The Whitman County Health Department is issuing a Health Alert for the presence of harmful blue-green algal toxins in the Snake River stretch from Nisqually John Landing to Wawawai County Park in Whitman County. Residents and visitors of the area are advised to take the following precautions
Do not drink, swim, wade, or use personal watercraft, water ski, or boat in waters where there is a visible bloom.
Wash your skin and clothing with soap and water if you have contact with algae or discolored or smelly water.
Keep pets away from the area. Waters where there are algae blooms are not safe for animals. Pets and livestock should have a different source of water when algae blooms are present.
Do not cook or clean dishes with water contaminated by algae blooms. Boiling the water will not eliminate the toxins.
Do not eat shellfish in waters with algae blooms.
For more information on the potential health effects of algal blooms, visit https://www.nwtoxicalgae.org/