July 11 2018 Algal Bloom Assessment Program Update

July 11, 2018 Algal Bloom Assessment Program Update Department of Environmental Quality Division of Water Resources

Algal Assessment Program Review • Water Sciences Section, Ecosystems Branch • Coverage: • Lakes, ponds, rivers, estuaries • Algal Blooms & Fish kills • Coordinate with: • • 2 Regional Offices Public Health Dept. Academic Institutions Sea Grant Fish and Wildlife Resources Commission Private Citizens and more….

Potential Harmful Algal Blooms (p. HABs) • DWR defines p. HABS as: • Blooms of bluegreen algae that may produce toxins • Densities above 10, 000 units/ml • PUBLIC HEALTH RISK = PUBLIC HEALTH DEPT. • Algal bloom investigations • Regional Offices • Estuarine Monitoring Team • Episodic (1 to 7 days) • 50 in 2017 • 20 considered p. HABs • 9 so far 2018 • 4 considered p. HABs • 2 toxin detected • Chronic (1 to 3 months, returning annually) • Fontana Lake > 2015 • Chowan River/Albemarle Sound > 2015 3

Cyanotoxin Testing Development • Field Staff/Regional Office • Abraxis cyanotoxin test strips • Rapid assessment • Field or office use • Limited results (no verification procedures) • Water Sciences Section Chemistry Laboratory • Abraxis Cyanotoxin Automated Assay System • ELIZA instrument • Quality assurance and Quality Control procedures • sample collection, handling & processing procedures 4

Current Focus and Efforts • Draft p. HAB and Cyanotoxins Sampling Protocols out for review • Staff and Interagency • Cape Fear River Partnership • Basinwide Lake Monitoring Program • Testing for Microcystin in Water Supplies • Special Studies • • • 5 Split toxin samples with DPH Toxin test strips vs ELIZA National Rivers and Stream Assessment Waterville, Graham Co. White Lake, Bladen Co.

White Lake, Bladen Co. • White Lake State Park • 100% surrounded by private property • Spring fed, natural Lake • Monitoring water quality since 2015 • Documented changes in p. H, nutrients & algae • Increase algal activity = blooms • 2017: blooms continued into fall, through winter, into spring 2018 • May 2018 • Algal bloom + alum treatment = major fish kill • 115, 000 fish, 9 species, • estimated $635, 000 loss Photo courtesy of Wildlife Resource Commission 6

Fish Kill and Bloom Reporting APP • Developed as a Fish Kill reporting tool • Reconfigured to include reporting algal blooms • Downloaded to phone or via the web • 60 fish kills where reported with this app in 2017 • 10 algal blooms were reported since spring 2017 7

Algal Bloom Occurrence in North Carolina 8

Contact Information Water Sciences Section Chief Cyndi Karoly cyndi. karoly@ncdenr. gov Ecosystem Branch Supervisor: Brian Wrenn brian. wrenn@ncdenr. gov Algal Ecologists: Mark Vander Borgh mark. vanderborgh@ncdenr. gov Elizabeth Fensin elizabeth. fensin@ncdenr. gov Leigh Stevenson leigh. stevenson@ncdenr. gov 9