A manager at the Buffalo National River plans to survey any algae that may remain on the river after reports indicated worse-than-usual algae was present on a several-mile stretch near U.S. 65.
Chuck Bitting, who manages the natural resource program at the river for the National Park Service, said a U.S. Geological Survey worker tested the algae in mid-September after reports came in around Labor Day. The researcher found the algae was mostly harmless, but officials have been unable to go back to the area after a heavy rainfall and other obligations, Bitting said.
Bitting, whose wife was one of several people who spotted algae while canoeing, said last week that he planned to return to the area to ensure that none of the algae is a type commonly called "blue-green" algae that can be harmful to humans and wildlife.
Algae is common in summer months, Bitting said, and he expects it to appear on the Buffalo every year.
"But I don't expect to see algae like this," he said, adding that it appeared worse this year than he's seen in his 30 years with the Park Service on the Buffalo.
Bitting said the algae, which stretched about 30 miles from U.S. 65 to Spring Creek, could be caused by many things. He said levels of algae-causing nitrates and phosphorous in the river have steadily increased since annual testing began in 1985. That could be because of human activity, including leaking septic systems or agriculture in the river's watershed.
Caleb Osborne, associate director of water quality for the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality, said in a written statement to the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette that a number of people had contacted the department recently about algae in the Buffalo River.
"ADEQ has been in close contact with other state and federal agencies about this issue," Osborne wrote. "USGS did an evaluation of the algae observed in the Buffalo River. USGS determined the majority of the algae was oedogonium, which can commonly occur in freshwater streams with low nutrient levels and is generally not a nuisance species."
Bob Morgan, manager of environmental quality at the Beaver Water District in Northwest Arkansas, said worse-than-usual algae appeared on Beaver Lake this September.
The algae isn't harmful and has only caused an "earthy taste" that is difficult to get out of the water, Morgan said. The algae probably peaked the second-to-last week of September and has been going down since, Morgan said.
"It happens with varying intensity every year," he said. "This has been a bad year, actually. The last four to five years have been pretty mild events. This year has been a tough year, water quality-wise.
"It all started with that flood just after Christmas and other unusual weather."
A spokesman with the Arkansas Department of Health said the department was unaware of any algae affecting drinking water in the state.
Metro on 10/10/2016