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State Health Department issues warning about toxic algae in Aquia Creek in eastern Stafford County. Date published: 7/30/2011
BY JIM HALL and RUSTY DENNENThe Virginia Department of Health is advising people and their pets to avoid contact with the water in portions of Stafford County's Aquia Creek. Health officials issued the advisory Thursday night because of the presence of Microcystis aeruginosa, a type of blue-green algae that produces a harmful toxin. Because of the warning, Stafford officials banned swimming yesterday at the county's Aquia Landing park. "We don't want them to enter the water until we get word that it's clear," said Cathy Riddle, public information administrator. "We don't know how long that's going to be." The park is located at the mouth of Aquia Creek where it meets the Potomac River. The park will remain open, Riddle said, though signs have been posted urging visitors not to enter the water. Officials also have placed brochures in marinas on the creek, warning boaters and water skiers about the algae. "It's going to be a hot weekend, and a lot of people are going to be out boating, and we want to make sure they're safe," Riddle said. George Paxson, manager of Aquia Bay Marina, first noticed the algae about a week and a half ago. "It looks like a very green hue to the water," he said yesterday. "There are tiny, green flecks in the water. If you have more hot days, it will get greener and greener." He added, "It is visible, but not as heavy as it's been in the past." Boaters, he said, "should be careful if they go in the water, and try not to ingest any of it. The ones I'm concerned with are young people tubing or on Jet Skis--anyone who would have contact with the water." He says recent strings of extra-hot days, such as the ones the area has had over the past two weeks, trigger algae growth. "We don't have it all summer, just when you have extremely high temperatures," Paxson said. Gary Switzer, environmental health manager for the Health Department, said yesterday the algae is common in the fresh waters of Virginia. "In this case, the concentration is higher than what's normal."
Date published: 7/30/2011
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