Mona Lake in Muskegon County is still on the DNR list for a potential future muskellunge program. Mona Lake is one of our former tiger musky lakes. It is far too early to know if this latest exotic algae invader will impact the fishery of this lake. This is just one more example of the exotic threats to the health of our state's fishery and lake resources.
Sickening algae discovered in Mona Lake
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Wednesday, June 08, 2005, By Jeff Alexander, CHRONICLE STAFF WRITER
A type of toxic algae native to tropical environments has been found in Mona Lake, the first time the species has been documented in Michigan.
What's particularly troubling about the algae, called cylindrospermopsis, is that it is invisible in water but toxic to the brains and livers of humans and other animals, scientists said.
Cylindrospermopsis is suspected of killing more than 200 alligators over the course of two years in a Florida lake; in 1991, the toxic algae sickened nearly 100 Australians who drank water contaminated by a cylindrospermopsis bloom.
"This is one of the more serious types of toxic algae — it was implicated in one of the largest cyanobacteria poisonings in Australia," said Rick Rediske, a professor of water resources at Grand Valley State University.
Rediske was part of a team of scientists who documented the presence of cylindrospermopsis in central areas of Mona Lake. "It's been reported in lakes as far north as Indiana, but as far as we know, this is the first occurrence in Michigan," he said.
Rediske said there is no reason for people who swim or boat in Mona Lake to shun the popular waterway. He said the levels of cylindrospermopsis found were very low, and there have been no reports of people becoming ill after coming in contact with the lake.
Still, Rediske and other scientists familiar with the discovery said more tests are needed to determine whether the toxic algae is present throughout the summer, or whether it is an infrequent problem.
Annoesjka Steinman, director of the Mona Lake Watershed Council, said people who use the lake need to become aware of the potential dangers of ingesting toxic algae.
"People are kind of in the dark about toxic algae and its potential health risks," Steinman said.
Cylindrospermopsis is the second type of toxic algae found in area lakes. Last fall, scientists at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Lake Michigan Field Station discovered elevated concentrations of microcystins — toxic chemicals associated with blue-green algae — in Muskegon, Bear and Mona lakes.
Blue-green algae is easily detected. It creates a mat-like layer of scum on the water surface when it blooms, one that can be bright green to bluish-gray.
GVSU scientists hope to conduct more tests this summer to determine if public health warnings are needed to keep people from coming in contact with potentially harmful blue-green algae in area lakes. Microcystins found in blue-green algae can cause liver damage and other ailments in humans; scientists believe the arrival of zebra mussels spurred the growth of blue-green algae in many of Michigan's inland lakes.
Rediske said cylindrospermopsis thrives in warm lakes that contains elevated concentrations of phosphorous. Scientists studying the issue said Mona Lake, Bear Lake in Muskegon, Spring Lake, and the bayous along the Grand River all have conditions suitable for supporting the toxic algae.
Rediske said cylindrospermopsis probably wouldn't survive in Muskegon or White lakes because those lakes are too cold, and the currents too swift, to support an algae that is native to tropical and sub-tropical climates.
No one knows how cylindrospermopsis wound up in Mona Lake. Some scientists theorize that global warming is allowing tropical plants to survive in northern climates that were once too cold to support those species.
Rediske said people who swim in local lakes should avoid areas where mats of algae are present and water that looks like pea soup.
"Cylindrospermopsis doesn't form a surface scum like other algae," he said. "It could be in the lake and you wouldn't know it, but you would still see the green color in the water."
What is surprising now is how clean the water is, at least near our property. You can see a few feet to the bottom. Normally this is not the case, the water is that pea green color. I haven't been out on the water in a couple of weeks. Last temp I saw was 64 degrees. Maybe it needs to cook abit longer. Bluegills are on the beds, and the liily pads are going strong, flowers and all.
Public forum will focus on toxic algae
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Thursday, June 16, 2005, By Jeff Alexander, CHRONICLE STAFF WRITER
Area residents concerned about the recent discovery of toxic algae in Mona Lake are urged to attend a public meeting on the topic at noon Tuesday.
Al Steinman, director of Grand Valley State University's Annis Water Resources Institute, will discuss the discovery of cylindrospermopsis in Mona Lake. A very small amount of the algae, which is native to tropical environments, was found in water taken from the middle of the lake last fall.
