People using Moonshine Lake Provincial Park are being urged to keep an eye out for blue-green algae blooms. An advisory has been issued by Alberta Health Services as blue-green algae has been identified in the water at the lake.
Coming in contact with the blooms or ingesting water containing the algae can cause skin irritation, rash, sore throat, sore red eyes, swollen lips, fever, nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea. If contact occurs, people should wash with tap water as soon as possible.
AHS recommends again swimming or wading in water where the algae is visible. That also goes for pets. However, it is considered safe to be in parts of the lake where you can’t see any blooms.
Blue-green algae can look like scum, grass clippings, fuzz, or globs on the surface of water, and can be blue-green, greenish-brown, brown, or pinkish-red in colour. It often smells musty or grassy.