Ohio River swim postponed because of toxic algae

Toxic algae blooms on the Ohio River have forced Green Umbrella to postpone the Great Ohio River Swim on Sept. 27.

The swim is tentatively rescheduled for Oct. 10, according to Brewster Rhoads, swim chair and former-executive-director-turned-volunteer for the organization.

“Hopefully by then the algae blooms’ health threats will be cleared up,” Rhoads said. “We don’t want to take any chances.”

Toxic algae blooms were first discovered on the Ohio River on Aug. 19 in Wheeling, West Virginia, according to officials at the Ohio River Valley Sanitation Commission.

Since then, the blooms have grown rapidly and can be found on nearly all stretches of the Ohio River, 30 miles south of Wheeling to Louisville, Kentucky.

The most recent sample of a bloom taken from the water out front of downtown on Sept. 8 resulted in an unsafe level of the toxin microcystin, which can cause nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, severe headaches, fever and even liver damage.

State, local and national officials, who are working in conjunction on this unprecedented bloom, have advised people and their pets stay out of the Ohio River for now.

A recreation advisory has been in effect since Sept. 11.

For more information about the Great Ohio River Swim, visit www.ohioriverpaddlefest.org/great-ohio-river-swim.

The river has been particularly fickle for Green Umbrella events this year.

Paddlefest was postponed in June after heavy rains from Tropical Storm Bill pummeled the region and the river flooded, resulting in potentially unsafe river conditions.