Scientists are concerned because cylindrospermopsis has never been documented in another Michigan lake; the algae also is invisible and some forms of it can release a toxin that causes brain and liver damage in humans. Cylindrospermopsis is suspected of causing the deaths of 200 alligators in one Florida lake over a two-year period.
Steinman will discuss the potential health risks associated with cylindrospermopsis, the symptoms of cylindrospermopsis poisoning and whether it is safe to swim, fish or boat in Mona Lake. Steinman, an algae expert, also will field questions from the audience.
Scientists familiar with toxic algae said people who swim, fish or boat in Mona Lake should not avoid the lake based on the recent discovery of cylindrospermopsis. They said the amount found was far too small to pose any human health risks.
Though cylindrospermopsis is invisible in the water, it often blooms in areas where other algae makes the water murky and greenish in color. In general, scientists recommend that people avoid surface water that looks like pea soup, which is one of the telltale signs of potentially harmful algae.
Tuesday's meeting is being hosted by the Muskegon County Environmental Coordinating Council.
I was at this meeting yesterday. Note "algae also has been linked to 200 alligator deaths in a Florida lake" The Mona Lake alligator population has remained in check so far with no sightings this summer. 
However, I do believe alligator size muskies would still be acceptable.
Residents seek answers to algae problem
algae also has been linked to 200 alligator deaths in a Florida lake
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Wednesday, June 22, 2005, By Jeff Alexander, CHRONICLE STAFF WRITER
Low concentrations of a potentially toxic algae found in Mona Lake recently do not threaten human health, but are cause for concern and should be monitored, according to a Grand Valley State University scientist.
Scientists recently confirmed the presence of cylindrospermopsis, a tropical algae species, in a water sample collected from the middle of Mona Lake in fall 2003. Cylindrospermopsis has sickened humans in Australia who drank water contaminated by the algae; the algae also has been linked to 200 alligator deaths in a Florida lake.
"With the numbers (of cylindrospermopsis) we found in Mona Lake, I don't consider it a health threat," said Alan Steinman, director of GVSU's Annis Water Resources Institute in Muskegon.
The concentration of cylindrospermopsis found in the Mona Lake sample was a fraction of the levels found in lakes in Florida and Europe, Steinman said. He made his comments Tuesday to about two dozen Mona Lake residents and members of the Muskegon County Environmental Coordinating Council.
Some Mona Lake residents who attended Tuesday's meeting said they were concerned about the mere presence of cylindrospermopsis, even if it doesn't pose an imminent health risk to humans or wild-life. The algae can lie dormant for years, and survive winter, before re-emerging when lake water temperatures exceed 68 degrees, Steinman said.
"It's scary," said Bob Scolnik, a Muskegon County commissioner who owns a waterfront home on Mona Lake. Scolnik said he's concerned be-cause, according to Steinman, cylindrospermopsis is likely here to stay.
There is no way to rid lakes of potentially toxic algae without destroying beneficial algae species that support fish, Steinman said. The simplest way people can deal with the problem is to avoid water where algae blooms are present.
Gary Hasper, past president of the Mona Lake Improvement Association, said several people called him after a recent news article reported the cylindrospermopsis discovery. Hasper said he is not worried.
"My kids and grandkids were swimming in the lake all last weekend," Hasper said. "And the fishing has never been better."
Cylindrospermopsis is one species in a family of blue-green algae known as cyanobacteria. Some types of cyanobacteria release chemicals that have been known to kill fish, dogs and livestock. People who swim in water fouled by toxic algae or drink contaminated water may suffer from rashes, stomach ailments or permanent damage to the brain, liver or kidneys, Steinman said.
Local researchers have said a type of toxic algae called microcystis poses more serious ecological and potential health threats in area lakes than cylindrospermopsis. Cylindrospermopsis was one of three types of toxic algae found in Mona Lake. GVSUre-searchers also found microcystis and planktothrix in the Mona Lake water sample, Steinman said. The potentially toxic algae accounted for 45 percent of the algae, by volume, in that 2003 sample, he said.
Steinman said people who swim in area lakes that have high concentrations of phosphorous or zebra mussels — such as Mona, Bear, Muskegon, White, Duck and Spring lakes — should be on the lookout for potentially toxic algae blooms. "If the water is discolored, don't get in it," he said.
Cylindrospermopsis is invisible but is usually found in water that looks like pea soup. When microcystis blooms, it creates a scum on the water's surface that looks like green paint.
"My guess is that if we did a comprehensive survey of other lakes in the Muskegon area, we'd probably find cylindrospermopsis," Steinman said.
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