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People, pets warned to stay out of the water at Beaver Lake

The Capital Regional District and Island Health issued a warning Saturday about a new blue-green algae bloom at Beaver Lake, advising people and pets to stay out of the water.
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Beaver Lake, parts of which are showing a blue-green algae bloom that produces toxins.

The Capital Regional District and Island Health issued a warning Saturday about a new blue-green algae bloom at Beaver Lake, advising people and pets to stay out of the water.

Blue-green algae can produce cyanotoxins and ingesting water can cause a range of symptoms, including headaches and abdominal pain, in humans and can lead to lethal liver damage in dogs, according to the CRD.

Visitors are advised to avoid swimming at Beaver Lake and to keep animals on a leash to prevent them from drinking or swimming in the lake until the advisory has been lifted.

The algae usually produce a visible blue-green sheen, which appears as surface scum on the water. However, the CRD said not all blooms are easy to see and toxins can still be present in the water even if you cannot see a bloom.

Blooms are unpredictable and may occur at any time.

— Times Colonist