Health officials issue warning of toxic algae blooming in this Pierce County lake

Puneet Bsanti
·1 min read

Health officials have issued a toxic algae caution advisory for Bay Lake in Key Peninsula.

People and pets are asked to avoid areas of the lake with visible algae because they can pose health concerns, according to the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department on Friday.

The health department said they sampled the lake June 25 and would inspect it again the following week. If the bloom is gone, they will leave the advisory in place for two weeks out of caution.

“When you see algae, don’t swim, wade, waterski, or fish. Keep in mind as wind direction changes, the algae could move elsewhere in the lake. When in doubt, stay out,” the department said.

Toxic algae occurs naturally in lakes and can produce toxins that make people, pets and animals sick.

Toxic algae can form a scum layer and look like green pea soup, the department said. It can also look streaky, be dispersed in the water column or form colors. The algae often looks green, but can also be brown, red and blueish in color.

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