Alberta Health Services has put out an advisory for blue-green algae blooms in Matchayaw Lake, located in Lac Ste. Anne County, approximately 59 kilometers northwest of Edmonton.
Cyanobacteria blooms can occur during warm weather and may appear in various colors, including blue-green, greenish-brown, brown, pink, or red. They can look like scum, streaks, grass clippings, or fuzz balls.
If you are planning to visit Matchayaw Lake
- Do not swim or wade in any area that contains the blue-green algae.
- Avoid all contact with blooms in the water and washed up on shore.
- Do not drink or cook with water from Moonshine Lake.
- Do not eat whole fish or trimmings from this lake, as the fish could store toxins in their liver.
- Keep pets away from the water.
- Do not feed whole fish from this lake to your pets.
If you come in contact with blue-green algae, you could experience skin irritation, rash, sore throat, sore red eyes, swollen lips, fever, nausea and vomiting, and/or diarrhea. Symptoms can appear one to three hours after exposure and resolve within a day or two. Exposure to blue-green algae could be fatal to pets.
If you require further information on health concerns and cyanobacteria, please call Health Link at 811.
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