Nevada lake develops mesmerizing green swirls visible from space – and the disturbing reason behind them

Pyramid Lake in northeastern Nevada developed intense eerie green swirls that were visible from space.

The 125,000-acre Pyramid Lake develops an algae bloom almost annually, but 2024 has become “one of the most active bloom events in years.”

Images of the lake were captured by NASA’s Landsat 9 satellite and the Paiute Tribe determined that the main reason for the ghostly discoloration this year was higher than normal levels of Nodularia spumigena.

This is a type of cyanobacteria – also known as blue-green algae – commonly found in warm, brackish waters and responsible for the water’s green hues each year.

While it may look pretty, the algae can release dangerous toxins such as microcystin that irritate the skin and cause kidney and liver damage if ingested.

The Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe is monitoring the lake’s algae levels and is now warning the public to avoid coming into contact with the water at all costs.

“We always want to make sure that people are aware of that so they either don’t bring their animals outside or they restrict them and have their own safe drinking water,” said Aaron Bill, water quality program manager for the tribe’s Natural Resources Department. department told the San Francisco Chronicle.

“The bloom material breaks down and releases toxic microcystin into the water, signaling the return to normal conditions, which may take two to three weeks to normalize,” the tribe said.

Located approximately 35 miles northeast of Reno, Nevada, Pyramid Lake attracts a wide variety of fish and birds, making it a popular location for nature lovers.

It is also one of the last remnants of an ancient body of water called Lake Lahontan, which existed until the last ice age and is the only remaining habitat for the endangered cui-ui fish.

The lake’s shallow and tepid water also makes it an ideal breeding ground for algae blooms.

“It looks like pea soup, but it’s an army green color,” Bill said SF Chronicle.

And while the lake routinely experiences cyanobacteria blooms every summer or fall, the storms that developed in mid-October this year created a lot of wave action, which has done a good job of breaking down the material and allowing it to settle out . the bottom of the lake,” Bill said.

A water quality analysis conducted by the San Francisco Estuary Institute found that chlorophyll-a and cyanobacteria increased between late September and mid-October, with the colors peaking around October 15.

Algae play an important role in keeping lakes fertile and healthy by preventing the sun’s rays from reaching the lake bottom, which in turn reduces aquatic weeds that would block oxygen, effectively smothering the lake.

However, the flowers are highly poisonous and cause visitors to become ill with rashes, diarrhea and fatigue.

Pyramid Lake is part of a larger ancient lake that existed until the last ice age. It experiences algae blooms every year in summer or fall

When the microcystin is inhaled, it breaks open in the stomach and can cause serious health problems – from rashes and diarrhea to vomiting, breathing problems, liver damage and neurological effects.

The toxin can also lead to neurological problems when it crosses the blood-brain barrier and enters the brain.

Nodularia spumigene also has the potential to produce toxins such as nodularin, which primarily target the liver and can cause cytoskeletal damage and necrosis, which can lead to bleeding and death if consumed in large quantities.

There is no definitive date when algal blooms first began appearing in Pyramid Lake, but historical records show they have been occurring for a long time.