Photo courtesy of the City of Red Deer.
With warm temperatures, the City of Red Deer is reminding residents that blue-green algae can be found in standing water, such as Three-Mile Bend.
“We know our four-legged friends, and sometimes humans, love to cool down in the water at the park, but remember to stay vigilant around algal blooms,” the city said on social media.
Park goers are reminded to avoid all contact with algal blooms, and if contact does occur, to wash with clean water as soon as possible, don’t swim or wade in areas where algae are visible, and don’t feed fish from the pond to pets.
“It’s important to be able to identify blue-green algae blooms so you can avoid contact as they can produce a toxin that may present a health risk to humans and animals,” the city’s website said.
Contact with a bloom can cause eye, ear, and skin irritation, along with allergic reactions.
Blue-green algae are often found in low water levels, but warm weather can cause the algae to increase rapidly. The blooms can develop quickly and move to other areas of water.