Park Board presented overview on toxic algal bloom study

Montana State University-Northern Professor Terri Hildebrand presented to the Hill County Park Board Monday an overview of her findings regarding water chemistry in Beaver Creek Park and the potential for toxic algal blooms to occur.

Hildebrand said she’s been taking readings from six sites on Beaver Creek Park since 2019 and the waters’ high phosphorus levels could prove to be a serious issue, leading to these toxic blooms.

She said algae tends to thrive and populate out of control in phosphorus-rich water and while many kinds of algae are harmless the toxic varieties can pose a seri...