As everyone knows Labor Day weekend on Lake Texoma had a bit of a damper due to the Blue-green. So we thought some info on the subject might be appropriate.

Algae are simple aquatic plants that occur naturally in habitats such as rivers, lakes, damp soil, tree trunks, hot springs and snow. They can vary considerably in shape, colour and size. Blue-green algae are very small organisms and can be seen under the microscope as a single cell or large accumulation of cells (colonies) or strings of cells (trichomes). Some accumulations may be so large that they are easily seen with the naked eye. Blue-green algae are also known as cyanophytes, cyanobacteria and most recently cyanoprokaryotes. They have a similar external appearance to algae and their requirements for light, nutrients and carbon dioxide are also similar. In the absence of light, some blue-green algae can survive and grow using chemicals from its surroundings. Certain types of blue-green algae have tiny gas vesicles in their cells, allowing them to float to the surface or sink to the bottom in response to changing light and nutrient availability. Some species have the potential to produce toxins. This cannot be determined by ‘naked eye’ inspection; only a laboratory analysis can verify the potential for toxicity.