Thunder Lake blue-green algae advisory issued

BARRHEAD - Alberta Health Services has issued a blue-green algae advisory for Thunder Lake in Barrhead County on July 16.

Blue-green algae or cyanobactacteria has been detected in the water at Thunder Lake.

Residents and lake visitors are to be advised of the safety concerns with blue-green algae as stated in the release from Alberta Health Services.

The health-related impacts for people who come in contact or contaminated water may experience symptoms within one to three hours of contact.

Symptoms include skin irritation, rash, sore throat, sore red eyes, swollen lips, fever, nausea, vomiting and/or diarrhea.

Children can have more severe reactions, but everyone can experience different levels of symptoms according to Alberta Health Services.

The advisory indicates that Blue-green algae exposure to animals can be fatal.

People and pets should avoid all contact with blue-green algae blooms.

If contact occurs wash the affected area off with tap water as soon as possible.

Swimming or wading in the water is inadvisable for both people and animals.

Eating fish caught in the blue-green algae blooms may expose people to toxins in the fish.

Pets must not eat fish or fish trimmings from the contaminated water.

Avoid drinking blue-green algae bloom water or cooking with water directly from the lake.

Cyanobacteria cannot be removed from the water by boiling it.

Drinking water for pets and animals should be provided from another source than lake water while the advisory is active.

Blue-green algae looks like scum on the water. It can appear to look like grass cuttings, a fuzzy consistency or globs on the water surface.

Cyanobacteria isn’t always a blue-green colour. It can be greenish-brown, brown or a pinkish red.

There is a musty or grassy smell associated with the formation.