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Blue-Green algae warning at Elk/Beaver Lake Park

Visitors advised to avoid Beaver Lake and prevent animals from drinking or swimming in the lake.

A CRD advisory is warning that Beaver Beach at Elk/Beaver Lake Park is testing positive for blue-green algae and associated cyanotoxins.

Visitors are advised to avoid Beaver Lake and to keep animals on a leash to prevent them from drinking or swimming in the lake. There are no signs of blue-green algae at Elk Lake. Monitoring will continue at both lakes.

Blue-green algae appears as a sheen, and as surface scum. Algal blooms are unpredictable and may occur at any time, although blooms most typically occur over the winter months from November to March.

These algae are known toxin producers and these compounds have been detected in the current bloom at Elk/Beaver Lake. Ingestion can cause a range of symptoms, such as headaches and abdominal pain in humans. It can lead to lethal liver damage in dogs.