September 18, 2019 – In efforts to ensure the public is safe, Nevada Irrigation District (NID) continues to conduct inspections of the water in Combie Reservoir, searching for any signs of a cyanobacteria bloom.
The District was notified of a possible algae bloom in one of the upper side ponds on Combie earlier this week, and began immediate monitoring and testing of the water. On Monday, Sept 16, no algae growth was visibly detected. Still, water quality samples were taken and sent to a local lab for analysis. Those results are pending, and will be released as soon as they are made available by the lab. Meanwhile, NID is performing daily patrols to see if any algae reappears.
Cyanobacteria, also called blue-green algae, occurs most often during late summer or early fall, and can release toxins, especially harmful to pets and children. Around the state, algal blooms have become more common in waterways, such as reservoirs and rivers.
NID is working with the Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control and Nevada County officials to determine if any toxic algae is present in the reservoir. As a precaution, the agencies recommend that people and pets avoid direct contact with the water in Combie Reservoir or subsequent tributaries until the test results are in.