Health officials issue blue-green algae bloom alert for Crescent Lake

Palm Coast Observer
News

A water sample taken in Crescent Lake near Shell Bluff on Aug. 30 contained harmful blue-green algal toxins, and the public should use caution in the area, according to a health alert issued Sept. 6 by the Florida Department of Health in Flagler County.

Visitors should take the following precautions, according to the Health Department's news release:

Do not drink, swim, wade, use personal watercraft, water ski or boat in waters where there is a visible bloom.
Wash your skin and clothes with soap and water if you have contact with algae or discolored or smelly water.
Keep pets away from the area. Waters where there are algae blooms are not safe for animals. Pets and livestock should have a different source of water. Contact your veterinarian immediately if you believe your pet has become ill after consuming or having contact with blue-green algae contaminated water.
Do not cook or clean dishes with water contaminated by algae blooms. Boiling the water will not eliminate the toxins.
Eating fillets from healthy fish caught in freshwater lakes experiencing blooms is safe. Rinse fish fillets with tap or bottled water, throw out the guts and cook fish well.
Do not eat shellfish from waters with algae blooms.

For more information on health effects of algal blooms, visit floridahealth.gov/environmental-health/aquatic-toxins. To speak to a poison specialist immediately, call the the Florida Poison Information Center at 1-800-222-1222.

To report a bloom to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, call 855-305-3903 or report online. To report fish kills, call the Florida Fish and Wildlife Research Institute at 1-800-636-0511.