Last week, ๐๐น๐๐ฒ ๐๐ฎ๐ธ๐ฒ ๐ฅ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฐ๐ต๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฎ ๐ง๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฏ๐ฎ๐น ๐๐ป๐๐ถ๐ฟ๐ผ๐ป๐บ๐ฒ๐ป๐๐ฎ๐น ๐ฃ๐ฟ๐ผ๐๐ฒ๐ฐ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป ๐๐ด๐ฒ๐ป๐ฐ๐ hosted a training led by ๐ ๐ถ๐ธ๐ฒ ๐ง๐ต๐ผ๐บ๐ฎ๐, Senior Environmental Scientist at the Northern California Water Board, about identifying ๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐บ๐ณ๐๐น ๐๐น๐ด๐ฎ๐น ๐๐น๐ผ๐ผ๐บ๐ (๐๐๐). In this training session, students were introduced with a presentation detailing the different species of ๐๐๐ฎ๐ป๐ผ๐ฏ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฎ (Blue-Green Algae), how to identify them, and how to collect a sample in the field. After the presentation, the students walked down to the Baduwaโt to get some experience in the field. ๐ ๐ถ๐ธ๐ฒ ๐ง๐ต๐ผ๐บ๐ฎ๐ walked everyone through how to cover a set area and visually screen for ๐๐๐s, as well as how to measure coverage of the ๐๐๐s in the water source.
๐๐๐ฎ๐ป๐ผ๐ฏ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฎ exists in most areas around the world and comes in a couple of different shapes & sizes. Some ๐๐๐ฎ๐ป๐ผ๐ฏ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฎ grow suspended in the water column (Planktonic), while others can grow attached the bottom in mats (Benthic). Potential exposure to Benthic ๐๐๐ฎ๐ป๐ผ๐ฏ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฎ can increase when mats float up to the surface and accumulate in areas that are frequented by people and pets. Some of these ๐๐๐s produce ๐๐๐ฎ๐ป๐ผ๐๐ผ๐
๐ถ๐ป๐, which if present, can pose a risk to humans and pets. Learning about ๐๐๐s and the best practices to monitor them is vital to ensuring the safety of our community and the Baduwaโt for future generations to come.
Originally Published: 7/16/2025