Algae warning issued for Gillette lake

GILLETTE (WNE) — A potentially dangerous level of blue-green algae was confirmed in the Gillette Fishing Lake, and an advisory is now in place.
The Wyoming Department of Health issued a recreational use advisory for the Fishing Lake last week, according to the City of Gillette.
The lake remains open under the advisory, which warns the public and pets from coming into contact with the water.
The suspicious waters were reported to the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality earlier this month. A sample was taken June 6 on the south shore and the results showed the presence of the bloom, triggering the advisory.
Under the advisory, its recommended that people avoid contact with water near the blooms, especially where the blooms are most dense and visible.
The water may be especially harmful for animals and pets who come in contact with the water.
The city already advises against eating fish caught in the Fishing Lake. The advisory call for rinsing fish caught in bodies of water under an advisory, and for eating only the fillet portion, not the skin.
Boiling, filtering or treating water will not remove the toxins.
The bloom advisory in the fishing lake is the only active advisory in Wyoming, according to the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality advisories map.
 
This story was published on June 10.