The Town of High River is reporting a blue-green algae sighting.

A seasonal bloom of the bacteria was sighted at Emerson Lake and was reported on the town's Facebook page over the weekend.

Blue-green algae cultivate in warmer conditions on still bodies of water and can bring about a number of serious conditions upon contact or ingestion.

Those include nausea, vomiting, and skin irritation, and can be especially harmful to children and animals.

For that reason, the town is advising residents not to enter the lake, and the same goes for pets.

The provincial government advises that fillets from fish caught at bodies of water containing blue-green algae can be eaten safely, though trimmings are not safe to eat for humans or animals.

The imminent colder fall conditions, along with the inevitable rain/snow are expected to disperse the bacteria fairly soon.

 

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