The Kern County Department of Public Health announced today that it had identified potentially harmful algal blooms in Lake Isabella and is urging boaters, dog owners, and other recreational lake users to exercise caution and observe signage related to active algae blooms when visiting certain areas within Lake Isabella.
After obtaining water samples from 17 locations in Lake Isabella as part of a monitoring program, the Hanning Flat area test results indicated the presence of potentially harmful blue-green algae, also known as cyanotoxin. This presence was detected at the cautionary level, the lowest of the three advisory levels.
Because of this, health advisory signs have been posted to advise people to use caution when using the lake and to stay away from algae and scum in this area.
According to Public Health, “Cyanobacteria are capable of producing toxins, which have the potential to harm people, pets, wildlife, or livestock. Dogs and children are most likely to be affected because of their smaller body size, increased potential to ingest water, and tendency to stay in the water for longer periods. Exposure to cyanobacteria and associated toxins can cause eye irritation, skin rash, mouth ulcers, vomiting, diarrhea, and cold or flu-like symptoms. If you or your pet come into contact with algae and are experiencing symptoms, please seek medical treatment immediately.”
Public Health also provided the following guidelines to help people protect themselves:
- Follow posted advisories.
- Stay away from algae and scum in the water and onshore.
- Watch children and pets closely.
- Do not let pets and other animals go into the water, drink the water, or eat scum and algal accumulations on the shore.
- Wash yourself, your family, and your pets with clean water after water play.
- If you catch fish, throw away guts and clean fillets with tap water or bottled water before cooking.
For more information, you can visit Public Health’s interactive website at kernpublichealth.com/cyanobacteria-blooms-blue-green-algae/. This website will provide regular updates with test results and notification of any presence of potentially harmful blue-green algae in Lake Isabella.
