Pierce County lake safe for pets following toxic algae warning, health department says
Palmer Lake is safe again, the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department said Tuesday.
The agency lifted a toxic algae caution advisory for the Key Peninsula lake.
“The water is safe for people and pets,” the agency said in a news release. “Always use caution when you’re in the water. When you see algae, don’t swim, wade, waterski, or fish. Keep in mind as wind direction changes, the algae could move elsewhere in the lake.”
The health department put out an advisory for Palmer Lake on Aug. 13, the Gateway reported, after samples showed it had algae with high levels of toxins. The department reopened the lake later that month, then issued another caution advisory Oct. 7, according to health department news releases.
The algae can look like pea soup, according to the health department. Sometimes it looks like streaks, the agency said, and can be green, brown, red and blue.
Called cyanobacteria, it can make people and animals sick with symptoms of muscle weakness, vomiting, diarrhea and nausea.
“See your medical provider if you may have been in water with toxic algae and have any of these symptoms,” the health department news release said. “Small children are at most risk since they have small bodies and are likely to ingest water.”
It can also be very dangerous to pets, and they need to go to the vet if they show the symptoms above, difficulty breathing, convulsions or lethargy.
Toxic algae was investigated in Eastern Washington after three dogs died after playing in the Columbia River, the Tri-City Herald reported in September. The Herald reported in August that four dogs died in the Spokane area after swimming in water with toxic algae blooms.
“Due to ongoing drought and warm temperatures in our state, lakes, rivers, and streams are under tremendous stress right now,” acting chief science officer Scott Lindquist, MD, MPH said in an August state Department of Health news release. “As a result, we are receiving reports of toxic algae blooms in areas we have not seen before.”
The Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department has an updated list of water warnings at tpchd.org/healthy-places/surface-water-quality/current-surface-water-advisories.
As of Nov. 24, toxic algae warnings were in place for Ohop Lake, Spanaway Lake and Tanwax Lake. The health department said people and pets should avoid areas of those lakes with visible algae.
For more information, visit tpchd.org/healthy-places/surface-water-quality/toxic-algae.
