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SALT LAKE CITY — The algal bloom impacting the Provo Bay area of Utah Lake has not yet spread to the Jordan River, although county health departmental officials and state water quality regulators are continuing to monitor for harmful blue-green algae.
Satellite imagery on Friday indicated the bloom at Provo Bay — which has been posted with an advisory urging swimmers and others using the lake for recreation to exercise caution — was headed toward the river.
New tests, however, show "non-detect" for the Jordan River for harmful algal blooms, leading to relief given the July Fourth holiday and triple digit temperatures that may lead to an increase in outdoor water play.
Last summer, the green slime covered an unprecedented 90 percent of Utah Lake's surface. The algae flourishes under conditions that include a stagnant weather pattern and excessive heat.
The bacteria, which can contain neurotoxins and cause respiratory issues, prompted hundreds of calls to the Utah Poison Control Center from an alarmed public, and from people potentially exposed.
State water quality scientists and health departments in both Utah and Salt Lake counties scrambled to determine the extent and nature of the toxins, with water samples that had to be analyzed in an out-of-state lab.
The bloom spread to the Jordan River and multiple feeder canals, also prompting worries about potentially contaminated produce — but those fears later proved to be unfounded.
Payson Lakes and Davis County's Farmington Bay at the Great Salt Lake also suffered an outbreak, and Scofield Reservoir was infested, resulting in a fish kill and the death of several bats. Health officials in Carbon County also worked to advise residents of potential risks.
