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Toxins associated with high concentrations of blue-green algae can be toxic to humans and animals alike.
Christina Belasco / OPB
Last year's
in the Ross Island Lagoon was the first the Willamette River had seen since 2003. This year, the bloom's back, and though toxins in the water have yet to reach dangerous levels, the Oregon Health Authority is issuing an
in and around the lagoon.
Not all algae is toxic, and without running expensive tests, it's impossible to know whether water is safe for recreation. So who should be paying to test and monitor algae-ridden waters? We check in with the Oregon Health Authority and the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality to find out.
GUESTS:
- Aaron Borisenko: Water quality monitoring manager at the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality
- Rebecca Hillwig: Environmental health specialist, harmful algae bloom surveillance program with the Oregon Public Health Division
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