Blue Green Algae is here in the Pontiac
Dear Editor,
Many thanks to THE EQUITY and reporter Brett Thoms for the article dated May 17, 2022 on the “Growing Concern over potentially toxic algae.” Downey’s Bay, Ottawa River here in Sheenboro has had two algae blooms in August 2020 and fall of 2021. During the first bloom, several cottagers including an Ottawa Riverwatcher with the Ottawa Riverkeeper noticed the vivid green bloom to likely be a blue green algae.
These unwanted blue green algae blooms have increased globally in rivers, lakes and oceans with increased warming and continued intensive use of fertilizers. While small blooms may appear harmless, they are likely early warning signals of more extreme blooms often called “harmful algal blooms” (HABs). These dense algal mats may pose a health risk to people and animals. Some species produce toxins that can result in health problems. For instance, a person may experience symptoms of gastroenteritis or experience irritation of the skin or throat after drinking water affected by blue-green algae or after coming into contact with it and symptoms include stomach ache, diarrhea, vomiting, headache, fever, skin irritation and throat irritation. You must also avoid letting your pets drink or swim in areas of water with blue-green algae, or near contaminated areas. Last summer, one dog died in Renfrew County from ingesting water with blue green algae while three dogs died in N.B. from playing in blue green algae in the St. John’s River.
Downey’s Bay experienced an extremely hot summer of 2020 and likely in combination with nutrient-rich agricultural runoff we saw a significant algal bloom. Additionally, a sample from October 2021 revealed that algal species collected from a bloom found on the shore of Downey’s Bay to contain a toxin-producing cyanobacteria called Microcystis aeruginosa. Concerned that these early blooms are a harbinger of things to come and that we need to deal with these costly environmental hazards as a community, we informed our municipality. We have yet to hear back from the municipality. We have reported the blooms on the Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change’s website and learned that these blooms were already recorded in 2018. Surprisingly, no government official alerted us to this fact despite the knowledge that Downey’s Bay and area are well known for swimming, taking water, and boating.
We note that the appearance of harmful algal blooms (HABs) is a growing problem coming from increased variation in rainfall, temperature increases and the need to feed a growing Canadian population. Tackling HABs is not a finger pointing exercise but a necessity for communities requiring a collaborative approach of shoreline owners, farmers, municipalities, government, and non-government bodies.
Towards this goal, municipalities need to enforce the Protection Policy for Lakeshores, Riverbanks, Littoral Zones, and Floodplains, first enacted in 1991 and updated in 2020.
This means that shoreline owners need to be educated on following septic tank guidelines and if not posted at a municipal level, follow the Quebec regulation by emptying your tank every four years if a seasonal owner and every two years if a full-time owner. Additionally, residents can help by making some simple adjustments such as (i) creating and maintaining a shoreline buffer of natural plants, trees; (ii) use of phosphorus free products, and (iii) don’t fertilize your lawn if you have one.
To date, our only help in Downey’s Bay, Sheenboro has come from the ABV des 7 (the Agence de bassin versant des 7), which is a non-profit organization, legally recognized by the Ministry of the Environment and the Fight Against Climate Change (MELCC). Under this act, the ABV des 7 implements integrated and concerted water management in seven rivers in Quebec including the Coulonge, Dumoine, Black, Quyon and part of the Ottawa River. ABV des 7 is currently helping Lac Gauvreau in La Peche, Quebec with its recurring blue green algae.
As climate change has increased the sensitivity of phosphorous-driven HABs we must as a community take this seriously if we are to sustainably manage the beautiful waters of the Ottawa River. These early and significant blooms unfortunately likely promise a future with growing toxic cyanobacterial production and extent moving beyond Downey’s Bay unless we act as a collective to make wise decisions to protect our community and its natural heritage.
Joann McCann
Dr. Kevin McCann, University of Guelph
What would you do?
Dear Editor,
There’s a thing in certain Internet circles known as Rule 303. You can guess where the numerals came from but it has come to denote that if you see something and have the means to act, you have the duty to do so. It could be applied to the parents observing the school shooting in Texas, where armed policemen failed to press on and stop the shooting and in fact, stopped parents from entering. Those policemen failed their Rule 303 test.
If I looked up the statistics on how many mass shootings there were this month and then added the number of victims of domestic violence culminating in death by gunfire, we would all become very depressed.
There is a culture in North America, that leads people to believe that they need an arsenal to protect themselves from home invasion or over-reaching government. When government over-reach becomes that obvious, the would-be rebels will soon find out that the government has an even bigger arsenal, plus killer drones and access to information that no rebel group will have.
As I see it, there are way too many guns, too much ammunition and not nearly enough mental health for the welfare of people and animals in our world. Your chances of being called into duty in a mass murder situation are rare, especially in Canada. Still, I can recall five people of my acquaintance who were killed individually by gun violence.
Any of us might come into contact with someone who is so distraught that they are on the verge of doing violence to themselves or others. That’s our own Rule 303 moment. Thoughts and prayers are a dime a dozen, the day after a gun violence death. One act of understanding might avoid a massive loss of life and peace of mind.
In the end, we’re all in this together, give a kind word to those who need it. You can replenish your supply later on.
Robert Wills
Shawville and Thorne, Que
