Algal Bloom Looms In Canyon Ferry Reservoir
 | Author:
Nancy Marks
Nancy Marks: MT43 News Secretary and News Editor |
Yuck!
The greenish algae muck that creeps across Canyon Ferry Reservoir every summer is here again and sure to grow thicker under the hot sun of late July and August. The state Department of Environmental Quality warns that the algal blooms can be harmful to people, pets and livestock.
Algae buildup in Canyon Ferry and other Montana waters happens as nutrients, including nitrogen and phosphorus, turn into cyanobacteria. The algae take on a blue, green, or gold color. At some point, the bacteria become toxic and dangerous for humans or animals to swim in or drink, DEQ said in an announcement.
The algae bloom at the Duck Creek inlet on the East side of the reservoir looked like cut grass last week. As the bloom progresses it begins to look like pea soup, and makes the rocks underfoot slick, according to John and Carol Lea White, who were camping at Confederate Bay campground on Saturday.
“You can’t even see into the water, it is so dirty looking,” Carol cautioned. Although there did not appear to be any sign of the algae bloom at Confederate Bay, John said it would inevitably show up in August. The Whites have fished at Canyon Ferry for many years. “We don’t let it bother us, we just keep fishing and swimming and using our jet ski.”
Doug Breker, Townsend Chamber of Commerce vice president and long-time angler, says the algae bloom does not have much effect on fishing and recreation. “The boaters and tourists just stay away from the bloom. However, when it gets to the blue-green stage, the algae clings to your fishing line and you have to strip it off with your hands or shake it off In the water,” he said.
Breker recalled that several years ago, Bruce Kania of Floating Island International, proposed combatting the algal bloomsby introducing minnows to the fishery at the Wildlife Management Area ponds at the South end of the lake. “The idea was to add minnows that would increase the fish population which would in turn eat more of the algae buildup. It would have helped the fishing on the lake, and cut back the algae,” Breker said.
Kania, who lives at Shepherd, east of Billings, told Montana 43 News that Floating Islands International did not pursue the idea after it failed to win support from the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks.
Matt Zeadow, Townsend, an avid fisherman, said he thought the minnow plan would have encouraged algae forage by all the fish, including perch, ling, walleye and trout. “It would have been a win-win idea for fish and us fishermen,” he speculated.
Ron Spoon, an FWP fisheries biologist, said that while the bloom is nothing new, “It sure detracts from the quality of the lake.” He explained that Canyon Ferry is the first impoundment of all the water coming from the Missouri, Gallatin, Madison and Jefferson rivers and their basins. The result is that Canyon Ferry becomes the place where all the nutrients from those drainages gather in a low, slow water area. When hot weather hits and the water is low is when the algae begin to bloom. It is not toxic until it breaks down. Then is when it is dangerous, he said.
According to DEQ, direct contact, or breathing the algae can cause skin, eye, nose, and throat irritation or can cause nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, headache or liver or kidney damage. The department keeps a report on when and where algae blooms are happening on their website.
Other area reservoirs that experience blooms include Clark Canyon, Hebgen, Hyalite, Hauser, Holter and Lake Helena, the DEQ release said.
The department suggests, “When in doubt, stay out.”
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PhotoCredit: Nancy Marks
Image 1 Caption: Unwanted algae blooming in Canyon Ferry Reservoir
