WATERLOO – An environmental report claims water monitoring in Iowa, Minnesota and Wisconsin is woefully inadequate.
Government monitoring of lakes, rivers and streams for a dangerous toxin that can be produced by outbreaks of algae falls far short of what’s needed to protect public health in the three states, according to a new analysis from the Environmental Working Group.
The report and accompanying map aggregate the limited data from multiple years of state tests for microcystin in the three Upper Midwest states, showing just how paltry such testing is in the region.
“Clearly, Iowa, Minnesota and Wisconsin must conduct both more extensive and more regular testing for microcystin, which poses danger to humans, pets and wildlife,” said Anne Schechinger, EWG senior economic analyst and author of the report. “It’s impossible to keep people safe from microcystin if no one knows it’s there.”
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Josh Balk, a source water protection coordinator with Dry Run Creek Watershed in Waterloo and the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, said there are many organizations, agencies and citizens that value water quality and make it a priority.
“From homeowners building a rain garden, producers trying out cover crops, businesses and municipalities implementing permeable pavement, educators taking their students to a local stream for a field day, regulatory agencies analyzing samples for public safety, and our local volunteers and advocates out there promoting water quality; we all have a role to play to keep our communities and outdoor recreational areas safe and thriving for all to enjoy,” he said.
In the Cedar Valley there are several watershed improvement projects for Dry Run Creek, Miller Creek, Black Hawk Creek and Middle Cedar, as well as research-focused initiatives at the University of Northern Iowa, Iowa State University and the University of Iowa that are monitoring bodies of water. Some efforts are voluntary like past community volunteer water monitoring events Balk has hosted, the Cedar Valley Water Watchers initiative and groups like the Izaak Walton League facilitating training sessions for citizens.
The Cedar Valley’s most prominent recreational body of water is George Wyth Lake. Although Balk is not directly involved with monitoring the lake, he said there are organizations that analyze the water there and respond accordingly if results are outside accepted parameters, resulting in beach closures until levels are safe again.
“Water bodies are dynamic, living and thriving systems. They are constantly changing based on so many factors including precipitation, temperature, aquatic biology, land use and more. It would be impossible to monitor every stream and lake for every potential water quality parameter all of the time. That is where developing a planned method for targeting potential areas of concern, identifying the local resources available and then forming partnerships to come together and help implement it all makes such a large task manageable,” Balk said.
The WEG’s map highlights known algae outbreaks reported by the news media in the three states as well as the discrepancy between obvious places to look for the dangerous toxins and where microcystin monitoring actually occurs.
Algae blooms – which are actually microscopic organisms called cyanobacteria – are commonly triggered when fertilizer and animal manure run off farm fields into lakes, ponds, rivers and streams. Toxic algae outbreaks occur when algae blooms emit cyanotoxins, which can be dangerous to humans, pets and wildlife.
Microcystin is one of the most common cyanotoxins, and exposure can lead to short-term human health symptoms like nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and sore throat, and long-term problems like liver failure and cancer.
Not all algae outbreaks are toxic, but no one understands why some algae blooms become toxic — the only way to know for sure is to test the water. Toxic algae can exist even when there isn’t a visible outbreak, compounding the danger.
EWG’s report points out that, although state-level monitoring for microcystin is inadequate in Iowa, Minnesota and Wisconsin – and many other states – underfunded state agencies are not to blame. Until state and federal policy makers dedicate significant funds to monitoring and managing toxic algae outbreaks, state agency efforts will remain limited.
Most experts believe algae blooms are becoming more frequent and ubiquitous, thanks to unchecked farm pollution and hospitable conditions created by climate change, such as warming water temperatures and increasing precipitation.
“As the climate emergency accelerates, toxic algae is becoming a growing threat to public health,” Schechinger said. “Monitoring and researching the problem – and reducing its primary cause, agricultural pollution – must become a priority in the highest reaches of government across the Upper Midwest and in Washington, D.C.”
EWG tracks all news reports of algae outbreaks that have occurred in the U.S. since 2010.
The Iowa DNR tracks the monitoring of state beaches and ties to algae and bacteria at www.iowadnr.gov/Environmental-Protection/Water-Quality/Water-Monitoring/Beaches.