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See Algal Bloom? Florida Authorities Want You To Report It

The Florida Department of Environmental Protection is inviting people to use a hotline to report algal bloom sightings. Florida residents can call in reports to the toll free number at 1-855-305-3903.

This follows a state of emergency in two South Florida counties because of blue-green algae.

There’s also a website: www.reportalgalbloom.com,  where people can report where and when they saw a new algal bloom.

The website asks for information about the color and smell of the algae, whether there are dead fish or other wildlife present, and whether the person reporting the bloom is showing any symptoms of ill health.

Over the weekend, beaches in Martin County were closed because of blue green algae.

The DEP said the majority of the algal blooms sampled so far indicate extremely low levels of toxins.

Water released from Lake Okeechobee is blamed for what officials describe as, ‘guacamole thick’ algae in the St. Lucie River.

The army corps of engineers reduced the flow of water from the lake this week.

The South Florida Water Management district said it’s also asking private property owners, like Florida Power and Light, to store more water on their land to help reduce the flow from the lake.

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