Are there possible health effects from contact with cyanobacteria?
Yes. Close contact can result in a rash, irritated eyes, or respiratory symptoms; accidental ingestion could lead to nausea or other intestinal effects. For these reasons the Department of Environmental Health has issued a warning advising people to avoid swimming, wakeboarding, water-skiing, or jet-skiing in areas where algal mats or green scum are present. However, there have been no medically confirmed cases of illness associated with blue-green algae exposure in Lake County. Will algae infested water harm my pet? It could: pets should not be allowed to swim in areas where algae blooms are visible, or to drink the water in those areas. What caused the algae bloom? Many factors seem to have come together to create a perfect storm for cyanobacteria this year, starting with three years of drought. Low water levels, unusual springtime water clarity, climatic conditions that encouraged different levels of lake water to mix, exceptionally hot weather in July — all have played a causative
