MANTUA, Utah, Aug. 20, 2019 (Gephardt Daily) — A harmful algal bloom “warning” advisory has been issued for Mantua Reservoir.
The Bear River Health Department said in a Facebook post it issued the advisory Monday, after samples collected in the reservoir last week showed high cyanobacteria cell-count densities.
“Health officials are waiting for follow-up samples before taking further action,” the post said. “BRHD has posted signs around the reservoir to alert the public about the advisory.”
The post said visitors to this area of the lake should follow the following guidelines:
- Do not swim or water ski
- Do not ingest the water
- Keep pets and livestock away
- Clean fish well and discard guts
- Avoid areas of scum when boating
“Harmful algal blooms occur when normally occurring cyanobacteria in the water multiply quickly to form visible colonies or blooms,” the Utah Department of Environmental Quality website says. “These blooms sometimes produce potent cyanotoxins that pose serious health risks to humans and animals.
“Although most algal blooms are not toxic, some types of cyanobacteria produce nerve or liver toxins. Toxicity is hard to predict in part because a single species of algae can have both toxic and non-toxic strains, and a bloom that tests nontoxic one day can be toxic the next.”
Symptoms of exposure include headache, fever, diarrhea, abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting, and sometimes allergic-like reactions from skin contact.
For concerns about possible human exposure, call the Utah Poison Control Center at 800-222-1222, or your physician.
For more information about algal blooms click here.
