A blue-green algae (cyanobacteria) bloom advisory has been issued for Buck Lake after the algae was discovered in areas of the lake.
Residents living near the lake as well as visitors to the lake are advised to avoid all contact with blue-green algae blooms, including not swimming or wading, allowing your pets to swim in the areas with the algae, consuming fish or fish trimmings from the lake and/or feeding it to pets. If you come in contact with the algae it is important to wash with tap water as soon as possible.
Alberta Health Services (AHS) reminds visitors and residents to never drink or cook with untreated water from any recreational body of water including Buck Lake as boiling this water will not remove the blue-green algae toxins.
If you come in contact with visible blue-green algae or ingest water containing it you may experience skin irritation, rash, sore throat, sore red eyes, swollen lips, fever, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.
Symptoms usually appear within one to three hours and resolve within one to two days.
Areas of Buck Lake where blue-green algae bloom is not visible can still be used for recreational purposes including swimming.
shaela.dansereau@pipestoneflyer.ca
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