Michigan residents are being asked to help keep people and pets safe while swimming in the state's thousands of lakes this summer.
A new form allows residents to report suspected harmful algal blooms on Michigan’s waters.
Harmful algal blooms, also known as cyanobacteria and blue-green algae, grow on water bodies across the state during the warm summer months. The algae produce toxins that are harmful to people and animals like pets, said Jeff Johnston, public information officer at the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy.
"We're at the right time of year as we get into longer, warmer days with lots of sunshine," he said. "It promotes all kinds of plant growth including algae blooms, harmful or not harmful, so we're starting to see some of these reports now."
Mid-Michigan is already seeing reports of toxic blooms. Officials found toxic algal blooms at Sleepy Hollow State Park and Hubscher Park earlier this week, prompting alerts and warnings to stay out of the water.
The blooms often look like a blue-green foam or thick scum at the surface of the water, Johnston said.
The main way to determine whether a bloom is toxic is the "stick test." When you put a stick or another object in the water, and the algae clumps and sticks to that object, the blooms likely are not producing toxins, he said.
"Whereas if the stick moves through it freely and comes out clean when you pull it out, that has the potential of being a harmful bloom," Johnston said.
Scientists can confirm whether blooms are producing toxins through laboratory testing, he said.
Harmful algal blooms can make people and pets sick. The toxins can cause difficulty breathing, stomach pain, vomiting, diarrhea, rashes, blisters or hives.
Pets, like dogs, have similar symptoms, but they can also experience more severe reactions like seizures and even die after coming into contact with the toxins.
In 2019, four dogs died as a result of cyanobacteria. Five dogs fell ill after swimming and drinking the water in a pond in Michigan's northern Lower Peninsula.
Lake Erie consistently has harmful algal blooms . In 2014, a severe bloom left 500,000 residents in Toledo, Ohio, without safe tap water for multiple days.
University of Michigan researchers recently found that the algae on Lake Erie produce a wider range of potentially harmful toxins than previously thought.
Johnston said if there's any doubt about whether algae is toxic, it's best to stay out of the water altogether.
"You know the good rule of thumb is when in doubt stay out," he said. "And that means avoid contact with it if you're not sure or if you have a reason to believe it's harmful."
In addition to the new self-reporting form, EGLE provides a map that lists where confirmed toxic blooms are in the state.