Harmful Algal Bloom found in Lake Hartwell: Neighbors express health concerns for themselves and ...
WYFF News 4
[{'start': '0.399', 'end': '5.804', 'text': "FOR FAILURE TO YIELD.  THIS IS A LIVE LOOK NOW FROM  LAKE HARTWELL.  AS WE GET CLOSER TO SUMMER, MANY  PEOPLE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO  SPENDING THEIR DAYS ON THE  WATER.  BUT OFFICIALS SAY THE WATER AT  LAKE HARTWELL COULD POSE A  DANGER.  BRIGHT, COLORFUL ALGAE HAS  PROMPTED A RECREATIONAL WATER  WATCH.  AND AS OUR MAYA PAYTON LEARNS,  IT'S RAISING CONCERNS FOR  FAMILIES AND PET OWNERS WHO LIVE  CLOSE TO THE WATER.  SHE JOINS US LIVE FROM ANDERSON  COUNTY.  MAYA.  SYDNEY ENVIRONMENTAL OFFICIALS  SAY THAT PEOPLE WHO LIVE NEAR  HERE.  THEY SEE THIS LAKE EACH AND  EVERY DAY, SO THEY KNOW WHEN IT  LOOKS NORMAL AND THEY KNOW WHEN  SOMETHING IS WRONG.  I SPOKE TO A NEIGHBOR TODAY, AND  SHE OWNS A FEW DOGS, AND SHE  SAYS THAT SHE NOTICED THAT  SOMETHING WASN'T RIGHT WITH  THEM.  ABOUT A WEEK AGO.  WE LET THEM SWIM ALMOST EVERY  DAY.  SO JOSEY HAMMOND SAYS HER DOGS  WERE IN THE WATER BEFORE THE  SOUTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF  ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES CONFIRMED  THERE WAS ALGAL BLOOM PRESENT.  SO WE HAD TO TAKE OUR DOGS TO  THE EMERGENCY VET HOSPITAL LAST  WEEK BECAUSE THEY WERE SUPER  SICK AND WE DIDN'T KNOW IF IT  WAS FROM THE WATER IN THE LAKE.  SHE IS LEANING TOWARD IT BEING  SO.  IT'S BEEN DOWN IN OUR COVE AND  IT'S LIKE A BLUE AND GREEN  COLOR.  SO WHAT CAUSES ALGAL BLOOM?  EMILY BOERS, WHO IS THE HARMFUL  ALGAL BLOOM PROGRAM COORDINATOR,  SAYS IT'S TOUGH TO PINPOINT  HARMFUL ALGAL BLOOMS FORM WHEN  THERE'S A BIG NUTRIENT INPUT OR  SOURCE INTO A WATER BODY, AND  NUTRIENT SOURCES CAN BE ANYWHERE  FROM, YOU FERTILIZERS, RUNOFF,  PET WASTE, THINGS LIKE THAT.  EMILY SAYS THEY TYPICALLY SEE  THEM IN COVE AREAS BECAUSE  THEY''RE SHALLOWER, WHERE THE  LIGHT CAN KIND OF PENETRATE  THROUGH THE BLOOMS.  TOXINS CAN BE HARMFUL TO HUMANS  AND ANIMALS, INCLUDING YOUR  PETS.  I MEAN, WE KEEP THEM ON OUR  DECK.  WE KEEP THEM INSIDE.  MICROCYSTINS AND  CYLINDROSPERMOPSIN.  SO WE TESTED THREE AREAS ON THE  LAKE, AND WE TESTED IT FOR BOTH  THOSE TOXINS.  AND WE GOT DETECTABLE LIMITS FOR  MICROCYSTINS.  BUT IT WAS BELOW OUR STATE  STANDARD.  THEY WARNED NOT TO SWIM IN OR  EVEN GO NEAR IT.  IT CAN BE VERY DANGEROUS IF  INGESTED BECAUSE I'VE HEARD THAT  IT CAN HARM CHILDREN AND DOGS.  I'M HOPING TO GET IT UNDER  CONTROL HERE SOON, BECAUSE IT IS  THE SEASON TO GET INTO LAKE,  ESPECIALLY RIGHT HERE.  WE ALWAYS HAVE PEOPLE OVER HERE,  SO WE TAKE IF SOMETHING DID  HAPPEN TO SOMEONE WE KNOW.  MAYA.  HOW LONG WILL ALL OF THIS STICK  AROUND?  WHAT WILL HAPPEN?  WILL IT JUST KIND OF FLOAT AWAY?  I MEAN, WHAT IS WHAT'S NEXT?  WELL, EMILY DID NOT GIVE A TIME  FRAME, BUT SHE DID SAY AT SOME  POINT THE BLOOM WILL BREAK UP  AND IT WILL DIE OFF.  SHE SAYS, AS FAR AS THE  ENVIRONMENTAL L ISSUES THAT CAUD  IT, THAT MAY BE A LONG STANDING  IMPACT IN A"}]