Jordan River and Canals Algal Bloom Monitoring 2019

Report a Bloom

24-Hour DEQ Environment Incidents Line: (801) 536-4123

Call Utah Poison Control Center

Call the Poison Control Center

If you believe you or your pet have been exposed to a harmful algal bloom, call (800) 222-1222.

Update November 7, 2019

The Salt Lake County Health Department has removed the Warning Advisory for Millrace Pond.

The close of the monitoring season and removal of advisories doesn’t mean HABs are no longer present, but rather that monitoring data won’t be collected during the colder months to verify their presence. HABs can persist throughout the fall and winter and can pose a potential threat to humans and pets. It’s important for recreators to recognize the signs of a bloom and take appropriate precautions.

Recreators are advised to stay out of the water and avoid any contact with water or scum if they suspect a harmful algal bloom. Hunters and fishers should clean waterfowl and fish well and discard all guts.

Update October 16, 2019

The Salt Lake County Health Department (SLCHD) received lab results for samples collected on October 15, 2019, at Millrace Pond in Taylorsville. Anatoxin-a levels are still detectable. SLCHD posted signs at Millrace Pond on August 29, 2019, and these signs will remain in place until conditions change or toxin levels fall below the recreation health-based threshold for a Warning Advisory.

SLCHD will conclude its sampling at this location on October 29, 2019, as that date marks the end of the 2019 recreational season.

A Warning Advisory indicates a moderate relative probability of acute health risk, cell-count density of 20,000 – 10 million cells per milliliter (cells/ml), microcystin levels of 4-2,000 micrograms per liter (µg/L), or anatoxin-a levels above non-detect.

The Warning Advisory remains in place for Millrace Pond.

Data Summary

  • Anatoxin-a: 0.15 micrograms per liter (µg/L)

Update October 16, 2019

The Salt Lake County Health Department (SLCHD) received lab results for samples collected on October 8, 2019, at Millrace Pond in Taylorsville. Anatoxin-a levels are still detectable. SLCHD posted signs at Millrace Pond on August 29, 2019, and these signs will remain in place until conditions change or toxin levels fall below the recreation health-based threshold for a Warning Advisory.

The Warning Advisory remains in place for Millrace Pond.

Data Summary

  • Anatoxin-a: 0.15 micrograms per liter(µg/L)

Update September 30, 2019

The Salt Lake County Health Department (SLCHD) received lab results for samples collected on September 24, 2019, at Millrace Pond in Taylorsville. Anatoxin-a levels are still detectable. SLCHD posted signs at Millrace Pond on August 29, 2019, and these signs will remain in place until conditions change or toxin levels fall below the recreation health-based threshold for a Warning Advisory.

The Warning Advisory remains in place for Millrace Pond.

Data Summary

  • Microcystin: 0.53 micrograms per liter (µg/L)
  • Anatoxin-a: 0.48 µg/L

Update September 23, 2019

The Salt Lake County Health Department (SLCHD) received lab results for samples collected at Millrace Pond in Taylorsville on September 17, 2019. Anatoxin-a levels are still detectable. SLCHD posted signs at Millrace Pond on August 29, 2019, and these signs will remain in place until conditions change or toxin levels fall below the recreation health-based threshold for a Warning Advisory.

The Warning Advisory remains in place for Millrace Pond.

Data Summary

  • Microcystin: 0.26 micrograms per liter (µg/L)
  • Anatoxin-a: 0.30 µg/L

Update September 16, 2019

Toxin test results for samples collected by the Salt Lake County Health Department (SLCHD) on September 10, 2019, at Jordan Narrows, Wheeler Farm, Blackridge Reservoir, and Millrace Pond showed that anatoxin-a levels exceeded the recreation health-based advisory threshold at Millrace Pond. Toxin levels for all the other sample locations were well below the health advisory.

A Warning Advisory indicates a moderate relative probability of acute health risk, cell-count density of 20,000 – 10 million cells per milliliter (cells/ml), microcystin levels of 4-2,000 micrograms per liter (µg/L), or anatoxin-a levels above non-detect.

Millrace Pond remains under a Warning Advisory.

Data Summary

Millrace Pond – Taylorsville

  • Microcystin: 0.30 micrograms per liter (µg/L)
  • Anatoxin-a: 0.32 µg/L

Wheeler Farm – Murray

  • Microcystin: 0.12 µg/L
  • Anatoxin-a: <0.10 µg/L

Jordan Narrows – Jordan River

  • Microcystin: 0.16 µg/L
  • Anatoxin-a: <0.10 µg/L

Blackridge Reservoir – Herriman

  • Microcystin: 0.14 µg/L
  • Anatoxin-a: <0.10 µg/L

Update August 30, 2019

The Salt Lake County Health Department (SLCHD) issued a Warning Advisory for the waterbody in Millrace Park on August 29, 2019, after toxin test results received by the health department on August 29, 2019, for samples collected on August 23, 2019, exceeded the recreation health-based threshold for microcystin and anatoxin-a.

A Warning Advisory indicates a moderate relative probability of acute health risk, cell-count density of 20,000 – 10 million cells per milliliter (cells/ml), microcystin levels of 4-2,000 micrograms per liter (µg/L), or anatoxin-a levels above non-detect.

Data Summary

Jordan River – Millrace Park

  • Microcystin: 11.7 micrograms per liter (µg/L)
  • Anatoxin-a: 2.37 µg/L

Update August 30, 2019

The Salt Lake County Health Department (SLCHD) lifted the Warning Advisory for Jordan Narrows and Blackridge Reservoir on August 29, 2019, after samples collected along the Jordan River on August 27, 2019, showed that microcystin and anatoxin-a levels were well below the recreation health-based threshold. The Warning Advisory for Wheeler Farm was lifted on August 15, 2019.

