What's it all about? Algae.
This week's news that toxic blue-green algae has been detected in an irrigation reservoir near Madras brings our attention back to the duck pond at Laurelhurst Park in Northeast Portland. The same type of algae has been detected in the Laurelhurst pond, which as readers know is about to be dredged and the unwanted muck trucked to the Cully neighborhood for dumping at that neighborhood's "future park" site.
Remember back in 2003, when more than a dozen dogs died after playing in Laurelhurst Park? The police had a suspect and said they thought he had fed the dogs poison sausages. At least some of the dogs had the restricted herbicide paraquat in their systems. But the suspect was never charged; the cops couldn't make out a decent case against him. Nor were any poison sausages ever found, although some of the victims' owners said the dogs had eaten something that looked like pepperoni in the park before they perished.
Could the algae have had something to do with the dogs' deaths? It turns out, that stuff can be deadly to canines if they swallow it. As we recall, it wasn't even discussed back when the dogs died. Algae has been an aesthetic problem in the Laurelhurst pond for decades, but as best we can tell, it wasn't until 2006, when some Sunnyside School students tested the water, that the toxic species of algae was discovered to be present.
The dog poisonings, officially unsolved for more than seven years, left a scar among dog lovers and park users across Portland. If the algae theory hasn't been thoroughly checked out, maybe it should be. Whaddya say, Commissioner Fish?
| Posted at 11:41 AM | Permalink |
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Comments (8)
The algae are present because there is a lot of nitrogen and phosphorous, growth limiting factors. Add temperature, and with the sun they are more visible. The water then becomes toxic with very little consumption.
Posted by Old Shep | August 7, 2010 12:45 PM
I step around the goose presence in Willamette Park every year. The Laurelhurst dog owners could have easily mistaken the "canadian baby ruth" for a sausage.
Posted by dhughes609 | August 7, 2010 2:20 PM
Check out the incidence of ALS in Lake Oswego compared to the rest of the states (in terms of cases, foundations, etc).
Lots of fingers pointing to BGA as causative agents for ALS and other related diseases.
(As for Laurelhurst and the dogs, after going there frequently for 20 years, I don't recall ever seeing a dog swimming in the pond.)
Posted by PJB | August 7, 2010 3:21 PM
Must be different than the
Klamath Falls algae
Posted by pdxjim | August 7, 2010 4:49 PM
Part of my job last year involved frequent contact w/Laurelhurst dog owners.
Nothing phases these people except when they perceive you to be violating the civil rights of their dogs.
The only dog-related scars left at Laurelhurst Park are canine damage and havoc.
Yes, yes, several owners do behave as good citizens.
Posted by Larry | August 7, 2010 4:52 PM
If I recall correctly there were "autopsies" done on the some of the dogs and the laced sausage was found in their systems...
Posted by NoPo Guy | August 7, 2010 8:26 PM
As I read it, no sausage was found. There were "traces" of paraquat in a couple of the dogs.
Posted by Jack Bog | August 7, 2010 10:14 PM
I lived not too far from Laurelhurst Park both in the 70s and through the mid-80s. I often saw dogs in the pond (not mind.... elkhouds *hate* water) including a friend's golden who was there quite frequently.
Posted by LucsAdvo | August 8, 2010 7:21 AM