The Escalating Threat of Harmful Algae Blooms Amidst Climate Change

This is what our drinking water could look like in the not-too-distant future.

As the planet continues to warm up due to climate change, harmful algal blooms are increasingly becoming a significant environmental issue occurring across the globe. These blooms have been reported in all 50 states of the United States, as well as in territories such as Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The prevalence of these blooms is alarming, as they pose serious risks to both human health and aquatic ecosystems.

Recently, in the picturesque Wasatch Back region of Utah, both Deer Creek Reservoir and Echo Reservoir have been identified as experiencing potentially harmful algal blooms. This information comes from the Utah Division of Water Quality, which monitors water quality and public health risks associated with such blooms. The occurrence of these blooms in popular recreational areas raises concerns among local communities and visitors who rely on these water bodies for activities such as swimming, fishing, and boating. Many recreational lakes throughout the country have banned swimming indefinitely due to algae bloom.

Harmful algal blooms can multiply rapidly in various aquatic environments, including fresh water, salt water, or brackish water, which is a mixture of fresh and salt water. Importantly, these blooms can develop in water sources that people use not only for recreation but also for drinking. The presence of toxins produced by certain types of algae can contaminate drinking water supplies, leading to serious health risks for those who consume it.

Algae typically enter water bodies as a result of nutrient pollution, primarily from sources such as fertilizers, sewage, and runoff from urban areas, agricultural fields, golf courses, and industrial sites. This influx of nutrients is often worsened during rainstorms, when heavy precipitation can wash these pollutants into lakes, rivers, or oceans. The combination of nutrient-rich runoff and warmer temperatures creates an ideal environment for harmful algal blooms to thrive.

Environmental changes, particularly the warming of water bodies due to climate change, significantly worsen the problem of harmful algal blooms. Warmer water temperatures can lead to more frequent and severe blooms, creating a cycle that is difficult to break. As the planet continues to warm, the conditions that favor these blooms will likely become more prevalent, leading to increased occurrences and severity.

What happens when climate change reaches its tipping point, which is anticipated within the next five years? If all fresh water sources become so polluted that they are undrinkable and even unfit for irrigation, the consequences would be disastrous. This would have severe effects on the global food supply as well as everything else that relies on clean water.

This scenario raises critical questions about our preparedness and the actions that need to be taken. Do the "master minds" in Washington have a plan to address this looming crisis? Or are they merely deflecting responsibility and blaming external factors without taking meaningful action? Of course they are. The mainstream media get their orders from Washington, so they're no help.

It's really up to us.