The colourful bloom has dissipated and warning signs are no longer needed.
Rob Niewenhuizen, Salmon Arm’s director of engineering and public works, says Interior Health has confirmed that samples of a recent algae bloom in Shuswap Lake demonstrated low to no results for the presence of algal toxins.
Warnings about the algae in Salmon Arm Bay were posted at Marine Park by the city.
While the algae seen mainly around the boat launch in front of the Prestige Harbourfront Resort was not extensive, it was enough to prompt a warning.
“It appears the algae was localized only within the moorage area of the boat launch area and within the storm service aeration pond, not out in the main portion of the lake,” said David Karn, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy.
Related: Blue-green algae bloom leads to water warning in Salmon Arm Bay
Concerns were raised that the algae might have contained toxins that could cause illness if consumed.
Related: Pollen or algal bloom?
The HealthLinkBC website, File 47, on blue-green algae states blooms are much more likely to appear in areas “enriched with nutrients from human activities such as municipal, industrial or agricultural sources.”
But, at the time, Niewenhuizen said the algae didn’t seem to be a major issue, particularly as it was located far away from the city’s water intake in Canoe.
@SalmonArm
barb.brouwer@saobserver.net
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