Reservoir warning extended; county lake added to watch

A blue-green algae warning issued Junr 11 for Marion Reservoir was extended Friday for at least another week, and a less serious algae watch was issued for the first time this month for Marion County Lake.

The reservoir is among eight bodies of water in Kansas under algae warnings. The county lake is among seven more under algae watches.

Kansas Department of Health and Environment rules state that whenever a watch or warning is issued:

• Signs must be posted at all public access locations.
• Visitors should avoid inhaling spray or aerolized reservoir water and areas of heavy algae accumulation.
• Humans, pets, and livestock should not drink reservoir water or eat dried algae.
• Visitors should avoid contacting reservoir water. If water does touch someone’s skin, the skin should immediately be washed with clean water.
• Fish may be eaten if they are rinsed with clean water and only the fillet portion is consumed.

Algae may appear as scum or a paint-like surface on the water, in small floating clumps, as filaments in the water, or as water that appears to be opaque green.

Excretions from dying blue-green algae, also known as cyanobacteria, carry different dangers, from being minor skin irritants to potent, even fatal neurotoxins that also can damage other organs. Animals often are more susceptible than humans.

Hillsboro, Marion, Marion County Lake, and Peabody all receive their public drinking water from the reservoir, but officials emphasize that modern treatment methods remove any danger.