A health advisory was issued today by Eastern Idaho Public Health and the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality for Henrys Lake and the shoreline of Upper Island Park Reservoir in Fremont County, Idaho due to the presence of harmful blue-green algal blooms, also known as cyanobacteria. Water samples confirmed the presence of the algae species with the potential to produce very dangerous toxins. Jackson Hole Radio Veterinary Correspondent Dr. Stephanie Ninnemann points out that these toxins can be deadly for our animals.
“Ingestion of the water with the cyanobacteria can result in acute death, and sometimes there are very few clinical signs. So if you’re seeing one of the bacteria that induces liver toxicity, death occurs within 24 hours if it’s this type of toxin. So it comes on very quickly – sometimes they do survive a couple of days, but it can be very very quick. If it’s one of the toxins that is a neurotoxin, you can see death in about 30 minutes.”
Obviously, the Eastern Idaho Public Health Department is advising precaution around these waters. The public will be advised when the concern no longer exists.
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