HELENA, Mont. (NMB) – As Montanans head to the lake for summer fun, citizens are urged to know the health risks of Harmful Algal Blooms, or HABs.
A press release says that HABs are caused by blue-green algae that are native to Montana’s freshwater lakes and reservoirs. But scientists believe the blooms are occurring at more locations, with increased frequency and longer duration. Potential causes include warmer water temperatures, longer summer growing seasons, and increased nitrogen and phosphorus runoff from a variety of human activities. Under certain conditions, HABs can produce toxins that damage the skin, liver, and nerve cells. They can make people and animals sick, and at worst, exposure can be fatal.
During the 2018 growing season, the Montana HAB Program received 25 percent more reports of HABs on Montana waters than the previous year. Two thirds of the reports were in the Helena Valley area, including Canyon Ferry Reservoir, Holter and Hauser Lakes, and Lake Helena. Elsewhere, HABs were reported on Delmoe Lake and the Clark Canyon, Nevada Creek, Yellow Water, Cooney, Nilan, Hebgen, Hyalite and Beaver Creek Reservoirs.
