The latest round of water testing in the Kansas River shows that algal toxins have decreased upstream from Lawrence. Since the beginning of September, the U.S. Geological Survey has been sampling water in the Kansas River because of concerns of a massive blue-green algae bloom upstream in Milford Lake.
Water from Milford Lake and Tuttle Creek was released on Aug. 31, sending algal toxins, as well as taste and odor problems, downstream. Water samples from Sept. 8 showed the low levels of the toxins and taste and odor problems existed in water that passed through Lawrence. However, samples taken of treated drinking water did not contain any traces of the algal toxin.
Data from Sept. 12 showed those toxin levels had decreased upstream from Lawrence. Samples from the same day showed that water released from Tuttle Creek and Perry Lake had less than .1 microgram per liter of algal toxins, but still had concentrations of taste and odor compounds.
More than 600,000 people in Topeka, Lawrence and Johnson County use the Kansas River as a water source. In its latest release of findings, USGS Kansas Water Science Center director Andy Ziegler noted the need to “establish monitoring networks in reservoirs and streams to act as early warning for management agencies to protect human and environmental health.”
Government agencies and municipalities continue to discuss short-term and long-term monitoring of the river.
Milford Lake blue-green algae bloom by ChristineMetz
Tagged: US Geolgoical Survey, Milford Lake, Kansas River, blue-green algae
Comments
hitme (anonymous) says…
I noticed the foam yesterday. Is that related? Has this affected the Crew teams practicing?