The Shuswap Watershed Watershed Council is warning of an emerging algal bloom in Shuswap Lake.

The council said on June 28 the bloom is developing in Salmon Arm Bay and at Sunnybrae/Canoe Point.

Interior Health is advising residents and visitors to take precautions.

They include: avoiding direct contact with the bloom and, if contact is made, rinse with clean water.

Swimming and other activities in the water are discouraged in areas where the bloom can be seen.

Don鈥檛 consume drinking water directly from the lake.

鈥淚f your domestic water intake is from the Salmon Arm Wharf area or Sunnybrae/Canoe Point, consider using an alternate source for drinking water. Contact your water supplier for more information,鈥� states the advisory.

Pets and other livestock may also need an alternate source of water.

The watershed council notes that collecting and analyzing water samples are underway. Notices will be posted at parks and beaches over the next couple of days.

To learn more, the watershed council has listed a few websites that may be useful.

Interior Health offers beach advisories, which can be found at under Beach Advisories.

For more information about algae and to submit a report of an algal bloom to the province, you can visit the Algae Watch website ()

For more information on blue-green algae, also known as cyanobacteri, Interior Health has a HealthLink pdf at

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