Algal blooms are popping up in Beaufort County waterways, leading officials to warn against swimming in affected areas.

Friday, the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality sent out water quality swimming notifications for two sites in Beaufort County: the public access to Pantego Creek at the intersection of East Main and Tooley streets in Belhaven and the public access at the junction of upper Goose Creek and Dinah’s Landing near Washington. Water samples taken from both sites exceed state and EPA recreational water quality standards.

“This is the most significant algal bloom I’ve seen since I started in 2003,” said Sound Rivers riverkeeper Heather Jacobs Deck.

“I saw water quality numbers (from our testing meter) I have never seen before,” Deck wrote in an email. “Very high saturation of oxygen and pH, very, very high.”

Deck said the water is very fresh due to the abundance of rain in the area over winter, spring and summer. The high pH — measurements over 9 were taken Friday, compared to a norm between 7 and 8 — and oxygen saturation have led to an explosion of algae, particularly in upper Bath Creek and Goose Creek.

“Typically, you wouldn’t get above 100-percent (oxygen) saturation,” Deck said. “We saw all the way up above 200 percent in upper Goose Creek.”

Water in upper Bath Creek appears “Crayola green,” she said, indicating the presence of filamentous bluegreen algae, which is common in freshwater lakes, but rare in the Pamlico.

Deck said the right circumstances have led to the blooms, and she’s concerned a fish kill is next.

“It’s been higher than normal rainfall through the winter and spring. We’ve just had lots of rain, lots of nutrients flushing into the river. It’s just ripe conditions for algae to be going crazy,” Deck said. “I will be really surprised if we don’t see a fish kill this weekend — with the heat, and especially if the winds are calm, I expect the water condition to get worse.”

She said she noticed a few fish struggling on the Pamlico, east of Blounts Bay. Water samples indicate the most affected areas are between Bath and Blounts Bay, Deck said.

“There’s nothing substantial going on in the Pamlico around Whichards Beach,” she said. “The best water that we saw was near PCS (PotashCorp-Aurora).”

Decks is advising people not to swim in water that appears green.

“These types of algae can produce toxins, but I don’t know if they are producing toxins,” Deck said. “It’s just really good to play it safe — especially kids and dogs. You don’t want your dogs drinking that water. … I highly recommend the public avoid primary contact of upper Bath Creek, Goose Creek, upstream of the campground.”

 

Know when to skip the water

• You notice an active fish kill, or remnants of fish kill (report fish kills here: ncdenr.maps.arcgis.com/apps/GeoForm/index.html?appid=6c240649a40141dc817ad1e1dd9aeb9a);
• An algal bloom that is visible (water looks green), or an advisory has been issued about an algal bloom;
• Swimming advisories are issued by the state or local government;
• You have an open wound. Best to wait until it heals;
• A significant rainstorm after periods of dry weather, for first 2-3 days;
• Flooding or high water. Heavy rains and flooding can typically lead to sewer overflows and urban areas are especially susceptible to this. (Not to mention high flows are really dangerous!)

If you come into contact with an algal bloom, wash thoroughly. Do the same for your pets with clean water. If your child or family member appears ill after being in waters with an algal bloom, seek medical care immediately. If your pet appears to stumble, stagger or collapse after being in natural waterbodies, seek veterinary care immediately.