Dangerous algal bloom turns up in Zion National Park after dog dies in North Fork of the Virgin River
By Sean P. Means
By Brian Maffly
? Published: 3 days ago
Updated: 2 days ago
For the first time in a Utah river, toxic levels of a river-dwelling species of cyanobacteria have been detected after a dog suffered seizures and died soon after frolicking in Zion National Park’s Virgin River.
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A toxic bloom of river-dwelling benthic algae, in a national park no less, is a major cause of concern, according to Erica Gaddis, executive director of the Utah Division of Water Quality.
“It’s a complete mystery. It’s just bizarre, we are all stunned,” she said. “There’s a need to understand this.”
In response to the dog’s July 4 death, samples were taken along the Virgin River and brought to Salt Lake City for testing. The results came back Friday indicating concentrations of anatoxin-a, the harmful substance produced by cyanobacteria that affects the nervous system, at nearly four times the health threshold for recreational exposure, triggering the public health warnings.
The harmful algae was found in multiple spots in the river...
