Algae Bloom (G Welcome)

[Low_Budget_Hooker]

We all know an algae bloom is a drag because it mucks up your lures and is tough to get a jig through, etc

My question is, is it bad for a lake?  

I know lakes that never had algae that now do, is this a cycle?  Natural?  Will it leave as it came, in a cycle or is it there to stay unless steps are taken to treat it?

(I have a strong feeling George will know this one so I tagged his name to the title, thanks)

[George Welcome]

Most algae are harmless although some less harmful than others. Yellow and brown algae will use DO more than the green algae. All algae can be harmful in a severe bloom by clogging gill structure, however this would be highly uncommon. Several of the algae are benefit as they provide a primary link in the food chain.

There is one that is almost always harmful and that is cyanoalgae, or cyanobacteria. This is the blue/green algae that appears as an oil slick on the water. This algae is toxic not only to fish but also to humans in heavy enough concentration. A light bloom might kill smaller fish but is usually not harmful. A heavy bloom is the cause for many summer fish kills.

A common algae, filamentous algae or spirogyra, is more of a pain in the neck than anything. Although this algae can get dense it is seldom harmful in a system. Commonly call hair algae, or snot, the most harm it does is clog up your spinner bait.

Repeated episodes of algae bloom is indicative of some level of pollution and one would think that either sewage runoff or fertilizer runoff levels are substantial. Algae are natural but levels can be aggravated by fertlizer runoff.

Algae as a whole is most harmful when decaying as it will absorb copious amounts of DO.

[Low_Budget_Hooker]

Exactly what I needed to know, thanks!

[roadwarrior]

My main pond was heavily covered aound the banks for a good part of the spring with the snot grass (spirogyra) George mentioned. The bloom was almost entirely a result of residential run-off (fertilizer). Our ongoing drought exacrebated the problem as the chemical concentration accumulated without water outflow.

Anyhow, we have had a little rain over the past two weeks and poof! it's gone.

[George Welcome]

Brent: that particular algae is Golden algae and it is a 24 hr. a day dissolved oxygen user. It does not produce oxygen during its life cycle. If it flares into full bloom the consequences can devaste a lakes inhabitants.

[RoLo]

The tone of the discussion has dwelled on the negative, but I'm not sure that phytoplankton should be thought of in a negative light.

Most algae and protozoa cause no problem, in fact they're the foundation of the forage base in every body of water.

Phytoplankton is like money, it's a necessity, but too much of it can cause a problem. Yah I know, everyone wants that problem

Golden algae are actually steeped in mystery, because scientists really aren't sure of anything yet.

They believe that associated fishkills may be due to asphyxia, but also believe they're the result of bacterial involvement

that releases a neurotoxin. Here's the upshot, to my knowledge Texas and Arizona are the only two states in the union

that ever experienced a fishkill caused by golden algae (chrysophytes).

Roger

[George Welcome]

Some facts about golden algae: There are over 300 species of golden algae. The below is of concern.

The golden alga, Prymnesium parvum, is a tiny, one-celled aquatic organism about the size of a human blood cell. The alga is motile with two tails called flagella that help it to move through the water in lakes and ponds. A single drop of lake water may contain well over 2,000 cells of golden alga. Biologists suspect that golden alga is relatively new to Arizona and they consider it a nuisance invasive species.

Golden alga releases unique toxins that affect gill-breathing aquatic organisms (mainly fish and clams). The alga is a rapid growing and resilient algae species, out-competing other algae for nutrients and thriving in a wide variety of environmental conditions. In a bloom situation (a bloom is an explosive increase in the population of one or several species of algae), enough toxins are released into the water to kill fish and other gill breathers that come in contact with it. The toxins cause fish gills to bleed internally, and lose their ability to exchange water and absorb oxygen. Fish then die of asphyxiation (lack of oxygen).

Where does it occur?

Golden alga was first identified in Arizona in April 2005. To date, golden alga has been confirmed in various public and private waters in the greater Phoenix area and in three reservoirs on the Tonto National Forest.

Four Urban Fishing Program waters have been infested: Water Ranch Lake (Gilbert), and Alvord Lake at Cesar Chavez Park, Cortez Lake and Desert West Lake in Phoenix. It has been found in Saguaro Lake, Canyon Lake and Apache Lake.

Golden alga was first discovered in the United States in Texas in 1985. Since then, it has caused fish kills in five major river systems and over 25 lakes or reservoirs in Texas. Texas officials have estimated the direct economic loss of over 18 million fish due to golden alga as $7 million. This toxin producing algae has now been documented from 12 states ranging from North Carolina to Georgia to Wyoming to Arizona.

It was a scene Jay Stafford hopes to never see again. In early June 2002, the Colorado Department of Wildlife fisheries biologist was called out to Prewitt Reservoir, a popular 2,500-acre fishing lake in that state's northeastern region. Anglers were reporting dead walleyes, sauger, and other fish washing up on shore. By the time I got there, it appeared to be a complete fish kill, says Stafford. There were windrows of dead fish as far as the eye could see, 20 to 30 feet wide.

The culprit was a deadly organism called golden algae. First identified in Israel, it showed up in 2000 in Texas, where it has damaged fisheries throughout the state. In Iowa, where it has since spread, golden algae has wiped out entire fish populations. The algae secretes a potent neurotoxin that quickly enters the bloodstream of fish to cause asphyxiation. No one is sure how it spreads, though boat bilges, bait buckets, livewells, and bird plumage are all suspects.

Since these articles it has been confirmed to be even more widespread.

[Jeff C.]

We have a small lake here in Mid Michigan that has went through an almost complete fish kill this spring..It was an awsome bass lake before this,,The bass that are left are  redish color on gills & belly & do not have much fight..,, there were Gills, Bass,Cats and Crappies belly up all over the place ..THe DNR are working on the problem ,,but have only told the people its some sort of Virus..They also have said it has infected 57 lakes in Michigan this spring..They also think its a spring

virus only and it doesn't carry onto the summer months ??They figure it was carried around by Birds & other fling animals., ( Ducks & geese ect. )

Its very sad..Still wondering if we are getting all the info on this???

Jeff

[RoLo]

If you want to learn more about Golden Algae, just go full circle

and read about it right here on Bass Resource:

http://www.bassresource.com/fish_biology/golden_algae_control.html

Roger