Four Wyoming lakes contain harmful bacteria

Posted 8/29/19

EVANSTON (WNE) — Four Wyoming lakes have been declared to contain potentially dangerous cyanobacteria, commonly referred to as blue-green algae.

Cyanobacteria can form blooms that produce …

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Four Wyoming lakes contain harmful bacteria

Posted

EVANSTON (WNE) — Four Wyoming lakes have been declared to contain potentially dangerous cyanobacteria, commonly referred to as blue-green algae.

Cyanobacteria can form blooms that produce toxins and other irritants that pose a risk to human, pet and livestock health. The harmful bacteria killed two dogs that recently swam in Leazenby Lake in Albany County.

State agencies have issued warnings for Leazenby Lake, Woodruff Narrows Reservoir in Uinta County, Eden Reservoir in Sweetwater County and Toltec Reservoir, also in Albany County.

Woodruff Narrows has been a favorite area in Uinta County for fishing, swimming and camping since the 1960s. Now, it should be off limits for any recreational activity involving canines.

The Wyoming Department of Health issues a recreational use advisory for publicly accessible waterbodies once the Department of Environmental Quality determines harmful levels of cyanobacteria and/or toxins are present.

“The cyanobacteria blooms are a result of warmer temperatures possibly due to climate change and possibly other factors. We don’t know yet,” said Robb Keith, a regional fisheries supervisor for the Game and Fish. Regardless of the cause, “the blooms won’t die off until the temperature cools,” Keith said. “There is no method for getting rid of them.”

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