Dog Dies After Swimming in Eel River; Health Officials Warn of Harmful Algal Blooms 17%
By LoCO Staff42%
7/24/2026, 12:10:30 PM
BS Summary: This article contains 7 faulty reasoning types, including Post Hoc (False Cause), Appeal to Emotion, and Availability Heuristic, with Indoctrination as the most egregious example at 31.1% saturation with 169 hits. Analysis detected 438 faulty-reasoning hits from 543 analyzed words, generating a BS Score of 32.5% and a BS Rank of 17% (18,257 of 21,886 articles). This article is better (less manipulative) than 83.40% of the article peer group.
Press release from the Humboldt County Department of Health and Human Services:
Environmental health officials are warning community residents to be on the
lookout for harmful algal blooms after a dog died on Thursday, July 23, a
short time after swimming in a slow, stagnant pool of water off the Eel River
near Scotia.
Typically, warnings about cyanobacteria and harmful algal blooms (HABs)
come out between late July and early August, coinciding with low flows and
sustained high temperatures in the inland areas which may contribute to
cyanobacteria growth in local rivers and lagoons.
While most cyanobacteria do not affect animals or people, some are capable
of producing toxins that can be harmful.
Dogs and children are most likely to
be affected because of their smaller body size and tendency to stay in the
water for longer periods of time.
Freshwater HABs can appear as dark green, blue-green, black, orange or
brown water or can occur as mats and sometimes create scum or foam on
the riverbed or on the water.
However, toxins produced by HABs may be
present without visual indicators.
Officials recommend the following guidelines for recreational users of fresh
water areas:
• Keep children, pets and livestock from swimming in or drinking water
containing algal scums or mats.
• Adults should also avoid wading and swimming in water containing
algal blooms.
Try not to swallow or inhale water spray in an algal
bloom area.
• If no algal scums or mats are visible, you should still carefully watch
young children and warn them not to swallow any water.
• Fish should be consumed only after removing the guts and liver and
rinsing fillets in tap water.
• Never drink, cook with or wash dishes with water from rivers, streams or
lakes.
• Get medical attention immediately if you think that you, your pet or
livestock might have been poisoned by cyanobacteria toxins.
Be sure to
tell the doctor or veterinarian about possible contact with cyanobacteria
or algal blooms.
• Join or support one of the many watershed and river organizations.
Since 2001, there have been 14 documented dog deaths locally where the
dogs died shortly after swimming in Big Lagoon, the South Fork Eel River or
the Van Duzen River.
In each instance, water samples confirmed the
presence of cyanobacteria in the water.
In July 2021, the confirmed presence
of cyanobacteria in the Trinity River east of Willow Creek is believed to have
contributed to a dog’s death that had occurred weeks before.
The most
recent documented event was in 2024 when two dogs died a short time after
swimming in a small pool off the Eel River near Fernbridge in early
September.
To learn more about cyanobacteria and harmful algal blooms, visit the state
of California’s website at mywaterquality.ca.gov/habs/index.html.
To report a bloom, e-mail CyanoHAB.Reports@waterboards.ca.gov or call
844-729-6466 (toll free).
Blooms can also be reported via the “bloomWatch”
app which is available for free download on iTunes or Google play.
For information on conditions in Humboldt County, contact the Humboldt
County Department of Health & Human Services Division of Environmental
Health at 707-445-6215 or 800-963-9241.
Photos of suspected blooms can
also be emailed to envhealth@co.humboldt.ca.us.
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