PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – Two dog deaths have been connected to a type of harmful algae that’s new to the Columbia River, Clark County Public Health officials warn.
The discovery of benthic algal mats in the Columbia River stems from a report in October of 2024, when someone reported their dog died after recreating on an island in the river according to Clark County Public Health.
Now, county officials are working across the state, and across the state border, to prevent future illnesses.
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“This first came on our radar in October of 2024. I received a very unfortunate call from a woman reporting that her dog had died after recreating on the Columbia River,” Maggie Palomaki — an environmental health specialist with Clark County Public Health — said during a May 21 County Board of Health meeting…