Water Quality - Blue green algae (cyanobacteria) - What is blue green algae and where does it occur?

Blue green algae are a natural feature of all Australian While most algae are harmless, some types of algae waterways and reservoirs, including the Snowy lakes (cyanobacteria or ‘blue green algae’) are not. [...] Blue green and reservoirs and occurrences or ‘blooms’ of blue green algae can produce toxins that can pose risks to fish and algae have been recorded on numerous occasions over livestock and cause public health issues for people. [...] Blue green algae needs nutrients Stagnant or slow-moving water to thrive, particularly phosphorus Calm, stagnant, or slow-moving There is no doubt that the Black and nitrogen, which can originate water bodies like reservoirs are summer bushfires of 2019/2020 from natural sediment runoff into ideal as the algae can remain near also contributed high volumes of waterways and also agricultural the wat. [...] reservoirs, including Tantangara, exacerbate this process, often for that has increased the likelihood years after the event, as higher Blue green algae blooms where and frequency of blooms across than normal volumes of nutrient the species proliferates in high the Scheme because this adds rich ash and debris can enter concentrations aren’t as common nutrients like nitrogen and waterways and lakes. [...] For more information, visit snowyhydro.com.au Is it dangerous to human and animal health? Depending on the type of bacteria that causes the blue green algae bloom, some bacteria can produce toxins which are dangerous to human and animal health and can cause fish kills.