BARRHEAD — Alberta Health Services has issued an advisory warning of a blue-green algae (cyanobacteria) bloom at Lac La Nonne.
Blue-green algae — which is not technically algae at all, but rather a cluster of bacteria that resembles algae — is naturally occurring and often becomes visible when weather conditions are calm.
It can resemble scum, grass clippings or blobs of fuzz floating on the surface of the water and often smells musty or grassy. Despite the name, the algae can be greenish-brown, brown or pink-red in colour.
People who come into direct contact with blue-green algae or who ingest water containing the bacteria may experience skin irritation, rashes, a sore throat, swollen lips, sore red eyes, fever, nausea, vomiting and/or diarrhea.
Symptoms usually appear within one to three hours and may take one or two days to resolve. The symptoms may be more pronounced in children and especially animals, who may require veterinary attention.
As such, anyone living near Lac La Nonne or visiting the lake should avoid all contact with the blooms. If contact occurs, wash with tap water as soon as possible.
Do not swim or wade in any areas where blue-green algae is visible, which goes for animals as well.
As fish can store toxins from cyanobacteria in their liver, visitors should not feed whole fish or fish trimmings from the lake to their pets, and consumption of fish from the lake should be limited. (Consumption of fish fillets is safe.)
And as always, people and pets should never drink or cook with untreated water from any recreational body of water, including Lac La Nonne. Boiling water will not remove the presence of toxins produced by blue-green algae.
Because wind conditions can move algae blooms from one part of the lake to another, the advisory for Lac La Nonne will remain in effect until AHS lifts it.
Further information about blue-green algae (and what to do if contact has been made) can be found at ahs.ca/bga or by calling Health Link at 8-1-1.
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