Our Waters Have Flood Hangover

By Ron Seely, The Wisconsin State Journal

Jul. 6–The Madison lakes appeared to be gleaming over the Fourth of July weekend, beckoning beneath a mostly blue sky and home again to anglers, skiers, boaters and even swimmers on some beaches.

But anyone fishing or boating on Lake Mendota ‘s University Bay or even sitting on the Memorial Union Terrace over the holiday weekend could see the lingering effects in area waters of recent flooding.

From the blue-green algae that floats on the bay ‘s surface to the rank smell of nutrient-fed weed growth, flood-caused problems linger. On an otherwise sunny holiday weekend, they were a reminder that such summertime pursuits as swimming and fishing will require additional care this season.

“Things aren ‘t really back to normal, ‘ ‘ said Chuck Warzecha, with the state Division of Public Health.

Warzecha warned that residents will be coping with everything from stagnant floodwaters to the potentially toxic blue-green algae to swarms of mosquitoes for weeks to come.

Depending on where you live in southern Wisconsin, your problems could range from dead carp on the sidewalk in front of your home (Janesville) to stagnant and smelly lakes where floodwaters have not drained away (Spring Green).

As the weekend started, the state Department of Natural Resources issued a warning to boaters on Lake Wisconsin and the Wisconsin River below Lake Delton to be on the lookout for floating or submerged debris from the houses that collapsed into the river during flooding.

Barbara Wolf, regional warden supervisor for the DNR ‘s South Central Region said the agency has documented more than 80 visible piles of debris along the Wisconsin River from Lake Delton to the area of the Columbia Power Plant below Portage.

“In some cases the items are as large as a section of the roof of a structure washed away when Lake Delton drained into the river, ” Wolf said. “Some of this debris is just under the water. ‘ ‘

Water won ‘t go away

In many small communities deluged by flooding, high rivers and lakes and waterlogged soils have prevented standing floodwaters from receding. It ‘s a big problem, for example, in Spring Green, according to Douglas Larson-Sell, a pastor at the Christ Lutheran Church.

“In Spring Green, the water just isn ‘t going anywhere, ‘ ‘ Larson-Sell said. “There are still people who are canoeing to get to their homes . . . The water is just terrible, full of sewage and farm runoff. Who knows what else is lurking in the water. And it just stinks. ‘ ‘

Warzecha, with the state Division of Public Health, warned that such waters don ‘t just smell bad, but can also be dangerous.

“People need to know that ‘s not clean water, ‘ ‘ said Warzecha. “It ‘s especially important to keep an eye on kids. ‘ ‘

Last month, a 6-year-old boy from Richland Center developed a life-threatening kidney disease, apparently from an E.coli infection he contracted while playing in contaminated floodwater.

Officials with the Federal Emergency Management Agency said they will be dispatching hydrologists to several Wisconsin counties to try to figure out a way to get rid of standing water.

People have become so weary of dealing with the aftermath of flooding in Spring Green that Larson-Sell is hosting a series of Monday night get-togethers, which he calls respites, at the Spring Green Library. The sessions, he said, are a chance for people to gather and share their anger and frustration. The sessions start Monday and continue July 14, 21, 28 and Aug. 4 and 11 and run from 6:30 to 8 p.m.

Recreation affected

In Madison on Saturday afternoon, even those who may not have dealt directly with flooding were seeing its impacts as they strolled along the lakefront near the Memorial Union Terrace.

Luminous green patches of blue-green algae, growing rapidly now because of the increased loads of waste and nutrients washed into the lake, surrounded docks and washed up against the shoreline.

The algae, known scientifically as cyanobacteria, can sometimes produce toxic blooms. A Cottage Grove teenager died from ingesting toxic blue-green algae in a pond in 2002, and the blooms were blamed for the death of a dog on Lake Kegonsa in 2004.

Madison beaches closed Saturday because of blue-green algae included Esther on Lake Monona and James Madison, Tenney Park and Warner Park on Lake Mendota.

Michele Lorenz, an instructor with Hoofers, an outdoor education program with offices on the water near the Memorial Union, was preparing a windsurfing board for use Saturday afternoon.

The organization is continuing its teaching schedule despite the blooms, she said. But warning signs have been posted, and precautions are taken, especially with children who might be taking windsurfing or kayaking lessons.

“It ‘s definitely a concern, ‘ ‘ Lorenz said. “We ‘ve posted signs. And we ‘ve talked to a lot of parents who are concerned. ‘ ‘

Lorenz said students are reminded not to ingest lake water and they are instructed to wash thoroughly when they get out of the water.

Just in case, she said, “We hose them off. ‘ ‘

FLOODWATER TIPS

–Don’t swim in water that looks like “pea soup,” green or blue paint, or that has a scum layer of puffy blobs floating on the surface.

–Don’t boat, water ski or engage in other water activities over water with algae growths.

–Don’t let children play with scum layers, even from shore.

–If you come in contact with suspicious algae growth, take a shower immediately and wash hands before eating.

–Don’t let pets drink from water that looks suspicious, with clumps of the brightly colored green and blue algae growths.

–If your pet displays symptoms such as seizures, vomiting or diarrhea after contact with surface water, contact your veterinarian right away.

–If you think you are experiencing symptoms such as stomach cramps, diarrhea, vomiting, headache or difficulty breathing, that are related to blue-green algae exposure, contact your doctor or the Poison Information Hotline at 800-222-1222.

Source: State Division of Public Health

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