Algae blooms close Dunton, Holland State Park beaches

If the water's green, don't go in.That's what the Ottawa County Health Department is telling beach-goers after issuing a no-body contact advisories on Tuesday for Dunton Park and Holland State Park.

Blue-green algae is what causes the green tint seen in these locations in Lake Macatawa. The no-body contact advisory does not include Lake Michigan.

...The hot, dry weather this summer has created an environment where algae can thrive, said Randy Rapp, environmental health supervisor for Ottawa County.

"The lake is warmer, too, and the lack of rain means we don't get fresh water coming in, like we would normally," Rapp said. "Plus, the water has been clear up until now, which lets all that sunlight through."

... Rapp said it's difficult to tell how long the algae blooms will stick around. "I wish I could say it'll only be a couple days, but a lot is dependent on rainfall and temperatures," he said. "We have experienced algae in the past, but not for this length of time. It's been at Dunton Park for an especially long time, which is different than normal, because it usually lasts a few days."

Holland Sentinel.com

21 Aug 2012

M Schmidt

Location:  Lake Macatawa, Michigan, USA

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