Senator Inhofe, Blue-green Algae and Climate Change
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Senator James Inhofe (R-Oklahoma) made the news recently. It was not for almost crashing a plane or saying something outrageous about climate change. The senator got sick from swimming in Grand Lake, located in northeastern Oklahoma.
Grand Lake, as well as three other lakes in northeastern Oklahoma are experiencing an unprecedented outbreak of blue-green algae blooms. Blue-green algae, also known as cyanobacteria, during a bloom of the magnitude Oklahoma is experiencing, can be toxic.
People and pets who come in contact with blue-green algae infested waters are at risk of rashes, respiratory illnesses, and nausea. A person or pet exposed to high levels of the toxic brew could experience damage to their kidneys, as well.
The causes for the massive blooms are high temperatures, high levels of nitrogen and other nutrients in the water, and lack of rain. For the last month temperatures have reached into 100 plus territory most days, which is much hotter than what is normal for this time of year. The low 90’s feel cool in comparison. The high today is projected to be 106.
If this unusual set of circumstances has anything to do with climate change and melting polar ice caps putting more moisture in the atmosphere, upsetting weather patterns, etc., the irony of Senator Inhofe getting sick as a result is obvious.
Senators and normal human beings alike are advised to stay out of the infected lakes until further notice.
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I live in north eastern Ontario, and we are encountering a lot of problems with the algae problem also. I guess we’ll have to move to the Arctic. The Yukon or North West Territories would be nice. Just have a sauna in your house or back yard.
Me and my family have been at the fort cob lake and have been very sick from swimming there for one day we all are throwing up and have dirreah can this be tthhthe blue algae there was 6 of us all in the same water and all have the same symptoms
Sorry to hear that, Halee. That sounds like classic symptoms of too much of the algae.
It all makes me very sad. Our lakes here are also covered with that algae, including one of my favorite which is right around the corner. I would love to take my dogs there, but they like to “jump in the lake” and I’m a little nervous about that algae.
That’s my Senator! Surely there aren’t many others in Congress who can out-do his bat-shittery. He’s an insult to intelligent human beings everywhere. Frankly, he deserved what he got…revenge of the algae!
Oh yeah, it’s hot. The heat index was over 110 yesterday and will be today too. No one is moving around outside, not even once the sun goes down because it is still in the triple digits! The temperature is still in the high 90’s at 1:00 or 2:00am!
I agree with you about normal humans staying away from infected lakes, but I would like to see Senators allowed to swim.