spectr17
09-10-2004, 10:05 PM
09/10/2004
Reservoir may be closed to fishing after cattle die
By Brett Prettyman, The Salt Lake Tribune
Utah wildlife officials may close a popular reservoir in northeastern Utah to fishing after 18 cattle died from drinking from it earlier this week.
Three cows and 15 calves died after slurping from Matt Warner Reservoir in Uintah County. Results from the Utah Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory in Logan showed that the animals were poisoned by a high concentration of a blue-green algae bloom known as Microcystis aeruginosa.
"The literature is very clear that mammals that consume it in large quantities will develop lesions on their livers, eventually leading to death," said Walt Donaldson, the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources' Northeastern Region director. "With the drought and this being their only source of water, the livestock was drinking large amounts of the water."
DWR owns and manages Matt Warner, which is not a source of drinking water. State employees placed signs Thursday closing the reservoir to swimming.
Some Microcystis toxins have been reported to cause skin irritation and upset stomachs in humans who come in contact with the algae blooms.
"We believe this is an isolated situation, but we are advising livestock and pet owners to be cautious and monitor the lakes or reservoirs they use to water their animals," Michael Marshall, state veterinarian, said in statement released from the USDA Thursday.
It is not clear if fish from Matt Warner are safe for
humans to eat. DWR officials were waiting for a call from the state Department of Agriculture to decide whether to close the reservoir to angling.
Miles Moretti, interim director of the DWR, says he will enact an emergency angling closure if health officials believe the fish pose a threat to humans who eat them.
Algae blooms are common in Utah lakes and reservoirs, occurring most frequently in the late summer when the water is warm and the oxygen levels are low. DWR officials have not witnessed a fish kill at Matt Warner this year, but say it could easily happen during this blue-green algae bloom.
According to the agriculture department, water containing blooms of the blue-green algae may show the appearance of blue-green paint floating or billowing near the surface. It will fade with cooler weather, increased precipitation and less sunshine.
bpretty@sltrib.com
Reservoir may be closed to fishing after cattle die
By Brett Prettyman, The Salt Lake Tribune
Utah wildlife officials may close a popular reservoir in northeastern Utah to fishing after 18 cattle died from drinking from it earlier this week.
Three cows and 15 calves died after slurping from Matt Warner Reservoir in Uintah County. Results from the Utah Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory in Logan showed that the animals were poisoned by a high concentration of a blue-green algae bloom known as Microcystis aeruginosa.
"The literature is very clear that mammals that consume it in large quantities will develop lesions on their livers, eventually leading to death," said Walt Donaldson, the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources' Northeastern Region director. "With the drought and this being their only source of water, the livestock was drinking large amounts of the water."
DWR owns and manages Matt Warner, which is not a source of drinking water. State employees placed signs Thursday closing the reservoir to swimming.
Some Microcystis toxins have been reported to cause skin irritation and upset stomachs in humans who come in contact with the algae blooms.
"We believe this is an isolated situation, but we are advising livestock and pet owners to be cautious and monitor the lakes or reservoirs they use to water their animals," Michael Marshall, state veterinarian, said in statement released from the USDA Thursday.
It is not clear if fish from Matt Warner are safe for
humans to eat. DWR officials were waiting for a call from the state Department of Agriculture to decide whether to close the reservoir to angling.
Miles Moretti, interim director of the DWR, says he will enact an emergency angling closure if health officials believe the fish pose a threat to humans who eat them.
Algae blooms are common in Utah lakes and reservoirs, occurring most frequently in the late summer when the water is warm and the oxygen levels are low. DWR officials have not witnessed a fish kill at Matt Warner this year, but say it could easily happen during this blue-green algae bloom.
According to the agriculture department, water containing blooms of the blue-green algae may show the appearance of blue-green paint floating or billowing near the surface. It will fade with cooler weather, increased precipitation and less sunshine.
bpretty@sltrib.com