Blue-green algae reported in Sloan’s Lake in Cheyenne

The Wyoming Department of Health has issued a warning about blue-green algae blooms in Sloan’s Lake in Cheyenne.

This is according to a press release from the Cheyenne Board of Public Utilities.

Such algal blooms can produce toxins that can pose a danger to humans and animals, including pets and livestock. Blue-green algae are also known as cyanobacteria and often bloom in slow-moving waters in Wyoming during the late summer.

Although Sloan’s Lake is used for recreation, it is not a source of drinking water in Cheyenne.

According to the Wyoming Department of Health, exposure to blue-green algae can cause the following symptoms:

Humans and animals directly exposed to cyanotoxins may experience the following effects:

• Skin irritation
• Eye irritation
• Irritation of the nose
• Irritation of the throat
• Irritation of the respiratory tract

Pets and animals may experience more serious symptoms, such as:

• Excessive salivation
• Vomit
• fatigue
• Staggered walking
• Breathing difficulties
• Cramps
• Liver failure
• Death
• Death can occur in animals within hours to days after exposure

The BOPU recommends that people take the following steps:

▪ Avoid contact with water near a bloom, especially in areas where cyanobacteria may be dense and form residues.

▪ Do not drink water that contains a bacterial bloom. Boiling, filtering and/or other treatments will not remove the toxins.

▪ Rinse the fish with clean water and eat only the fillet.

▪ Avoid spraying any water into areas where bloom may have formed.

▪ Do not allow pets or livestock to drink water near a flower, eat flower material, or lick fur after contact with a flower.

▪ If people, pets or livestock come into contact with a bloom, rinse with clean water as quickly as possible.