Skip to content

Cautionary advisory lifted for Shuswap Lake, no blue-green algae found in test results

Interior Health issued advisory on June 28 for emerging algal bloom
29776109_web1_copy_220706-SAA-canoe-beach-signs
Signs cautioned users of Canoe Beach on Saturday, July 3 to take care in the beach area because of high water. The lower sign noted the Columbia Shuswap Regional District, the City of Salmon Arm and Interior Health was monitoring an algae bloom in the Salmon Arm Wharf and Sunnybrae/Canoe Point areas of Shuswap Lake. (File photo)

A cautionary advisory prompted by a potential algal bloom in Shuswap Lake has been lifted.

The Shuswap Watershed Council announced Thursday, July 14, that Interior Health had removed the advisory after two consecutive water sample tests showed no sign of microcystin, the toxin associated with cyanobacteria blooms (also known as blue-green algae blooms).

Asked if it is known what was reportedly seen in areas of the lake, including Salmon Arm Bay and around Sunnybrae/Canoe Point, Shuswap Watershed Council program manager Erin Vieira said in an ideal scenario, a taxonomic analysis would be done, in which a lab would identify what species of algae were present in the water samples. However, Vieira said this isn’t routinely done by authorities, and wasn’t done for this occurrence.

“There are very likely one or more species of algae as well,” said Vieira. “There is also pollen, which can make visual identification of algae difficult. But, in this case there are no toxin-producing blue-green algae (aka Cyanobacteria) which is good news.”

Interior Health issued the cautionary advisory on June 28 in response to an “emerging algal bloom.” Testing didn’t begin until after the Canada Day long weekend, with results from the first test (negative for microcystin) released on July 9.

Read more: Algal bloom or pollen?: Salmon Arm city councillor wants more timely water testing

Read more: Blue-green algae bloom leads to water warning in Salmon Arm Bay



lachlan@saobserver.net
Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter

Sign up for our newsletter to get Salmon Arm stories in your inbox every morning.