Toxic algae found in 2 Charlotte-area coves. Keep kids and pets away, officials urge.
Toxic algae blooms have been confirmed in two Lake Wylie coves that boaters, swimmers and pets should now avoid, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Storm Water Services officials said.
A resident notified the department after spotting “bright green water with a surface scum in the coves,” according to a Storm Water Services news release on Monday.
One of the coves lies just north of Strollaway Road and the other cove between Strollaway and Red Fez Club roads. Strollaway Road is off York Road (N.C. 49) near the Buster Boyd Bridge.
Staff confirmed the presence of cyanobacteria, a type of algae linked to severe illness in humans and animals after ingesting the algae, said Rusty Rozzelle, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Storm Water Services’ water quality program manager.
U.S. residents who ingest such algae commonly report suffering rashes, nausea and diarrhea, and 77% percent sought medical care, according to a report released Tuesday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
“Illnesses caused by #HarmfulAlgalBlooms can be serious,” the CDC reported on Twitter with the report. “Keep those you care about safe by following water advisories and staying out of water that looks or smells bad.”
Most algal blooms are harmless, Rozzelle said. Yet it’s impossible to know which are dangerous just by looking at them, he said, so it’s best not to swim, boat, kayak, fish, Jet-Ski, water-ski or wade through any of them.
“Pets and children are at a higher risk of exposure, so keep them away from water that appears discolored or scummy,” Rozzele said in the release.
Storm Water Services staff will survey the area until the blooms disappear, he said.
To report a bloom, call the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality at 704-663-1699. In South Carolina, call the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control at 803-898-8374.
This story was originally published November 8, 2022 at 12:41 PM.