County authorities have issued a warning to stay off Bass Lake, located just north of
Winnebago.
On Friday, around 5 p.m. the Faribault County Sheriff’s Office was notified that the water contained “substantial toxic” levels of blue-green algae.
“We put signs up in the boat landing area and entrances to docking areas,” says Chief Deputy Scott Adams. “They will stay up until the problem has cleared.”
Adams says it was Tim Kelly, who works with the Basswood Clean Water Coalition, who alerted authorities of the problem.
Several areas of Bass Lake reportedly were tested for the toxic chemical in blue-green algae know as Microcystis, which can damage the liver in humans if exposed to it.
Adams says the local water coalition and the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) are dealing with the situation.
For now, area residents are advised not to swim in the lake and do not allow pets to have access to the lake because the algae also are fatal to animals.
Exposure to high levels of blue-green algae and its toxins, according to website information, may cause skin, eye or throat irritation; diarrhea, nausea or vomiting; and allergic reactions or breathing difficulties.