Whitman County Public Health has been awarded a federal grant to improve the response to algal blooms on the Snake River.

The organization was granted $27,000 from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, according to a Friday news release. The funds are a part of the Small Communities, Big Challenges competition, which allocated $250,000 in cash prizes to eight government organizations across the nation.

The agency announced in the news release winners were chosen for unique and innovative strategies that engage with rural communities’ environmental and public health needs. The competition was created to provide support to small towns that often don’t receive as much funding compared to urban communities.

Over the years, Whitman County Public Health has seen a significant algal bloom on the Snake River, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s website. The bloom has degraded the river’s water quality, which poses threats to local ecosystems and human health.

The agency said on its website that Whitman County Public Health has performed cyanobacteria testing, posted warning signs and sent health advisories to area residents in recent summers.

The funds, according to the agency’s website, will be used to monitor and respond to harmful algal blooms on the Snake River.

The competition created by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and its partners, including the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials, the National Association of County and City Health Officials and the National Environmental Health association, according to the news release.

Pearce can be reached at epearce@dnews.com.