Cyanobacteria, The Nebraska Experience

N agencies and public health organizations collaboratively addressed cyanobacteria issues for the first time after two dogs died within hours of drinking water from a small private lake south of Omaha on May 4, 2004. A water sample and a necropsy revealed that the dog deaths were due to high concentrations of the cyanobacteria toxin Microcystin LR. Meetings were held between the Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality (NDEQ), Nebraska Health and Human Services (NHHS), Nebraska Game and Parks Commission (NGPC), and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL). Excellent cooperation and quick action were demonstrated by these agencies in developing unified strategies for cyanobacteria monitoring and public notification within two weeks after the dog deaths occurred (Figure 1). Even with monitoring and notification networks in place, by the end of the 2004 recreation season there were three reported dog deaths, numerous wildlife and livestock deaths, and more than 50 accounts of human skin rashes, lesions, or gastrointestinal illnesses reported at Nebraska lakes.