Oct 2, 2009 5 min read

A West Virginia environmental agency believes a golden algae bloom is connected to the massive fish kill in Dunkard Creek, while a Pennsylvania environmental agency said discharges from at least one West Virginia coal mine led to the algae bloom. The West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection said it has not pinpointed the source or cause of the golden algae, which occurs worldwide, but usually in coastal water with high salt and mineral content.

“This particular algae requires a brackish environment, like salt water. Our water quality reports and West Virginia’s indicates that the brackish environment was created by Blacksville No. 2 (coal mine),” said Pennsylvania DEP spokeswoman Helen Humphreys.

Independent biologists hired by Consol Energy, which owns Blacksville No. 2, determined that golden brown algae caused the fish kill, but additional studies are needed to find the source and cause of the bloom, said Consol spokesman Tom Hoffman.

Blacksville No. 2 has been discharging water into the creek, under a state permit, for more than a year while fish have been living in the creek, Hoffman said.

The algae might be native to the stream or it could have been deposited from waterfowl or bait buckets fishermen might have used in other states, he said, adding that the algae is common in southern states.

Brackish water might have caused the algae to bloom, but sewage or cattle waste might also could have triggered the bloom, Hoffman said.

“The (Pennsylvania) DEP said brackish water made it bloom, but we’ve been discharging for quite some time, which suggests to me something else changed to make the algae bloom if it has been there for a while,” Hoffman said. “This is a complicated situation in which there may have been a number of factors.”

The Pennsylvania DEP has a standing request for West Virginia DEP’s water studies and wants to evaluate the studies regarding the algae, Humphreys said, noting that the department is also looking at drainage from Consol’s inactive Blacksville No. 1 mine as a possible source of the algae.

“While it appears that saline- and mineral-rich environments are conducive to the growth of the golden algae in Dunkard Creek, we aren’t sure if the algae was introduced into the creek or if it just proliferated due to favorable conditions,” said West Virginia DEP Secretary Randy Huffman. “It could have been transplanted in a number of ways, including waterfowl, water transport or even waders of fishermen who have fished in affected waters in other states.”

The department is asking that no one transport water from the creek to avoid the possibility of spreading the algae to other watersheds.

Dead fish were first reported in Dunkard Creek to the West Virginia DEP on Sept. 1 and then to the Pennsylvania DEP on Sept. 8.

Residents in Greene County reported seeing various species of fish, including some large muskellunge, dead and floating in the creek.

The Pennsylvania DEP said at least 18 species of fish and at least 16 species of mussels have been killed in the stream. One of the species of mussels is classified as endangered and the state Fish and Boat Commission is considering placing another one of the species on the endangered list.

The 38-mile creek flows from Monongalia County, W.Va., to Greene County at its confluence with the Monongahela River.

All available information indicates that golden algae is not known to cause human health problems, and no immediate harmful effects have been recorded in mammals and birds observed eating dead and dying fish and drinking the water in areas with golden algae, according to the West Virginia DEP.

Golden algae, scientifically called prymnesium parvum, produces toxins that can affect gill-breathing organisms and the most visible result of a fish kill caused by golden alga is dead and dying fish and mussels of all species and sizes, according to the West Virginia DEP.

While it may be difficult to determine how the algae came to be in Dunkard Creek, the agency acknowledges the severity of the situation and is committed to continue to work with the other involved agencies to determine the extent of damage and what can be done to control the problem, Huffman said.

“Narrowing down the cause will allow us and anyone who may be found to be responsible to find a solution,” said Huffman. “Some members of our investigation team are now turning their attention to finding ways to minimize or eliminate the algae bloom. We are also evaluating what can be done to prevent this from happening in the future, in Dunkard Creek and other watersheds.”

He said algae experts from West Virginia University, North Carolina and Texas helped link golden algae to the fish kill.

West Virginia looked at other possible causes such as mining, oil and gas drilling and algae.

During a Sept. 18 flyover, officials noticed rust-colored cloudy water from the south fork of the West Virginia fork of the creek downstream to the Pennsylvania border.

Residents in Greene County also reported seeing murky, discolored water.

Kathy Cosco, W.Va. DEP communications director, said Wednesday that there were no new or additional updates regarding the fish kill, and that W.Va. DEP continues to work with Pa. DEP and EPA in the Dunkard Creek investigation.