Blue-green algae bloom at Isle Lake prompts water advisory

A blue-green algae advisory. (File)

Visitors to Isle Lake are asked to not swim or wade in the water due to a blue-green algae bloom.

An advisory from Alberta Health Services (AHS) says to avoid all contact with blooms in the water and washed up on shore, and to keep pets away from the lake.

Those who come into contact with blue-green algae may experience skin irritation, rash, sore throat, sore red eyes, swollen lips, fever, nausea, and vomiting or diarrhea. Symptoms can appear within one to three hours and typically clear up within a couple of days. Exposure to pets can be fatal.

Eating whole fish or fish trimmings or feeding them to pets is not recommended.

Also known as cyanobacteria, the blooms can appear blue-green, greenish-brown, brown, pink or red and can look like scum, streaks, grass clippings, fuzz balls, paint or pea soup, said the health agency, adding that they often smell musty or grassy.

The advisory has been issued for all of Isle Lake until further notice.

Isle Lake is located about 80 kilometres west of Edmonton.