Shoreline along Columbia River parks closed due safety threat from toxic algae
The Benton Franklin Health District ordered part of Richland’s Columbia River shoreline to close Thursday night because of toxic bacteria in the water.
Test results show there were elevated levels of a neurotoxin that is especially dangerous for small children and animals, said a district news release.
And the health district is expanding testing to Kennewick and Pasco, but have yet to receive any results.
While those areas are not closed, officials say people should be careful going into the water in the Tri-Cities area.
On Wednesday, officials began posting warning signs at access points along the Columbia River near Tri-Cities after reports of four dogs dying and two more getting sick from being in the water.
By 5 p.m. Thursday, the shoreline closure order was issued for the area from the boat launch at Howard Amon Park south to the confluence of the Yakima River, near Bateman Island.
Health officials said recreational use should be avoided and children and pets should be kept out of the water until further tests show the toxins drop to safe levels.
Toxins can accumulate in fish, especially in the liver, kidneys and other organs, said officials. They warned people to be cautious of eating fish caught in areas with toxic algae blooms.
At the very least, remove internal organs before eating the fish, they said.
Safety tips
Health officials say:
- Don’t swim in water or limit your exposure to water that is under a health advisory or is listed as having a toxic algae bloom on the state’s toxic algae tracking site.
- People who swim or play in the water should shower with soap and water. Contact a healthcare provider immediately if you become ill.
- Wash your pets or livestock immediately to keep them from licking the bacteria off their fur.
- Report suspected toxic algae blooms online at the state toxic algae tracking site or contact your local health department.
Symptoms
Exposure to Anatoxin-a can be fatal, said health officials.
If people and animals ingest tainted water they can suffer from symptoms within 15-20 minutes.
Exposure in animals may result in weakness, staggering, difficulty breathing, convulsions and death.
People can experience numbness in their lips, tingling fingers and toes and dizziness.
Health officials are investigating the deaths of four dogs between Sept. 12-14 and two others that were sick earlier in the month.
Health District Senior Manager Rick Dawson said during a news media briefing Thursday morning that water samples were sent to a King County environmental lab for testing.
And veterinarians were helping with testing on the pets who got sick.
And he said the state Department of Health is working with the health district to make sure the cities drinking water systems remain safe.
The river is the Tri-Cities main drinking water source and it’s tested for toxic algae both when it’s taken from the river and after it’s treated. There have not been any issues.
The district does not test irrigation water, so is advising people to avoid contact between irrigation water and pets. And irrigation water should not be used as pet drinking water.
How to spot toxic algae
Toxic algae blooms vary in appearance, but commonly look like pea soup or are blue-green or turquoise in color.
The toxicity of each bloom can vary and is difficult to predict, according to the Washington state Department of Health.
It can change day to day. Only testing can tell how dangerous it is.
The blooms often look like paint floating on the water, Dawson said.
“Honestly, it just looks like the water is not right, but it doesn’t look like weeds or things like that. It looks like something is going on in or on top of the water,” he said.
People can also look for dead birds or fish in the area.
They normally show up in lakes or other standing bodies of water. It’s rare, but not unheard of, to see them show up in rivers, particularly where water is slow moving.
This story was originally published September 17, 2021 at 12:17 PM.