During this summer season in the US, the challenge of coping with high temperatures has been compounded by the prevalence of E. coli and cyanobacteria, leading to widespread beach closures at lakes and rivers. The issue is exacerbated by the effects of climate change, which have resulted in warmer waters and more intense rainfall, creating optimal conditions for bacterial growth.
The rise in water temperature of approximately 0.6F (0.3C) per decade between 1985 and 2009 has increased the risk of bacterial blooms even in historically cold areas. These bacteria can lead to various symptoms such as blisters, rashes, diarrhea, muscle weakness, and liver damage. Additionally, outbreaks can have detrimental effects on ecosystems.
The cost associated with preventing and treating harmful cyanobacterial blooms in the US exceeded $1 billion from 2010 to 2020. Experts attribute the surge in bacterial growth to heavy rain, which facilitates the influx of phosphorus and nitrogen from stormwater into lakes and rivers, providing the necessary nutrients for bacterial and algae proliferation.
Experts emphasize that rising temperatures accelerate the impact of bacteria growth as warmer conditions favor the proliferation of diarrheagenic E. coli and cyanobacteria. These harmful bacteria can lead to severe health issues and even fatalities in pets and wildlife. Recently, regions like Massachusetts and Vermont have experienced a significant increase in beach closures and active alerts for cyanobacterial blooms.
Even renowned bodies of water like Lake Tahoe have faced warnings of toxic algal blooms. The escalating threat of bacterial outbreaks poses a significant risk to tourism revenues in regions like Lake Elsinore, where the closure of the lake due to harmful algal blooms in 2022 resulted in substantial economic losses. To address these issues, innovations like nanobubble technology are being piloted to mitigate bacterial growth, although challenges persist in implementing such solutions on a large scale.
In the long run, the most effective strategies for combating harmful bacterial blooms involve reducing nitrogen and phosphorus pollution, as well as lowering emissions to mitigate the risk posed to tourism-reliant communities. Failure to implement these measures could have detrimental consequences for both the environment and the economy of these regions.
