Health Dept.: Toxic algae blooms invade several local lakes
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SPANAWAY, Wash. -- Water quality experts say toxic algae blooms are on the increase, and they're asking residents to keep themselves and their pets out of two lakes in King County and seven more in Pierce County.
Warning signs are posted at Spanaway Lake to caution people about the algae. To a non expert the lake looks clear, but experts say that's not the case.
"If it were me, I probably wouldn't swim in it," said Ray Hanowell with the Pierce County Health Department. "If it was a little lighter, I'd swim in it. A little darker, I'd definitely not swim in it. And then the main risk is to pets."
Dogs, little or big, lap a lot in the lake. And their body weight makes them susceptible to the algae. Hanowell said kids are also more susceptible.
Boat house operator Bud Herlitzka said the lake looks fine to him.
"It kind of scares people off, especially the dog walkers," he said. "They don't want to get their dog involved with it. We've had no reports of any ill effects. it looks perfectly fine to me."
The Health Department says its warnings are based on science, specifically algae count. Hanowell said the algae also gets blown around, so parts of the lake may be safe while others are not.
At Shoreline's Echo Lake, the wind tends to blow northeast, so the algae concentrate at the northeast corner of the lake near the city park.
"The frequency of occurrences and the size of occurrences is increasing and that's not just locally, that's worldwide," Hanowell said.
No one knows how long the algae blooms will last, but the Pierce County Health Department says it's possible counts will remain high until November.
More information is available online.
Warning signs are posted at Spanaway Lake to caution people about the algae. To a non expert the lake looks clear, but experts say that's not the case.
"If it were me, I probably wouldn't swim in it," said Ray Hanowell with the Pierce County Health Department. "If it was a little lighter, I'd swim in it. A little darker, I'd definitely not swim in it. And then the main risk is to pets."
Dogs, little or big, lap a lot in the lake. And their body weight makes them susceptible to the algae. Hanowell said kids are also more susceptible.
Boat house operator Bud Herlitzka said the lake looks fine to him.
"It kind of scares people off, especially the dog walkers," he said. "They don't want to get their dog involved with it. We've had no reports of any ill effects. it looks perfectly fine to me."
The Health Department says its warnings are based on science, specifically algae count. Hanowell said the algae also gets blown around, so parts of the lake may be safe while others are not.
At Shoreline's Echo Lake, the wind tends to blow northeast, so the algae concentrate at the northeast corner of the lake near the city park.
"The frequency of occurrences and the size of occurrences is increasing and that's not just locally, that's worldwide," Hanowell said.
No one knows how long the algae blooms will last, but the Pierce County Health Department says it's possible counts will remain high until November.
More information is available online.
How about a list of the lakes, please - :-)
 @Stacy Emerson I was JUST about to suggest that myself!