Letter warns of public health risks of algae
Commission approves and signs letter of support, recommendations
Marion County Commission approved and signed a letter Monday to congressional representatives regarding the algae bloom at Marion Reservoir.
The letter, drawn by county sanitarian David Brazil, detailed the situation at Marion Reservoir regarding a "significant cyanobacteria bloom
The letter quoted a 1996 U.S. Army Corps of Engineers report of more than 73 million visits and sales effect of more than $5 million.
"The number of day and overnight visits at the Marion Reservoir has decreased as public awareness concerning blue-green algae has increased. This situation presents serious problems for our local economy," the letter stated.
The letter continued that cyanobacteria is a chronic condition and the commission supports and requests legislators' offices investigate both short-term and long-term remediation or solutions.
The first request was for resources to treat reservoir water to limit the blooms.
"Improved treatment products using copper sulfate pentahydrate can safely reduce these blooms on a short-term basis," stated the letter, adding treatment of the reservoir should not be considered as a long-term solution.
The second request under short-term solutions was a request to eliminate all farming practices on acreage immediately adjacent to the reservoir and owned by Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks, and/or the Corps.
"This critical buffer should be returned to grassland to help filter the excess nutrients currently entering the reservoir. This action also provides an example of responsible land management to other adjacent landowners," the letter stated.
Under long-term solutions, the letter requested improved and extended funding for water quality protection projects, such as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 319 Non-Point Source Water Quality Grant currently being administered through Marion County Conservation District.
One objective of the project is to improve water quality in the reservoir watershed through installation and adoption of pollution-control practices.
"This program fiscally encourages the use of Best Management Practices within the 200-square-mile watershed of the reservoir," the letter stated. "Approximately 40,000 acres of watershed is cropland and is eroding at a greater than tolerable level."
Another long-term request is to establish cell count guidelines for contact recreation.
"Toxicity of cyanobacteria is widely documented and is potentially dangerous to those who are in contact with the reservoir for recreational purposes," the letter continued.
The letter stated there currently are no recognized guidelines in the state or federal government for blue-green algae cell counts as it pertains to the level of safety for contact recreation.
The letter quoted the World Health Organization regarding cell count guidelines: relatively low probability of adverse health effects at 20,000 cyanobacterial cells per million, moderate probability of adverse health effects at 100,000 cyanobacterial cells per million, and a high probability of adverse health effects when cyanobacterial scum formation is evident in areas where whole-body contact and/or risk of ingestion and aspiration occur.
"There were areas of the reservoir last year that reached a cell count of greater than three million cells per million," the letter stated. "These areas were located in coves and around swimming beaches."
The letter asked the state to determine a temporary contact recreation cell count standard until a standard or maximum contamination level is established by EPA. A maximum contaminate level for cyanobacteria toxins also should be established for public drinking water supplies.
The final request was the development of data and tools for monitoring the algae through satellite imagery.
Kansas Biological Survey and Dr. Mark Jakubauskas shared satellite imagery with the City of Hillsboro, the letter stated, which depicted blue-green algae at the reservoir and Cheney Reservoir using technology that emphasized variations within the reservoirs.
"This organization has access to satellite imagery every two weeks and has suggested this technology be utilized to detect cyanobacteria events in Kansas reservoirs," the letter stated. This type of monitoring currently is used in other parts of the country and some European countries.
The letter concluded "only through remediation in both short and long terms will we be able to change the water quality impairments of Marion Reservoir."
Brazil said the letter was patterned after Hillsboro's letter of support and recommendations.
Originally the letter was addressed to Congressman Jerry Moran. Commissioner Howard Collett suggested all congressional members representing Marion County be contacted.
Brazil responded the reason for contacting Moran was because of his accessibility to the necessary resources.
The commission authorized commission chairman Leroy Wetta to sign the letter of support.
