Corps continues to monitor blue algae in Lake Ashtabula

ST. PAUL, Minn. – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Paul District, is continuing to monitor the blue-green algae situation on Lake Ashtabula in Valley City, North Dakota.

Corps staff are testing each of the lake’s swimming areas daily through the holiday weekend and will close or open the beaches as needed. Testing today revealed little to no blue green algae at the Mel Rieman Recreation Area, East Ashtabula Crossing and Eggerts Recreation Area, so these beaches have been reopened. Sundstrom’s swimming area will remain closed until the water quality improves.

The production of blue-green algae, also known as cyanobacteria, often happens during hot weather in bodies of water used by people, pets and livestock. Blue-green algae discolor the water and can cause foam, scum or mats to appear on the surface. It can also produce cyanotoxins, which can be dangerous for both people and animals. Strong south and southeast winds last night and today have helped move the blue algae out of the beach areas, as well as dilute it.

The nearly 600 U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Paul District, employees working at more than 40 sites in five upper-Midwest states serve the American public in the areas of environmental enhancement, navigation, flood damage reduction, water and wetlands regulation, recreation sites and disaster response. Through the Corps’ Fiscal Year 2015 $100 million budget, nearly 1,600 non-Corps jobs were added to the regional economy as well as $155 million to the national economy. For more information, see www.mvp.usace.army.mil.

-30-