Utah Lake algal bloom still at harmful levels says DEQ

SALT LAKE CITY — The Utah Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) confirms that the level of harmful algal bloom at Utah Lake continues to merit a warning advisory for anybody visiting Lincoln Marina, Utah Lake State Park, Sandy Beach, and Provo Bay.

Those visiting areas of Utah Lake where an algal bloom is sighted are asked not to drink the water and to avoid swimming and water skiing. Visitors are also asked to thoroughly clean fish that are caught and to properly discard the guts. And pets should be kept away from the water, the DEQ said.

According to the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, harmful algal blooms (HAB) appear in bodies of water when toxic forms of algae begin to grow in excess. At this point, they are visible atop the water.

Algae is not a plant, but a bacteria. And bodies of water, whether they are fresh or saline, all contain algae. 

But only a few types can produce dangerous toxins. Light, summer temperatures, and the nutrient levels of the water all nurture an algal bloom. 

The DEQ urges anybody that believes they, or their pet, has been exposed to a HAB to contact the Utah Poison Control Center.

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