Blue- green algae has been identified in areas of Winagami Lake located between High Prairie and McLennan, says an Alberta Health Services news release July 29.

Residents living near the shores of Winagami and visitors to the lake are advised to take precautionary steps.

• Avoid all contact with blue-green algae bloom. If contact occurs, wash with tap water as soon as possible.
• Do not swim or wade (or allow pets to swim or wade) in any areas where blue-green algae is visible.
• Do not feed whole fish or fish trimmings from the lake to pets.
• Consider limiting human consumption of whole fish and fish trimmings from the lake as it is known that fish may store toxins in their liver.

People can safely eat fish fillets from the lake.

Note that areas of Winagami Lake in which the blue-green algae bloom is not visible can still be used for recreational purposes, even while the blue-green algae advisory is in place.

As always, all visitors and residents are reminded to never drink or cook with untreated water directly from any recreational body of water, including Winagami Lake, at any time.

Boiling of the water will not remove the toxins produced by blue-green algae.

An alternative source of drinking water should also be provided for pets and livestock while the advisory is active.

Blue-green algae is naturally occurring and often becomes visible when weather conditions are calm.

Appearing like scum, grass clippings, fuzz or globs on the surface of water, blue-green algae can be blue-green, brown and/or pinkish-red, and often smells musty or grassy.

People who come into contact with visible blue-green algae or who ingest water containing blue-green algae may experience skin irritation, rash, a sore throat, sore red eyes, swollen lips, fever, nausea and vomiting and/or diarrhea.

Symptoms usually appear within one to three hours and resolve in one to two days.

For children, symptoms are often more pronounced.

Exposure to the bacteria may be fatal to your pets.

As such, the advisory remains in effect until further notice.

Further information is online at ahs.ca/bga.