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MOSES LAKE, WA - Moses Lake is currently unsafe for people and pets due to toxic algae according to the Grant County Health District. 
 
According to GCHD, the blue green algae is actually a type of bacteria called Cyanobacteria. It grows rapidly in fresh water and is common in Grant County in the summer. 
 
The algae blooms appear like paint floating in water and can be blue/green, red or brown.  The Health District says not all blue-green algae blooms are toxic, however there are types of blue-green algae that produce toxins (or poisons) which can cause serious illness in people, pets, and livestock.
 

What Do Blue-Green Algae Blooms Look Like?

Signs of contact with toxic Blue-Green Algae include: 
  • Skin rashes after being in the water.
  • numbness of lips, tingling in fingers and toes, dizziness, stomach pain, diarrhea, and vomiting.
  • Symptoms of microcystin poisoning may take 30 minutes to 24 hours to appear, depending upon the size of the person or animal affected and the amount of toxic bloom consumed.
  • Microcystin toxicosis may include jaundice, shock, abdominal pain/distention, weakness, nausea/vomiting, severe thirst, rapid/weak pulse and death.
  • Symptoms of anatoxin or saxotoxin poisoning may include abdominal pain, vomiting, and diarrhea in humans or death in pets.  Symptoms can take hours or days to appear depending on the amount of toxin ingested and the size of the person or pet.

As soon as you see a bloom or possible signs of poisoning:

  • Avoid all contact with the water.
  • Keep pets and livestock away from the water.
  • Call the Grant County Health District at 509-766-7960 and report the location.

For More information about the current state of the water, or to report the location of a algae bloom, click here