Alberta Health Services is warning people living near or visiting Baptiste Lake this long weekend to be careful after a blue-green algae advisory was issued for the lake.

They say blue-green algae are currently present in lake waters. Blue-green algae produce a toxin that can cause serious illness to animals or humans who drink or have skin contact with water containing the toxin.

AHS is warning people to take precautions if visiting the northern Alberta lake, or avoid it altogether.

  • Do not drink water from the lake or allow your pets to drink water from the lake. Boiling contaminated water doesn’t remove the toxins.
  • Do not swim or wade or allow your pets to swim or wade in the lake.
  • Do not consume any fish in the lake.
  • Avoid contact with blue-green algae along the shoreline.

Gary Love and his wife Laura were disappointed to find the blue-green algae bloom on the lake. They fish in the area almost every weekend but say that’s changed now.

“Fishing is over for this lake,” Laura said. “We will go to other lakes that are cleaner. We’re taking our boat to the car wash to clean it and we’ll be off to another lake in the area. That’s the end of Baptiste for us.”

Many told CTV News they would have made other plans if they’d known about the advisory beforehand.

Glenn Isaac with the North Saskatchewan River Keep Organization says a new cell phone app could put that information at your fingertips.

“In the event of an advisory, a health advisory for that beach, it also provides that information and provides alternatives in the area to go to experience the joy of our water around Alberta,” Isaac said.

Terry Scott has been on the lake for four decades and says the algae bloom comes and goes.

“It depends on the weather,” Scott said.

“If it’s hot, you’ll get the blue-green algae but it does fade as soon as we get a little rain, it sinks.”

Algae blooms are short-lived but the AHS says the Baptiste Lake advisory will remain in effect until further notice.

Symptoms for those who come in contact with the toxin produced by blue-algae include skin irritation, sore throat, fever, nausea and diarrhea.

Still for some who spent their Saturday on Baptiste Lake, having fun outweighed the risks.

“My grandkids, my friends are all up here tubing and water-skiing,” Scott said.

“We’ve been doing it a long time and nobody’s ever gotten sick.”

Another group says they plan to make the most out of the long weekend despite the advisory, but will stay out of the water and keep their pets away from the shore.

“It’s a little slimy,” said camper Lawrence Baier. “Not as bad as some lakes I’ve been to, but it’s still pretty thick.”

Anyone who believes they are having problems related to blue-green algae is asked to call Health Link at 1-866-408-LINK (5465).

Baptiste Lake is located about 170 kilometres north of Edmonton in Athabasca County.

With files from Amanda Anderson