Friday, March 29, 2024

Toxic blue-green algae bloom at Beaver Lake is over, says Island Health

Share

An alert issued by the CRD and Island Health about toxic blue-green algae bloom at Beaver Lake last month has now been lifted.

After collecting samples from the beach and testing them, authorities found “below detection limit” results for cyanotoxins.

See also: Island Health declares Hamsterly Beach at Elk Lake safe for swimming

“The extended absence of blue-green scum combined with test results are good indicators that the bloom is over,” says the CRD.

Last week, authorities lifted their no-swimming advisory for Hamsterly Beach at Elk/Beaver Lake Regional Park after samples showed bacteriological counts below acceptable limits in the water.

An advisory remains in place for Eagle beach at this time as water samples from that area show high levels of bacteria.

Blue-green algae blooms are unpredictable

Beachgoers at Beaver Lake are reminded that blue-green algae blooms are unpredictable and can return at any time.

Be on the lookout for a blue-green sheen that can appear on the lake surface, as these 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.

(Elk/Beaver Lake Regional Park/CRD)
mm
Brishti Basu
Former Senior Staff Writer and Content Manager at Victoria Buzz.

Read more

Latest Stories