Galup/Lake Monger becomes latest Perth lake hit by toxic algae outbreak
Galup/Lake Monger is facing what residents describe as a “catastrophic breakdown” of its ecological health after it became the latest Perth lake to be invaded by toxic algae species.
At Tuesday’s council meeting, Friends of Galup members presented a bleak picture of a body of water that is quickly becoming a “no go zone” for the community and its once productive wildlife.
The City of Cambridge has confirmed the presence of cyanobacteria, commonly known as blue-green algae, which can produce toxins that can cause disease in humans and animals.
While the town continues to install warning signs and conduct testing, residents fear the lake’s many unofficial access points leave children and pets vulnerable to accidental contact with contaminated water.
It is the latest algae-infested lake this year after PerthNow reported similar discoveries at Lake Gwelup and Lake Jackadder in Perth’s north, as well as Lake Hurlingham and Lake Douglas in the city’s southern suburbs.
University of WA School of Agriculture and Environment research fellow Leah Beesley said algal blooms were not unusual events in Perth wetlands and waterways, but the frequency and severity of blooms had been made worse by human activities.
“These disturbances are actually a natural part of wetland systems and occur every year in Perth,” Dr Beesley said.
“Unfortunately, we’ve made things much worse because we’ve put additional nutrients into our waterways and changed the way water moves through the landscape.”
Blooms are often triggered by a combination of warm temperatures, low water movement and high nutrient levels. Storms wash fertilizers and nutrients into waterways, where warmer conditions then allow algae populations to grow rapidly.
According to Friends of Galup member Robin Walsh, the lake has also seen a sharp decline in the number of birds, which has decreased in the last three years.
“This body of water is severely degraded,” Ms Walsh said.
“It is no longer the case for us to ensure that education groups see that bird life is now almost non-existent.
“Although the black swan is at the center of the town’s logo, there have only been about a dozen swans on the lake so far this year.”
Ms Walsh said other once-common species, such as herons, spoonbills and pink-headed ducks, had now been reported absent.
