Planning July 4 on Idaho’s Lake Cascade? Here’s the latest update on the algae danger
Anyone hoping to celebrate the Fourth of July at Lake Cascade can breathe a sigh relief.
Central District Health announced Tuesday that the popular water recreation spot is safe.
Public health officials feared a harmful cyanobacterial algal bloom was in Lake Cascade last week, and the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare advised that no people or animals be in the water until it was determined whether dangerous levels of the algae were present.
The test results came back from the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality on Tuesday afternoon with positive news: Lake Cascade was in good shape.
“We just got word from DEQ that toxin levels at Lake Cascade do not meet advisory thresholds,” Rachel Garceau, public information officer for Central District Health, told the Idaho Statesman. “So CDH will not be issuing a health advisory at this time. We will continue to work with DEQ to monitor and update the situation as needed.”
Among the largest bodies of water in the state, Lake Cascade is a popular summer recreation area for fishing, boating, water skiing, tubing and many other activities, and its shores should be as busy as ever for the long July 4 weekend.
Cyanobacteria, sometimes called blue-green algae, can cause illness in humans and animals. Symptoms in people can include stomach pain, vomiting, or diarrhea; headache, fever, tiredness, or other general symptoms; skin, eye, nose, or throat irritation; and neurological symptoms such as muscle weakness or dizziness, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Reporter Rachel Roberts contributed to this story.
