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Lakes Mead, Mohave Algae Plumes Prompt Swimming Advisory

Lake Mohave Algae

Officials with the National Park Service are warning swimmers to keep their eyes pealed for plumes of algae across Nevada’s Lake Mead and Lake Mohave.

Lake Mead, which is located in Boulder City, is the 16th largest man-made lake in the world and where the Colorado River meets the lake is where you’ll find the Hoover Dam.

The National Park Service indicated on Friday that a bacterial toxin called microcystin has been detected in blue-green algae discovered on the Colorado River reservoir, however, tests downstream on algae present in Lake Mohave in Arizona did not test positive for microcystin.

The bacteria, according to officials, can irritate the skin and cause gastrointestinal illness in both humans as well as pets.

A Fox 5 Vegas report indicated that those who come in contact with the algae should thoroughly rinse the area which comes in contact with clean water.

Lake Mohave is a reservoir formed by the Davis Dam on the Colorado River and it’s located near Laughlin, Nevada and Bullhead City, Arizona. It’s part of the Lake Mead National Recreation Area administered by the U.S. National Park Service. In total, its waters encompass 28,260 acres.

Water from the Mohave flows south into Lake Havasu, which while considerably smaller, is more crowded and well-known.

Officials are warning swimmers and watercraft users to avoid the algae-covered water near the Hoover Dam and the Las Vegas Boat Harbor.

AZ Central indicated in a report that the Southern Nevada Water Authority’s spokesman, Bronson Mack, said that the algae has not been seen near the drinking water intakes used to supply Las Vegas with its drinking water. He also says treating the water with ozone and chlorine will eliminate microcystin from water supplied to homes and businesses.

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