Coeur d’Alene, Id. – Panhandle Health District and the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality officials are warning citizens to stay out of Fernan Lake in Kootenai County because of harmful algae that is growing in the water.
Officials said Wednesday that water quality monitoring confirmed the presence of cyanobacteria in the lake, commonly known as blue-green algae.
Blue-green algae blooms have the potential to produce dangerous toxins that can be harmful to children, the elderly, pets and people with compromised immune systems.
According to the Panhandle Health District, blue-green algae is naturally occurring and can be unsightly in the water. It often appears in discolored water or globs of scum and can cause green mats along lake shorelines.
Property owners using the Fernan Lake as drinking water source are warned that the water could contain toxins. Officials are advising those residents to boil or filter the water before drinking it.
If you make contact with the algae swimming, bathing or showering in it, officials said to wash off with fresh water.
Symptoms from coming in contact with the algae vary from person to person, but general symptoms include rashes, hives, diarrhea, vomiting, coughing and wheezing. Symptoms can become more serious and affect the liver or nervous system.
If symptoms persist, talk to your doctor.
