also learn more about the program on our Freshwater Lake Monitoring Program initiative page.