MDEQ sampling Coast water
As we enter August, all 21 Coast beaches still remain closed. On June 22nd, the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality began issuing water advisories due to the presence of a blue-green algae bloom.
As water advisories for all 21 Coast beaches remain under effect, the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality opened themselves up to the media as they sampled the water at East Courthouse Road Beach in Gulfport. Chief of Field Services Steven Bailey said, “Our staff is getting dressed currently and we’ll take a sample and we’ll measure salinity and dissolved oxygen on that sample as well. Carry it back to the lab and determine whether the microcystis is either present or in bloom.”
What makes the blue-green algae bloom so difficult is that it is never been seen before on the Coast until now. “This is new for all of us, especially my scientists, they’re just kind of amazed that it stayed in bloom this long with the high salinity, but it withstood it.”
While the bloom is a freshwater bacteria, the MDEQ can’t confirm or deny that the Bonnet Carre Spillway’s extended opening was the cause of the bloom. “We can’t really determine what it caused it. Obviously, it came from freshwater, but it is now living in a marine environment. Can’t really speculate exactly where it came from or how it got here, but it is here and we’re going to sample for it every day until we can lift those advisories.”
Bailey says they won’t get the results back for a day or so, but to continue to stay out of the water until further notice. “We issued those advisories for a reason. Educate yourself on what cyanobacteria can do and just be wary of our advisories.”
For a full list of advisories visit www.mdeq.ms.gov.
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