Harker said most cases of Swimmer’s Itch do no require medical attention. “Willard Bay reached out to us reporting swimmers at The Pond had complained about it and were asking about proper protocols to deal with the condition.” “Signs had been posted at Mantua about Swimmer’s Itch and we posted something on our website last Friday, just to alert the public,” Harker says. Willard residents appeared to understand the citys justifications for a. Swimming Pool Program Lead at the Bear River Health Department, Ben Harker, said first reports of the rash among swimmers surfaced last week.
Willard bay swimmers itch skin#
Swimmer’s Itch is caused by the parasites most often found during the summer in the shallow water of lakes and ponds.Īlso called cercarial dermatitis, with swimmer’s itch the parasite’s preferred host is a specific bird or mammal, but if it comes into contact with a swimmer, it burrows into the skin causing an allergic reaction and rash. She also said Utah will need multiple years of above-average snow to improve drought conditions.FILE PHOTO – Mantua Lake in Box Elder CountyĪn irritating, though harmless rash caused by an allergic reaction to small parasites has been reported at both Mantua Reservoir and what is called ”The Pond” north of the Willard Bay north marina. The really important precipitation comes during the winter. “We get the snow in the wintertime, it stays up in our mountains and in the springtime when it warms up, it seeps into the ground, and it melts, and it seeps into the ground and then it goes into our reservoirs,” stated Hasenyager. However, summer rains normally don’t improve Utah’s reservoir water levels. Especially because summer rain helps lawns. The National Weather Service reported from July 1t through August 6 th, Salt Lake City has seen less than 7 inches of rain. According to NWS, for that particular time period, it is the 15 th driest on record.Įven though the weekend saw welcome storms, “it really doesn’t fill up our reservoirs.” Candice Hasenyager is the Utah Division of Water Resources Director. “That also shows how warmer, hotter summers and ongoing drought are potentially making these harmful algal blooms worse and bringing them to water bodies that we haven’t seen them at before,” she added. She explained that normally, Willard Bay is too cold for algae to thrive and is one of the reasons toxin-producing algal blooms haven’t been recorded in the reservoir before. Bonner told ABC4 that her program was established in 2016. “If this is confirmed as a toxin producing, harmful algal bloom, this will be the first one we’ve at Willard Bay or on Willard Pond,” Dr. However, this particular bloom, at Willard Bay, has her attention. Bonner is the environmental scientist and Recreational Health Advisory Program Coordinator for the Utah Department of Environmental Quality.īonner explained that algal blooms are not uncommon to see in different bodies of water around Utah. “What we’re concerned about is that it is a toxin producing algae, and so that it could be harmful to human or animal health,” Dr. Warm water may be great for swimmers, but it’s also great for algae. On Monday afternoon, that temperature was around 75 degrees. As the water level drops, the temperature can rise. Due to the low water level, boat launching ramps are officially closed, though boaters may still launch at their own risk.
A health watch is now in place for Willard Bay State Park in response to an algal bloom.Īt Willard Bay State Park in Box Elder County, the current water level sits around 40 percent of capacity.
The water quality may be taking a hit as well. Water reserves are low across the state and it’s not just the reserves that are suffering. BOX ELDER COUNTY, Utah (ABC4) – Parts of Utah saw impressive rains over the weekend and while they were sure welcome, they won’t do much to improve drought conditions.
0 kommentar(er)
