Summer weather creates potential for toxins in water
Summer is approaching, and more communities and recreational areas around the state are reopening. It’s important for people heading outdoors to be on the look-out for cyanobacteria blooms that can produce toxins in Oregon lakes, rivers and reservoirs as air temperature rises.
Cyanobacteria are beneficial bacteria found worldwide in all freshwater. Many blooms are harmless, but some can produce cyanotoxins that make people and animals sick. Children and pets are particularly sensitive to illness because of their size and activity levels. Dogs can get extremely ill and even die within minutes to hours of exposure to cyanotoxins by drinking the water, licking their wet fur or eating the toxins from floating mats or dried crust along the shore.
Exposure to cyanotoxins occurs when water is swallowed while swimming, or when water droplets are inhaled during high-speed activities such as water-skiing or wakeboarding. Symptoms of exposure to cyanotoxins include diarrhea, cramps, vomiting, numbness, dizziness and fainting.
Oregon Health Authority (OHA) recommends that everyone stay out of water that looks foamy, scummy, thick (like pea-green or blue-green paint) or where brownish-red mats are present.
If you are unsure, follow OHA’s guidance of “When in doubt, stay out.”
Read our press release here.
To learn if an advisory has been issued or lifted for a specific water body, visit the Harmful Algae Bloom website or call the Oregon Public Health Division toll-free information line at 877-290-6767.
For health information or to report an illness, contact OHA at 971-673-0440. For campground or lake information, call the local management agency.