Health Advisory Lifted For Salmon Falls Creek Reservoir
October 15, 2018
Health Advisory Lifted For Salmon Falls Creek Reservoir
TWIN FALLS COUNTY - The South Central Public Health District (SCPHD) and the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) are lifting the public health advisory for Salmon Falls Creek Reservoir after recent testing showed micro-toxins are now at safe levels in the water. However, the health advisory for Mormon Reservoir remains in place as that reservoir’s harmful algal bloom (HAB) persists.
SCPHD Public Health Program Manager Josh Jensen said, “Even though the health advisory is lifted, water users should still be observant and take precautions in and around the areas where the algal blooms are still present.”
HABs are not unusual in warm summer months and typically shrink quickly in the mid to late fall as the water temperature drops. The DEQ will continue to monitor water quality until the bloom in Mormon Reservoir dissipates and will advise the public when the concern there no longer exists.
In the meantime, the public is advised to take the following precautions:
TWIN FALLS COUNTY - The South Central Public Health District (SCPHD) and the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) are lifting the public health advisory for Salmon Falls Creek Reservoir after recent testing showed micro-toxins are now at safe levels in the water. However, the health advisory for Mormon Reservoir remains in place as that reservoir’s harmful algal bloom (HAB) persists.
SCPHD Public Health Program Manager Josh Jensen said, “Even though the health advisory is lifted, water users should still be observant and take precautions in and around the areas where the algal blooms are still present.”
HABs are not unusual in warm summer months and typically shrink quickly in the mid to late fall as the water temperature drops. The DEQ will continue to monitor water quality until the bloom in Mormon Reservoir dissipates and will advise the public when the concern there no longer exists.
In the meantime, the public is advised to take the following precautions:
- Avoid exposure to water in reservoirs experiencing a HAB. Take extra care that children, pets, and livestock are not exposed to the water.
- Do not consume water with a blue-green algae bloom. Neither boiling nor disinfecting removes blue-green algae toxins from water.
- If fish have been exposed to a blue-green algae bloom only consume the fillet portion (remove the fat, organs, and skin). Wash hands after handling. The risk associated with consuming fish caught in waters with a blue-green algae bloom is unknown.
Contact:
Brianna Bodily, Public Information Officer
[email protected] / www.phd5.idaho.gov, 208-737-5985
