CHESHIRE TOWNSHIP, MI (WKZO AM/FM) — The Allegan County Health Department (ACHD) received preliminary positive results from testing of a suspected blue-green algae bloom, also known as cyanobacteria, or harmful algal blooms (HABs), in Swan Lake located in Cheshire Township.
Samples are being sent to the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) and the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) for additional testing.
ACHD is recommending visitors and residents of the lake avoid water-related activities and keep pets from drinking or going in the lake water, in the area where the bloom is visible until sampling for testing is complete or the bloom breaks up. Advisory signs have been posted around the lake.
Summer is the peak season for the formation of HABs that can present health hazards to people and pets. In Michigan, algal blooms typically occur during periods of warm temperatures, lots of sun, and high nutrient levels.
It is not possible to determine whether algal blooms contain harmful toxins by looking at them, so it is best to avoid contact with any body of water that is covered with algal mats or significant rafts of algae on the surface. You can search advisories or closings for bodies of water throughout Michigan online or contact EGLE at 800-662-9278 for more information about HABs and the environment.
Actions to take in the Areas where the Bloom is Visible:
- Avoid areas with scummy water in the lake or with water that looks like spilled paint or pea soup, floating scums, or has a green sheen to it. These may contain flecks, mats, foam, sheens, streaks, or clumps.
- Avoid water-related activities in areas where the bloom is visible. Individuals that have skin contact, swallow large amounts, or play in the water are susceptible to illness.
- Keep pets from drinking or playing in the lake water. Symptoms of illness often appear quicker in animals than in humans – sometimes in minutes to a few hours. Symptoms in animals can include vomiting, diarrhea, fatigue, staggered walking, excessive salivation, convulsions, erratic behavior, physical distress, and death.
- Do not boat or ski in water with HABs (may create water spray in the air).
- Use caution if eating fish and mussels from impacted bodies of water.
- Do not water lawns or gardens with water from impacted bodies of water because may create a water spray in the air.
