Blue-green algae blooms at Thetis Lake Regional Park have prompted a warning for swimmers and dog owners.
The blooms in Lower Thetis Lake and Prior Lake led to the Capital Regional District advising park visitors to avoid swimming at both watering holes and to keep animals on a leash to prevent them from drinking or swimming.
Algae blooms produce toxins and ingesting the water containing those toxins could lead to headaches and abdominal pains in people, along with lethal liver damage in dogs.
The algae will usually give off a blue-green sheen on the surface of the water. The CRD said blooms aren’t always easy to see and toxins can still be present even if they’re not visible. It added the blooms are unpredictable and could appear at any time.
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