Two lakes near an area reservoir are now under a blue-green algae watch.
The Kansas Department of Health and Environment now has Melvern Outlet River Pond and Swim Pond under a watch. These lakes are just east of Melvern Reservoir. This basically means a harmful algae bloom is possible, if not actually present. Watches are also issued if water may be unsafe for both humans and animals.
During watches, KDHE has several recommendations:
*Avoid areas of algae accumulation and do not let people/pets eat dried algae or drink contaminated water.
*Swimming, wading, skiing and jet skiing are discouraged near visible blooms.
*Boating and fishing are safe. However, inhalation of the spray may affect some individuals. Avoid direct contact with water and wash with clean water after any contact.
*Clean fish thoroughly with potable water and eat fillet portion only.
More information about blue-green algae is online at kdhe.ks.gov/HAB, including links to report algae or algae-related illnesses and an interactive map.
