The Charlie Lake Conservation Society says it’s continuing to sample and test the waters as part of its ongoing research following a blue-green algae warning issued for the lake last week.
Northern Health warned of a suspected bloom in the area Aug. 8, reminding residents and lake users that the algae, known as cyanobacteria, can cause a range of illnesses from diarrhea and stomach cramps to eye and skin irritation.
No cases have been reported so far.
“We don’t necessarily get informed of whether people get ill. There’s no specific surveillance program around this,” said Dr. Raina Fumerton, a medical health officer for Northern Health.
“I’m not aware of any this year, but that doesn’t mean there hasn’t been any.”
While the neurotoxins and hepatoxins created by blue-green algae attack the nervous and respiratory systems, as well as the liver, it would take ingestion of large quantities to cause severe damage. Boiling is ineffective against the heat resistant toxins.
“You can’t necessarily see the toxins after it blooms, they remain in the water for weeks, or sometimes longer,” Fumerton said.
While Charlie Lake is an obvious case, all lakes in B.C. are at risk for cyanobacteria, Fumerton said.
Charlie lake is classified as eutrophic—rich in nutrients that support dense plant life, including algae, which choke out oxygen levels in the water.
Bruce Kosugi of the Charlie Lake Conversation Society noted the appearance of blooms are part of a natural cycle for healthy eutrophic bodies of water.
“We did some testing about 10 years ago in conjunction with the Ministry of Environment and the BC Lakes Stewardship Society,” Kosugi said.
“The results from the testing was that the water quality was good.”
The conservation society continues its efforts to monitor the lake. Kosugi expects to see more results in another year, as the society is currently in the second year of a three-year sampling program.
“We’re measuring things like chlorophyll content, which is related to the algae, nutrients, oxygen, temperature, etc.,” he said.
Despite his deep interest in the lake, Kosugi has yet to see anyone fall ill from it, humans or animals.
“I’ve lived on the lake for over 15 years now, I haven’t heard of people getting sick,” he said.
“I’ve heard people getting rashes, I’m not sure if that’s related to swimmer’s itch or the algae itself.”
In 2014, blue-green algae was suspected to have caused the deaths of 44 cows on a small farm near Takysie Lake, south of Burns Lake, Fumerton noted.
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