Alberta Health Services issues algae advisory for Reesor Lake, Acadia Valley Reservoir
By Medicine Hat News on August 15, 2020.
Alberta Health Services has issued an advisory about blue-green algae (cyanobacteria) bloom at Reesor Lake in Cypress County and in the Acadia Valley Reservoir. Residents and visitors to these bodies of water should take the following precautions: – Avoid all contact with blue-green algae. If contact occurs, wash with tap water as soon as possible. – Do not swim or wade (or allow your pets to swim or wade) in any areas where blue-green algae is visible. – Do not feed whole fish or fish trimmings from this lake to your pets. – Consider limiting human consumption of fish from this lake, as it is known that fish may store toxins in their liver. Consuming fish fillets is acceptable. – Never drink or cook with untreated water directly from any recreational body of water. Boiling this water will not remove the toxins. An alternate source of drinking water should also be provided for pets and livestock. Blue-green algae is naturally occurring appearing like scum, grass clippings, fuzz or globs on the surface of water. It can be blue-green, greenish-brown, and/or pinkish-red, and often smells musty or grassy. Contact with visible blue-green algae may result in skin irritation, rash, sore throat, sore red eyes, swollen lips, fever, nausea, vomiting and/or diarrhea. Symptoms usually appear within one to three hours and resolve in one to two days. Symptoms in children are often more pronounced. Exposure to the blue-green algae may be fatal to pets. Note that areas where the blue-green algae bloom is not visible can still be used for recreational purposes, even while this advisory is in place. If you suspect a problem related to blue-green algae or require further information please call Health Link at 811. 12-11
