What To Know About Algae Blooms At Sloans Lake In Cheyenne

The Wyoming Department of Health has issued a bloom advisory for Cheyenne's Sloans Lake, warning about the dangers of blue-green algae blooms.

That's according to a news release form the Cheyenne Board Of Public Utilities.

While Sloans Lake is not a drinking water source for Cheyenne, it is widely used as a recreational area. It's also used to provide irrigation water.

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The release says the BOPU will be watching water quality in the lake closely and will apply treatments to control algae blooms if necessary.

Blue-green algae is also known as cyanobacteria. The blooms are common in Wyoming this time of year and can produce toxins and irritants that are bad for people, pets, livestock and wildlife.

People Are Being Urged To Take Precautions

The BOPU news release is urging people to take a few precautions:

Avoid contact with water in the vicinity of a bloom, especially in areas where cyanobacteria may be dense and form a residue.

Do not ingest water where a bloom may be present. Boiling, using filtration, and/or other treatments will not remove toxins.

Rinse fish with clean water and eat only the fillet portion.

Avoid any water spray-off where a bloom may be present.

Do not allow pets or livestock to drink water near a bloom, eat bloom material or lick fur after contact with a bloom.

If people, pets, or livestock come into contact with a bloom, rinse off with clean water as soon as possible.

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Gallery Credit: Doug Randall