Data Summary

Jordan River – Jordan Narrows

  • Microcystin: 0.17 micrograms per liter (µg/L)
  • Anatoxin-a: <0.10 µg/L

Blackridge Reservoir

  • Microcystin: 0.17 micrograms per liter (µg/L)
  • Anatoxin-a: <0.10 µg/L

Wheeler Farm

  • Microcystin: 0.11 micrograms per liter (µg/L)
  • Anatoxin-a: <0.10 µg/L

Update August 22, 2019

The Salt Lake County Health Department (SLCHD) collected samples at three locations along the Jordan River on August 20, 2019. Anatoxin-a levels were below the detection limit of all three locations. Microcystin was detected at the Jordan Narrows and Blackridge Reservoir, but the values were below the recreation health-based threshold for a Warning Advisory.

The Warning Advisory for Wheeler Farm was lifted on August 15, 2019. The Warning Advisory for the Jordan Narrows and Blackridge Reservoir can be lifted after two consecutive samples show anatoxin-a values below the detection limit.

A Warning Advisory indicates a moderate relative probability of acute health risk, cell-count density of 20,000 – 10 million cells per milliliter (cells/ml), microcystin levels of 4-2,000 micrograms per liter (µg/L), or anatoxin-a levels above non-detect.

The Warning Advisory remains in place for Blackridge Reservoir and Jordan Narrows.

Data Summary

Jordan River – Jordan Narrows

  • Microcystin: <0.18 micrograms per liter (µg/L)
  • Anatoxin-a: <0.10 µg/L

Blackridge Reservoir

  • Microcystin: <0.13 µg/L
  • Anatoxin-a: <0.10 µg/L

Wheeler Farm

  • Microcystin: <0.10 µg/L
  • Anatoxin-a: <0.10 µg/L

Update August 15, 2019

The Salt Lake County Health Department (SLCHD) lifted the Warning Advisory for Wheeler Farm on August 15, 2019, after two consecutive weeks of sampling results fell below the recreation health-based advisory threshold.

SLCHD collected samples at Jordan Narrows, Blackridge Reservoir, and Wheeler Farm on August 13, 2019. Anatoxin-a levels were still detected at Blackridge Reservoir, but the other sample sites were well below the recreation health-based threshold for a Warning Advisory.

A Warning Advisory indicates a moderate relative probability of acute health risk, cell-count density of 20,000 – 10 million cells per milliliter (cells/ml), microcystin levels of 4-2,000 micrograms per liter (µg/L), or anatoxin-a levels above non-detect.

The Warning Advisory remains in place for Blackridge Reservoir and Jordan Narrows.

Data Summary

Jordan River – Jordan Narrows

  • Microcystin: <0.10 micrograms per liter (µg/L)
  • Anatoxin-a: <0.10 µg/L

Blackridge Reservoir

  • Microcystin: <0.10 micrograms per liter (µg/L)
  • Anatoxin-a: 0.101 µg/L

Wheeler Farm

  • Microcystin: <0.10 micrograms per liter (µg/L)
  • Anatoxin-a: <0.10 µg/L

Update August 12, 2019

The Salt Lake County Health Department (SLCHD) received toxin test results from the Utah Public Health Lab for samples it collected on August 6, 2019, at Jordan Narrows, Blackridge Reservoir, and Wheeler Farm. Test results show that anatoxin-a levels are still detected at the Jordan Narrows and Blackridge Reservoir. Detection of anatoxin-a exceeds the recreation health-based threshold for a Warning Advisory.

SLCHD posted Warning Advisory signs at the Jordan Narrows and Blackridge Reservoir on July 31, 2019, and at Wheeler Farm on August 1, 2019. These signs will remain in place until conditions change or toxin levels decrease below the advisory threshold.

A Warning Advisory indicates a moderate relative probability of acute health risk, cell-count density of 20,000 – 10 million cells per milliliter (cells/ml), microcystin levels of 4-2,000 micrograms per liter (µg/L), or anatoxin-a levels above non-detect.

Data Summary

Jordan River – Jordan Narrows

  • Microcystin: 0.160 micrograms per liter (µg/L)
  • Anatoxin-a: 0.234 µg/L

Blackridge Reservoir

  • Microcystin: 0.178 µg/L
  • Anatoxin-a: 0.257 µg/L

Wheeler Farm

  • Microcystin: <0.1 µg/L
  • Anatoxin-a: <0.1 µg/L

Update August 1, 2019

Lab results from samples collected by the Salt Lake County Health Department (SLCHD) at Jordan Narrows, Blackridge Reservoir, and Wheeler Farm on July 30, 2019, showed anatoxin-a at all sampling locations. Any detection of anatoxin-a exceeds the recreation health-based threshold for a Warning Advisory. Microcystin levels were well below the advisory threshold.

SLCHD is posting Warning signs today at Jordan Narrows, Blackridge Reservoir, and Wheeler Farm.

A Warning Advisory indicates a moderate relative probability of acute health risk, cell-count density of 20,000 – 10 million cells per milliliter (cells/ml), microcystin levels of 4-2,000 micrograms per liter (µg/L), or anatoxin-a levels above non-detect.

Data Summary

Jordan River – Jordan Narrows

  • Microcystin: 0.17 µg/L
  • Anatoxin-a: 0.31 µg/L

Blackridge Reservoir

  • Microcystin: 0.23 µg/L
  • Anatoxin-a: 0.38 µg/L

Wheeler Farm

  • Microcystin: 0.20 µg/L
  • Anatoxin-a: 0.11 µg/L