Advisory for Shebeshekong Lake, Ontario

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Shebeshekong Lake

Type: Cyanobacteria Bloom  -  Inactive

Issued: 8/11/2016

Details:

The North Bay Parry Sound Health Unit advises that a bloom of blue-green algae has been detected in Lake Shebeshekong, Carling Township at Zone 17T N-565005, E-5031841. 

Residents and visitors near this area are to take the following precautions immediately:

If you use a private water system, do not use water from the lake for drinking, cooking and bathing.

Boiling the water or using home water treatment devices will NOT destroy the toxins from blue-green algae.

Avoid swimming or other water sport activities that could increase the risk of algae material and toxins contacting your skin or being swallowed.

Do not allow pets or livestock to swim in the water or drink the water.

Some toxins produced by blue-green algae accumulate in the tissues of fish and shellfish, 
particularly in the guts including the liver, kidney, etc. 

We do not know if eating fish exposed to the toxins is a concern. 

It may depend on how much you eat and how severe the bloom is. 

Be careful if you eat fish caught in water where blooms occur. 

Do not eat the liver, kidneys and other organs of fish caught.

Do not cut the organs when filleting.

Drinking water at Shebeshekong Resort is not currently affected as the blue-green algae bloom is located downstream. 

Conditions however may change. Drinking Water served at Hidden Bay Leadership Camp, Bel-Air Cottages and Shebe Resort 
comes from drilled wells and is not affected by blue-green.
 
While the blue-green algae may not show the presence of toxins, there is always the risk that toxins could be produced. 

We cannot determine the extent of the affected area as it depends on the
characteristics of the site such as prevailing wind and water flow directions.