Red Deer Lake Positive For Blue-Green Algae

By: Nick Liard

The Sudbury and District Health Unit have issued a warning for Red Deer Lake, South-East of Sudbury, after water samples came back positive for blue-green algae.

Samples were taken earlier this week and the SDHU asks residents to be on the lookout for blooms which have an unsightly pea soup look, a foul smell, and are generally found along the shoreline.

The blooms produce toxins that if ingested can cause liver and nervous system damage.

There is no timetable for when the lake will be cleared, but if a bloom is present, residents should avoid using the water for drinking, cooking, bathing or swimming.