Blue-green algae warning issued for 11 Kansas lakes and ponds

State Veterinarian Susan Keller says the algae blooms are most common in North Dakota lakes and pasture watering holes in late summer.

“People can be exposed to the blue-green algae in two ways-either by contact with the skin or by swallowing it”, said Howard Gamble, MPH, with the Wheeling-Ohio County Health Department.

When asked whether or not it can harm local residents when it moves down river, an administrator from the Health Department had this to say; “We really can’t say that”.

County health officials are advising visitors to avoid drinking river water or cooking with it. Additionally, visitors should supervise young children near the water, as well pets.

Any fish caught in the river should be consumed only after the guts and liver have been removed and the fillet rinsed with clean water. The algae often looks like spilled green paint. This alga generally grows in lakes, ponds, and slow-moving streams where the water is warm and enriched with nutrients like phosphorus or nitrogen.

To report an algal bloom, call 785-296-1664. The algae, in high concentrations, can cause health problems such as skin and eye irritation and intestinal illnesses.

Hot summer weather can contribute to the production of the algae that’s also known as cyanobacteria.