The Capital Regional District and Island Health have lifted a blue-green algae alert for Beaver Lake.
The advisory was issued on Aug. 9 after water samples taken from Beaver Beach in Elk/Beaver Lake Regional Park tested positive for a type of blue-green algae that produces cyanotoxins. People were asked to avoid swimming in Beaver Lake and keep animals on a leash to prevent them from drinking or swimming.
The Capital Regional District said recent samples from Beaver Beach now indicate a “below detection limit” result for cyanotoxins.
Additionally, the extended absence of blue-green scum also points to the algae bloom being over.
Park users are reminded to watch for the distinctive blue-green sheen that can appear on the lake surface. Blue-green algae blooms are unpredictable and may occur at any time. These blue-green algae are known toxin producers. Ingesting water containing the blue-green algae may cause a range of symptoms, including headaches and abdominal pain in humans, and can lead to lethal liver damage in dogs.
A week ago, the Capital Regional District lifted the water advisory for Elk Lake’s Hamsterly Beach, which had been issued due to excessive bacteriological counts in the water.
CHEK News
