Due to the presence of harmful cyanobacteria, Burlington officials closed all of the city’s Lake Champlain beaches for 24 hours, starting Sunday morning.
After another round of testing, they reopened North Beach and Texaco Beach on Monday around noon, said Erin Moreau, Burlington’s waterfront superintendent and harbormaster.
Cyanobacteria, also known as blue-green algae, form blooms that release dangerous toxins that can cause severe health problems. The blooms are especially dangerous to children and pets.
The first bloom sighting was reported at North Beach at 10:51 a.m. Sunday, Moreau said.
That closure was soon followed by shutdowns at Blanchard Beach at Oakledge Park, Texaco Beach and the Cove at Oakledge. The final closure of the day was Leddy Beach at 11:49 a.m.
These first bloom sightings of the season are slightly early — but not unprecedented.
“Typically we see the first closure in July, but there have certainly been other years where June has had a closure,” Moreau said.
The blooms are the result of multiple, long-term nutrient inputs in the Lake Champlain basin, according to the Department of Parks, Recreation & Waterfront.
The most severe concentrations of the bacteria are at Leddy Park, Oakledge Park and the Burlington Marina, according to the state’s map of the blooms.
Officials plan to frequently test and monitor the blooms over the next few days.
