Buffalo Narrows, SK - Marlene Nicholls has been posting videos and pictures on social media of what looks like a mix of paint sludge and algae. She shows how thick the sludge is on the shorelines and finds herself in her rubber boots wading through what looks like anything but water.

She has been concerned since 2019 as that is when she was noticing stark changes to the water, in talking with other community people she says others have been noticing changes for the past 6 years and say it is getting worse.

Little Peter Pond is connected to the Big Peter Pond Lake which has communities; Buffalo River Dene Nation, Michel Village and Whitefish. Where she is situated at Buffalo Narrows the smell is strong of heavy algae and states it has been coming and going all summer and has been present this time for the past 4 days.

Ms. Nicholls learned that what she has been observing on her lake fits the description of cyanobacteria, also known as bluegreen algae. Cyanotoxins have been reported as the cause of death for pets that swim in or drink contaminated surface water, leading Ms. Nicholls to question what this water will do to wild animals, and the people that live year-round along this lake.

Ms. Nicholls did an independent rapid test developed in Finland and states that it shows there is cyanotoxin present in her lake, however she doesn’t have the toxin level yet. She states this is their drinking water source and although they have a water treatment plant, she is not feeling assured that whatever is in water is being tested properly.

Gillian Ward is with the research department for WaterToday, an environmental media that maps out drinking water advisories and bluegreen algae alerts in Canada and New York State.  “Blue green algae are showing up in places that have not seen it before, so local citizens reporting blooms are an important part of maintaining public water safety. Ms. Nicholls is right to send the photos to Saskatchewan Health and Saskatchewan Environment, to start testing and monitoring water quality”. 

She says scientists that study cyanobacteria report that a variety of toxins can be released in an active bloom, and especially as the bloom dies off. Dangerous levels of toxins have been detected in the water through testing, even after the bloom is no longer visible. 

Paul Belanger, Science advisor for Keepers of the Water says that ‘high levels of Phosphorus and nitrogen can promote high levels of cyanobacteria and cyanobacteria toxins and can be caused by septic or agricultural run-off, ammonia from cattle run off, fertilizer from growing grain and other crops, and whatever household products that households are using’. Paul states that ‘bacteria take over and whatever oxygen is available, and fish die as well’. 

Contact with cyanobacteria contaminated water can cause skin rashes, nausea, diarrhea and in high enough concentrations can cause liver damage and neurological symptoms. People should keep pets and children out of the water where toxins may be present and avoid contact with the bloom.

Marlene has been phoning many people from the Mayor of Buffalo Narrows, to scientists and provincial staff, she was informed by staff with the province of Saskatchewan that the only monitoring they are doing at this time is by satellite.   Marlene says’ no matter what political party, this is about everybody, water Is life for everyone’.

She has 3 questions;

1. What is causing this blue/green algae bloom? 

2. What are the effects/ impacts to us a living being, plant life, animal life, fish, etc.?

3. What can we do to help?

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For more information contact:

Marlene Nicholls – 306 235 7269

Paul Belanger – 780-263-8810

Gillian Ward- 1-306-292-6768