Harmful algal blooms found in two Utah County lakes ahead of Labor Day weekend | News, Sports, Jobs

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Algae floats in the water at Utah Lake State Park in Provo on Friday, Aug. 28, 2020.

Isaac Hale, Daily Herald file photo

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Big East Lake, one of the Payson Lakes, is pictured near the Mount Nebo Scenic Byway on Thursday, Oct. 18, 2018, in southern Utah County.

Isaac Hale, Daily Herald file photo

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Algae clings to water reeds near Lincoln Beach Marina on Monday, June 22, 2020, west of Spanish Fork.

Isaac Hale, Daily Herald file photo

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With ideas of barbecues, music and outdoor recreation on the mind of this Labor Day, Utah County residents are encouraged to keep cautious near two bodies of water.

The Utah Division of Water Quality issued a warning advisory for Utah Lake’s Lindon Marina, Saratoga Springs Marina and Lincoln Marina, as well as Utah Lake State Park, Sandy Beach and Provo Bay.

According to the DWQ, harmful algal blooms are formed when naturally occurring cyanobacteria in water multiply quickly to form green or blue-green water, scum or mats.

Although most algal blooms are not toxic, harmful blooms can produce potent cyanotoxins that pose serious health risks to humans, pets and livestock.

Harmful algal blooms may be present anywhere in Utah Lake, and the DWQ recommends that recreators avoid swimming in it at this time and boat with caution. It is still safe to fish on the lake.

A danger advisory has been issued for Big East Lake, one of the Payson Lakes, for a harmful algal bloom. At this time the DWQ recommends that recreators avoid swimming and boating in the lake and fish with caution.

According to Dr. Hannah Bonner, recreational health advisory program coordinator for the DWQ, after a harmful algal bloom is spotted in a body of water, different recreational activities will have different advisories depending on how likely people are to ingest water while engaging in the activity.

“When it comes to different types of recreation like swimming, bathing, or kids splashing around the water, or dogs swimming in the water, all have a much higher likelihood of getting that water in the mouth and getting that toxin level exposure,” she said. “So those are the activities that as soon as we’re seeing toxin production above certain set health thresholds we’ll issue an advisory on those activities.”

The DWQ has offered the following tips to help residents stay safe this weekend:

• Don’t swallow water when swimming.
• Wash hands with clean water before eating or preparing food.
• Clean fish well and discard the guts.
• Keep animals away.
• Recognize the signs of a bloom, and when in doubt, stay out.

“If you know what to look for in an algal bloom, things like grass clippings, or a spilled paint texture, or clods of cottage cheese, if you see anything like that in the water, just stay out and stay away,” Bonner said . “Either go to a different part of the water body or a different water body.”

Bonner also recommends that residents check http://habs.utah.gov for updated water quality updates before traveling to a body of water to avoid any unwanted surprises.

“The same way you checked the weather before you went out boating, you can also check there so you’re not disappointed and you can make a good choice about what water body to visit,” she said.

Algae floats in the water at Utah Lake State Park in Provo on Friday, Aug. 28, 2020.

Big East Lake, one of the Payson Lakes, is pictured near the Mount Nebo Scenic Byway on Thursday, Oct. 18, 2018, in southern Utah County.

Algae clings to water reeds near Lincoln Beach Marina on Monday, June 22, 2020, west of Spanish Fork.

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