Algae bloom closes Whidbey lake

Published 11:00 pm Monday, August 18, 2008

Warning signs have been posted at Lone Lake on Whidbey Island, urging people to stay out of the water because of high levels of toxic blue-green algae, called cyanobacteria.

The lake is just north of Langley, near Highway 520.

The signs were posted Monday afternoon after tests showed the presence of high levels of the toxic algae in water, said Dr. Roger Case, Island County’s health officer.

People and pets should stay out of the water, Case said.

“You can get deathly ill” from drinking the water, Case said, and it can cause skin irritation.

The bacteria in the water can cause nausea, vomiting, internal bleeding and liver failure, he said.

In recent years, pets have died after drinking water while the lake had similar outbreaks of toxic algae, he said.

Caution signs have been posted at the lake for the past several weeks because of the presence of algae, but they were changed to signs warning people to stay out of the water because of the high levels of the bacteria, he said.

The signs warning people not to swim, water ski or drink the water could remain posted until late September, he said.

Reporter Sharon Salyer: 425-339-3486 or salyer@heraldnet.com.