Alberta Health Services issues blue-green algae advisories for eight lakes near Edmonton

Alberta Health Services has issued blue-green algae advisories for eight lakes near Edmonton as cyanobacteria blooms appear with warmer weather.

The affected lakes are Astotin Lake, Bonnie Lake, Dried Meat Lake, Goose Lake, Isle Lake, Lac Ste. Anne, Skeleton Lake, and Thunder Lake.

AHS advises residents and visitors to take precautions around affected lakes: avoid contact with visible algae blooms and rinse with tap water immediately if exposure occurs. Don't swim or wade, and keep pets out of the water in areas where blooms are present. Limit eating whole fish or trimmings, as toxins can accumulate in the liver; fillets are considered safe. Also avoid feeding pets whole fish or fish trimmings from these lakes.

Don't use contaminated lake water to water edible plants, especially those with exposed parts like lettuce, tomatoes, or cabbage. Never drink or cook with untreated lake water — even if no advisory is in place. Boiling will not remove the toxins.

Blue-green algae can look like scum, fuzz, or grass clippings on the water surface. It may be blue-green, brown, greenish-brown, or pinkish-red, and often smells grassy or musty. Cyanobacteria are naturally occurring and tend to become visible during calm weather conditions.

Anyone who comes into contact with visible blooms or ingests contaminated water may develop symptoms such as skin irritation, rashes, sore throat, red eyes, swollen lips, fever, nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea. Symptoms usually appear within one to three hours and clear up in a day or two. Children may be more affected, but health risks apply to everyone. Exposure can be fatal for pets. Because wind and weather can cause blooms to drift, advisories remain in place until further notice.