CRD warning people not to swim in Elk Lake because of algae bloom

CRD warning people not to swim in Elk Lake because of algae bloom
File photo
Elk Lake

The Capital Regional District is advising people to avoid swimming at Elk Lake due to a “visible blue-green” algae bloom. Visitors are also asked to keep animals on a leash in order to prevent them from drinking the lake water.

“The algae usually produce a visible blue-green sheen, which appears as surface scum. Not all blooms are easy to see and toxins can still be present in the water even if you cannot see the blooms,” the district said in a press release.

According to the district, “these algae” are known toxin producers.

Ingesting water containing these cyanotoxins may cause a range of symptoms, including headaches and abdominal pain in humans, and can lead to lethal liver damage in dogs,” said the district.

Elk Lake is located within Elk/Beaver Lake Regional Park.

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