The Capital Regional District (CRD) issued a warning Tuesday (Nov. 7), in consultation with Island Health, that there is a blue-green algae bloom at Thetis Lake, located in Thetis Lake Regional Park.

This advisory is in addition to an existing advisory still in effect for Elk Lake in Elk/Beaver Lake Regional Park, the CRD said in a statement.

B次元官网网址淏lue-green algae can produce cyanotoxins,B次元官网网址� said the statement. B次元官网网址淰isitors are advised to avoid swimming at Thetis Lake and to keep animals on a leash to prevent them from drinking or swimming in the lake until the advisory has been lifted. The algae usually produce a visible blue-green sheen, which appears as surface scum on the water. Not all blooms are easy to see and toxins can still be present in the water even if you cannot see a bloom. Blooms are unpredictable and may occur at any time.B次元官网网址�

These algae are known toxin producers, said the CRD, and ingesting water containing these cyanotoxins may cause a range of symptoms, including headaches and abdominal pain in humans, and can lead to lethal liver damage in dogs.

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