Fact Sheet 2008-3009
Harmful Algal Blooms
Harmful algal blooms can occur when certain types of microscopic algae grow quickly in water, forming visible patches that might harm the health of the environment, plants, or animals. In freshwater, species of Cyanobacteria (also known as bluegreen algae) are the dominant group of harmful, bloom-forming algae. When Cyanobacteria form a harmful algal bloom, potential impairments include restricted recreational activities because of algal scums or algal mats, potential loss of public water supply because of taste and odor compounds (for example, geosmin), and the production of toxins (for example, microcystin) in amounts capable of threatening human health and wildlife. |
Version 1.0 Posted April 2008 |
Kiesling, R.L., Gary, R.H., and Gary, M.O., 2008, Monitoring indicators of harmful Cyanobacteria in Texas: U.S. Geological Survey Fact Sheet 2008–3009, 2 p.
Harmful Algal Blooms
Cyanobacteria Monitoring Capabilities
Reservoir Monitoring
Continuous Monitoring
Ecological Data Collection
Investigation of Biological Constituents of Concern
Monitoring Activities
References
For additional information contact: Director, Texas Water Science Center U.S. Geological Survey 8027 Exchange Drive Austin, Texas 78754-4733 World Wide Web: http://tx.usgs.gov/ |
Document Accessibility: Part or all of this report is presented in Portable Document Format (PDF); the latest version of Adobe Acrobat Reader or similar software is required to view it. Download the latest version of Acrobat Reader, free of charge or go to access.adobe.com for free tools that allow visually impaired users to read PDF files. |