State issues algae health alert for Detroit Lake

The Oregon Health Authority issued a health advisory Wednesday for Detroit Lake, located 46 miles southeast of Salem and spanning Linn and Marion counties.

Water monitoring has confirmed the presence of blue-green algae and the toxins they produce in Detroit Lake. These toxin concentrations can be harmful to humans and animals.

People should avoid swallowing water while swimming or inhaling water droplets as a result of high-speed water activities, such as water skiing or power boating, in areas where blooms are identified.

Although toxins are not absorbed through the skin, people who have skin sensitivities may experience a puffy red rash at the affected area. Officials advise people to avoid areas with visible scum that looks foamy, thick like paint, pea-green, blue-green or brownish-red, or where small bright-green clumps are floating in the water.

Drinking water directly from Detroit Lake at this time is especially dangerous, the agency said. OHA Public Health Division officials advise campers and other recreational visitors that toxins cannot be removed by boiling, filtering or treating water with camping-style filters.

People who draw in-home water directly from the affected area are advised to use an alternative water source because private treatment systems are not proven effective for removing algae toxins. However, public drinking water systems can reduce algae toxins through proper filtration and disinfection.

If people connected to public water systems have questions about treatment and testing, they should contact their water supplier. If community members have questions about water available at nearby campgrounds, they should contact campground management.

Oregon health officials recommend that those who choose to eat fish from waters where algae blooms are present remove all fat, skin and organs before cooking, as toxins are more likely to collect in these tissues. Fillets should also be rinsed with clean water.

Public health officials also advise people to not eat freshwater clams or mussels from Detroit Lake and that Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife regulations do not allow the harvest of these shellfish from freshwater sources. Crayfish muscle can be eaten, but internal organs and liquid fat should be discarded.

Exposure to toxins can produce a variety of symptoms including numbness, tingling and dizziness that can lead to difficulty breathing or heart problems and require immediate medical attention. Symptoms of skin irritation, weakness, diarrhea, nausea, cramps and fainting should also receive medical attention if they persist or worsen.

Children and pets are at increased risk for exposure because of their size and level of activity. People who bring their pets to Detroit Lake for recreation activities should take special precautions to keep them from drinking from or swimming in the lake.

The advisory will be lifted when the concern no longer exists.

With proper precautions to avoid activities during which water can be ingested, people are encouraged to visit Detroit Lake and enjoy activities such as canoeing, fishing, camping, hiking, biking, picnicking, and bird watching. Boating is safe as long as speeds do not create excessive water spray. Although inhalation risk is much lower than ingestion, it can present a risk.

For health information or to report an illness, contact OHA at 971-673-0400. For campground or lake information, call the local management agency.

OHA maintains an updated list of all health advisories on its website. To learn if an advisory has been issued or lifted for a specific water body, visit the Harmful Algae Blooms website at http://www.healthoregon.org/hab and select “algae bloom advisories,” or call the Oregon Public Health Division toll-free information line at 877-290-6767.