Health Advisory Issued for Boyer Slough and Spirit Lake

Panhandle Health District and the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality have issued a public health advisory for the Boyer Slough near Sandpoint, ID and Spirit Lake in Kootenai County. PHD and DEQ are urging the public to use caution when recreating in or near the water, especially where ingestion is a risk.

Water quality monitoring confirmed the presence of cyanobacteria, also known as a harmful algae bloom or blue-green algae. On August 18, DEQ observed widespread cyanobacteria scum along the shoreline and the bloom is in the entire water body to where it meets the mouth at Pend Oreille Lake.

Caution should be taken anywhere the water appears discolored or murky as HABs can spread or move with wind and water currents. HABs have the potential to produce dangerous toxins especially when accumulated in high concentrations. The physical appearance of these blooms can be unsightly, often presenting as discolored water, streaks or globs of scum and causing thick green mats along lake shorelines. Pets, children, the elderly and people with compromised immune systems are most at-risk of harmful exposure.

Anyone recreating in the Boyer Slough area is advised to take precautions to avoid exposure to lake water appearing to contain a HAB. Private domestic water system owners utilizing the lake as a drinking water source are cautioned that potentially present toxins cannot be removed by boiling or filtering the water. If contact (swimming, bathing or showering) has been made with water containing a HAB, it is recommended to wash off with fresh water.

If people choose to eat fish from the lake, it is recommended that they remove all fat, skin and organs before cooking, since toxins are more likely to collect in those tissues.

Symptoms of exposure to algal toxins vary according to exposure. Symptoms include rashes, hives, diarrhea, vomiting, coughing and/or wheezing. More severe symptoms affecting the liver and nervous system may result from ingestion of water. If symptoms persist, consult with your health care provider.

The public will be advised when the concern no longer exists.

Updated information on harmful algae blooms in northern Idaho can be found online at https://www.deq.idaho.gov/water-quality/surface-water/cyanobacteria-harmful-algal-blooms/.