Afton officials are warning residents to stay out of the St. Croix River at Steamboat Park due to a potentially toxic blue-green algae bloom.

Blue-green algae was discovered in Steamboat Park by city officials on Monday morning, and residents — and their pets — are advised to avoid contact with the river until further notice.

Afton officials on Monday, Aug. 26, 2024, posted warnings at Steamboat Park about a potentially toxic blue-green algal bloom found in the St. Croix River. (Courtesy of the City of Afton)

“I’ve never seen it like this,” Mayor Bill Palmquist said. “It’s like a bright-green sheen. No person would swim in this, but we want to make sure they keep their pets out, just to be safe.”

Not all blue-green algae blooms produce toxins, but there is no way to predict if or when a bloom will produce toxins. For this reason, it is best to avoid contact and stay out of the water, Palmquist said. “Better safe than sorry,” he said.

Signs have been placed at Steamboat Park to advise people to stay out of the river until it clears, he said.

Harmful blooms of blue-green algae often look like “pea soup or spilled green paint,” and they often have a bad odor, according to the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency.

Any person or pet experiencing adverse health effects due to contact with or ingestion of lake water or algae should seek immediate medical or veterinary attention, according to the PCA.

“Pets, especially dogs, are susceptible to harmful algae because they are relatively small and tend to swallow more water while swimming and playing (e.g., retrieving a ball from the water),” according to the PCA. “Dogs may ingest algae if they lick their coats after leaving the water. They are also less deterred by green, smelly water that may contain harmful algae.”

In order to reduce your animal’s exposure to blue-green algae, do not let them swim or drink where there is noticeable algae in the water or scum on the shore. Any pet that swims in water that could have harmful algae should be rinsed off with fresh water immediately, according to the PCA, and should not be allowed to lick their fur, PCA officials said.

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