No-Water-Contact Advisory at Upper Castaic Lake: Harmful Algae Believed to Contain Toxins
The Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation, in California, issued an advisory on October 29 for Upper Castaic Lake, near the community of Castaic in northern Los Angeles County: a harmful algal bloom is present and is believed to contain toxins, and the public should avoid all contact with the water.
During the advisory, all recreational boating on the lake is prohibited, including windsurfing and personal watercraft. Residents should not eat fish or shellfish taken from the lake or drink its water. The county stresses that boiling or filtering does not make water contaminated with algal toxins safe.
Officials said human contact with the water can cause skin rash, eye irritation, diarrhea and vomiting, while animals that drink or enter the water face more severe outcomes, including seizures and death, and pet owners should keep animals away from the shoreline. More information on harmful algal blooms is available at mywaterquality.ca.gov/habs.
Source: GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 卡斯泰克湖（资料图）。Wikimedia Commons，CC BY-SA 4.0。 / Castaic Lake (file photo). Via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.
