Leader staff

As of August 25, 2022, Lesser Slave Lake has a blue-green algae (cyanobacteria) bloom advisory.
This is a bit later than last year, which had an algae bloom advisory starting on August 6. In 2020, the blooms came mid-August.
Within the M.D. of Lesser Slave River, this is also an algae bloom advisory for Cross (Steele) Lake east of Flatbush. This one started on July 8.
The algae bloom was identified in Hilliard’s Bay Provincial Park on the west side of the lake, says the August 25, 2022 AHS news release.
However, the prevailing winds and current can easily move the blooms east. However, the lake is still safe for swimming in areas where the blooms are not visible.
“Blue-green algae is naturally occurring, and often becomes visible when weather conditions are calm,” says the news release. “Appearing like scum, grass clippings, fuzz or globs on the surface of water, blue-green algae can be blue-green, greenish-brown, brown, and/or pinkish-red, and often smell musty or grassy.”
Symptoms of contact with blue-green algae blooms are: skin irritation, rash, 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. Symptoms in children are often more pronounced; however, all humans are at risk of these symptoms.
The advisory gives the following advice:

• Avoid all contact with blue-green algae (cyanobacteria) blooms. If contact occurs, wash with tap water as soon as possible.
• Do not swim or wade (or allow your pets to swim or wade) in any areas where blue-green algae (cyanobacteria) is visible.
• Do not feed whole fish or fish trimmings from this lake to your pets.
• Consider limiting human consumption of whole fish and fish trimmings (guts) from this lake, as it is known that fish may store toxins in their liver. (People can safely consume fish filets from this lake).
  It also reminds people to never drink untreated water directly from Lesser Slave Lake or any other water body.