BOSTON — People and their pets are being advised to stay away from water along a stretch of the Charles River between Boston and Cambridge due to a toxic algae bloom.
The area between the Charles River Dam and the Longfellow Bridge is currently experiencing a damaging cyanobacterial bloom, according to the Massachusetts Department of Public Health. An environmental group says it’s the river’s first major bloom in four years.
Charles River bloom “particularly troubling”
“This bloom is particularly troubling because it is occurring during Boston’s longest period of growth. dry period in 25 years, without significant rainfall for more than three weeks,” the Charles River Watershed Association said in a statement. “The decreased precipitation has led to lower water levels, which, combined with the heat and increased phosphorus from stormwater runoff, is creating ideal conditions for this toxic bloom.”
Charles River Watershed Association
High bacteria levels have caused frequent closures on dozens of beaches in Massachusetts this summer.
Dangers of cyanobacteria
DPH says ingesting small amounts of cyanobacteria can cause gastrointestinal problems, while larger amounts can cause liver or neurological damage. Inhaling the toxins around the water can cause asthma-like symptoms.
According to the department, young children and pets are at greater risk of harm from cyanobacteria. People should not swim in the area of a toxic algae bloom and rinse off if they come into contact with the water.
The Charles River is known as one of the cleanest urban rivers in the country and an Environmental Protection Agency engineer told WBZ-TV earlier this year that “it’s getting cleaner.”
