Strange Sounds
March 12, 2024
A rusty red color in Lake Merritt that left lake stewards scrambling to sample the water on Mar. 7 has tested positive for the same algae that caused the devastating harmful algal bloom in 2022.
On Friday, lake stewards sent water samples to labs run by the California Department of Public Health and San Francisco Bay Regional Water Control Board. Unofficial field testing initially detected no harmful algae. However, lab testing confirmed over the weekend the presence of Heterosigma akashiwo, a type of algae often associated with harmful blooms.