Nicole Hancock
Indigenous community hosts full moon ceremony ...

Kristen Villebrun and Wendy Bush hoped they wouldn't have to pray for Chedoke Creek, but four years after they first raised alarm about the water's condition, they were part of an Indigenous full moon ceremony to do just that. About 50 people showed up near Princess Point on the dark and frigid Monday evening for the monthly ceremony, which was particularly special as it focused on Chedoke Creek. The body of water that runs into Cootes Paradise had about 24 billion litres of sewage and storm water runoff leak into it due to a gate being left open.

Indigenous community hosts full moon ceremony to heal Chedoke Creek

algae bloom

A prolonged, severe algae bloom is causing 'musty' tap water for Regina, Moose Jaw consumers

A prolonged, severe algae bloom is causing 'musty' tap water for Regina, Moose Jaw consumers

The tap water in the Regina and Moose Jaw areas might smell funky and taste a little off these days, but the people responsible for the water say it's still safe to drink. There has been a prolonged and severe bloom of cyanobacteria (blue-green algae) at Buffalo Pound Lake, which is where the tap water comes from, "These organisms produce some compounds, chemical compounds, that produce the taste and odours that people describe as algae or musty," said Blair Kardash, who is the laboratory manager at the Buffalo Pound Water Treatment Plant. 

2nd blue-green algae bloom found on P.E.I., this time in Murray River

2nd blue-green algae bloom found on P.E.I., this time in Murray River

P.E.I. issued another blue-green algae bloom advisory on Wednesday, after the microscopic organisms causing the phenomenon were found in Murray River's MacLures Pond. Just a day before, the province announced it had discovered blue-green algae in Black Pond near Souris. That was the first time in two years that such a bloom had been reported in the province.

Algae bloom season in Alberta is here. What can we do about it?

Algae bloom season in Alberta is here. What can we do about it?

As glorious as Alberta summers can be, they come with their own set of problems, like blue-green algae. Unfortunately for eager campers and swimmers, the blooms — which happen every year — can effectively shut down lakes. So, what exactly is blue-green algae? Blue-green algae or cyanobacteria forms in slow-moving, shallow waters and is usually the result of an excess of nitrogen and phosphorus. These nutrients are essential for plant growth, but big blooms of the bacteria are largely caused by human activity like agriculture or residential development.

Nova Scotia issues first blue-green algae alert for 2022

Nova Scotia issues first blue-green algae alert for 2022

The provincial government has issued an alert for blue-green algae, the first of the season for Nova Scotia. Environment and Climate Change reported in a news release Saturday that a blue-green algae bloom was reported in a stream between Shubenacadie-Grand Lake and Fish Lake. The algae produces toxins that can cause illness in humans and be fatal to pets, according to Elizabeth Kennedy, director of the water branch.

Risk advisory in effect for Lake Banook after possible algae bloom

Risk advisory in effect for Lake Banook after possible algae bloom

Swimmers are being asked to avoid Dartmouth's popular Lake Banook due to a possible blue-green algae bloom. A release from the Halifax Regional Municipality Sunday afternoon announced a risk advisory was in effect for Birch Cove Beach, and people were asked to avoid swimming there until further notice. City staff are currently investigating whether or not it is a toxin-producing algae, the release said. Blue-green algae naturally occurs in freshwater environments and can multiply rapidly during the summer, leading to extensive growth called a bloom. Some types of this algae produce toxins during blooms and those toxins may leak into the water when the bloom fades, the release said.

Chocolate Lake beach closed, toxic algae bloom confirmed at Cunard Lake

Chocolate Lake beach closed, toxic algae bloom confirmed at Cunard Lake

Chocolate Lake Beach is closed to swimming until further notice as the municipality tests samples to see if a toxin-producing algae is present in the water, according the Halifax Regional Municipality. People are advised to avoid any contact with the lake water, and that warning extends to pets, since a bloom is suspected. The popular spot is one of three beaches in the municipality now closed.

Blue-green algae confirmed in Grand Lake

Blue-green algae confirmed in Grand Lake

Toxins associated with blue-green algae have been confirmed in Grand Lake, N.S., but the province's Department of Environment is awaiting further test results for pesticides and other chemical contaminants. Those results are expected soon, the department said. In the meantime, people are still being urged to avoid drinking the water in Grand Lake, and avoid any skin contact with the water. "We still want people to be cautious and not use the water," Julie Towers, deputy minister of the Department of Environment and Climate Change, told media outside the East Hants Aquatic Centre in Elmsdale, N.S.

Blue-green algae: A Q&A with a public health doctor

Blue-green algae: A Q&A with a public health doctor

The Department of Environment and local veterinarians are pointing to blue-green algae as one of the most likely causes of contamination at Grand Lake, N.S., that led to the death of two dogs and one person being hospitalized this week. An alert was issued early Thursday morning warning all residents who take water directly from Grand Lake to stop using the water immediately. Residents near Grand Lake who don't receive water from a municipal utility are advised not to consume their water, or use it for cooking, bathing, swimming or boating, until told otherwise.

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