EMPORIA, Kan. (AP) Kansas health officials say a substance that was removed during the weekend from the Cottonwood River was an algae bloom.
KVOE reports the Kansas Department of Health and Environment confirmed this week that the algae bloom gave off an oil-like sheen that stretched from Hartford to Strong City.
Officials at first thought the spill might be oil. Hazardous waste teams from Emporia and Topeka, as well as several county, state and federal agencies, responded to the report Sunday or were involved in testing the material.
Lyon County officials said this week that the algae was non-toxic and should be dispersed by recent rains. Health officials say the bloom is not related to dangerous blue-green algae affecting some larger lakes across the state.
