State officials announced that a Harmful Algal Bloom (HAB) public advisory has been removed from Campbell County’s Alexandria Community Park Lake in Northern Kentucky.
The Kentucky Division of Water (DOW) and the Kentucky Department for Public Health (DPH) say they removed the recreational public health advisory for the lake, after results from recent water samples collected from the lake are below the recreational advisory threshold for microcystin toxins.
The recreational public health advisory was issued Oct. 31 when sample results from the lake indicated the presence of toxin-producing algal blooms. Since that time, regular testing has occurred to monitor microcystin levels.
Although the advisory is being removed, the DOW and DPH advise there are always risks associated with recreating in natural waters, especially with the incidental ingestion of water, and recommend avoiding contact with waters that have visible algal blooms.
A HAB recreational public health advisory means that algal toxins have been detected at various locations throughout a river or lake. Swimming, wading, and water activities that create spray are not recommended in areas impacted by HABs. Water ingested during recreational activities in these areas may increase the risk of gastrointestinal symptoms such as stomach pain, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. Other symptoms such as skin, eye, and/or throat irritation, breathing difficulties, skin rashes, or numbness or tingling of limbs may also occur after contact with HABs.
For additional information about harmful algal blooms in Kentucky, please visit the Division of Water’s HAB webpage here.
You can see all current HAB advisories in Kentucky, by going to the Division of Water’s HAB Viewer at http://watermaps.ky.gov/HABs.
Kentucky Today