Blue-green algae has formed in the reservoir at Belwood Lake, according to the Grand River Conservation Authority.
Park visitors, recreational users and cottagers should keep children and pets away from the algae, and avoid any contact with it, including swimming. Also, don't eat fish from the lake, and do not use the water for any purpose. Boaters should avoid touching the algae.
If ingested, it can cause illness in humans and animals
The Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks (MECP) and the Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health department have been notified and are testing the blue-green algae in the reservoir.
Algal blooms are a natural phenomenon. Blue-green algae can accumulate in large mats or scums, known as blooms. These blooms commonly form in late summer or early fall in areas where water is slow-moving and warm.
Blue-green algae blooms often look like thick pea soup or large areas of spilt paint on the surface of the water.