Health Department warns of algal bloom in Pineview Reservoir
Sep 1, 2018, 12:00 PM | Updated: 12:00 pm
OGDEN – The Weber-Morgan Health Department reports it has found algal bloom at Pineview Reservoir and tells people to “not swim”.
BREAKING: @WeberMorganHD has placed a warning on Pineview Res. after enviro. health staff confirmed the presence of a harmful algal
bloom. At warning level, the lake is still open, but people, pets and other animals are warned to avoid contact with scum or ingesting the water. pic.twitter.com/4BRAZE5tMl— Utah DEQ (@UtahDEQ) August 31, 2018
The department says boating is still okay, but people should avoid the areas where the bacteria is found. It also says everyone should avoid swimming or ingesting the water along with water skiing.
The cyanobacteria that exists in algal bloom is also dangerous to animals so pets should not get in the water either according to Jared Mendenhall with the Division of Environmental Quality.
“Pineview isn’t like Utah Lake where we kind of expect an annual algal bloom, but they have had algal blooms in the past,” Mendenhall explained.
He says sometimes you see the bacteria at this lake in September or October just after the hot days of summer. This is because the heat builds up growth of bacteria.