pine coulee online

If you were planning to cool off with a boat ride or a swim in Pine Coulee you might want to rethink your plans.

Alberta Health Services has issued a warning about a blue-green algae bloom in areas of the reservoir making the water unfit to swim in for humans and pets where it is visible.

They are also warning people not to eat whole fish, but fish fillets are still safe to consume, as the toxin can be stored in the liver.

An alternate source of drinking water should also be provided for pets and livestock while this advisory is active.

The Town of Claresholm’s tap water remains safe to drink while this advisory is in effect.

Blue-green algae (cyanobacteria) is naturally occurring, and often becomes visible when weather conditions are calm.

It looks like scum, grass clippings, fuzz or globs on the surface of water, it can be blue-green, greenish-brown, brown, and/or pinkish-red, and often smell musty or grassy.

If you come into contact  or ingest it you may may experience skin irritation, rash, sore throat, sore red eyes, swollen lips, fever, nausea and vomiting and/or diarrhea. Symptoms usually appear within one to three hours and resolve in one to two days. Symptoms in children are often worse.

Weather and wind conditions can cause algae blooms to move from one location in the reservoir to another which is why the advisory is in effect for Pine Coulee Reservoir, until further notice.  

The areas in Pine Coulee where the bloom is not visible can still be used for recreational purposes, even while the advisory is in place.

If you suspect a problem related to blue-green algae or if you require further information on health concerns and blue-green algae, call the Health Link at 811.

Additional information is also available online, at www.ahs.ca/bga.

Alberta Health Services is the provincial health authority responsible for planning and delivering health supports and services for more than four million adults and children living in Alberta. Its mission is to provide a patient-focused, quality health system that is accessible and sustainable for all Albertans.