Recreational use advisory lifted for Thief Valley Reservoir
By Garrett Christensen on Tuesday, September 17th, 2024 in More Top Stories Northeastern Oregon News
UNION & BAKER COUNTIES – (Release from the Oregon Health Authority) Oregon Health Authority has lifted the recreational use health advisory issued for Thief Valley Reservoir in Baker and Union counties. OHA issued the advisory Aug. 5.
Monitoring and communication with partners have confirmed that water levels in Thief Valley Reservoir are very low; no recreation is taking place on the water body at this time. However, OHA still recommends visitors not let dogs eat anything that looks like an algae mat, even if it on dry ground. Algal matter may still contain toxins above recommended levels for pets.
OHA advises recreational visitors to continually be alert to signs of cyanobacteria blooms. This is because blooms can develop and disappear on any water body at any time when bloom conditions are favorable. Only a fraction of water bodies in Oregon are monitored for blooms and toxins, so it’s important for people to become familiar with signs of a bloom, exposures and symptoms by visiting OHA’s Cyanobacteria (Harmful Algae) Blooms website at http://www.healthoregon.org/hab.
When recreating, people, and especially small children and pets, should avoid areas where the water is foamy, scummy, thick like paint, pea-green or blue-green, or if thick brownish-red mats are visible or bright green clumps are suspended in the water. If you see these signs, avoid activities that cause you to swallow water or inhale droplets, such as swimming or high-speed water activities, and keep pets out of the area.
Cyanotoxins can still exist in clear water. When a bloom dies, toxins it releases may reach into clear water around the bloom. Blooms can be pushed into other areas, leaving toxins behind. There also are species of cyanobacteria that anchor themselves at the bottom of a water body, live in the sediment, or can grow on aquatic plants and release toxins into clear water.
For health information or to report an illness, contact OHA at 971-673-0482, or visit OHA’s Cyanobacteria (Harmful Algae) Blooms website.
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