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Advisories posted at some Manitoba beaches, including Gimli, West Grand
Blue-green algae washes onto a Lake Winnipeg beach in a 2010 file photo. (LAURIE BAILEY / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS ARCHIVES) Photo Store
Wind and weather did a number on the beaches this week, as the hot sun shines on a peak summer weekend at Manitoba cottage country.
Winds churned E. coli into the water at Lake Winnipeg's beaches, where counts were reported above recreational water quality guidelines at Gimli Beach, Manitoba's Water Stewardship reported Friday.
This week, algal blooms were reported on Lake Winnipeg at Victoria and West Grand beaches, at Big Whiteshell Lake beach and at Killarney Lake beach, the province said in a routine update on beach conditions. The conditions are based on counts taken Thursday.
The number of blue-green algae cells and the concentration of the algal toxins were below the recreational water quality guideline at all four locations.
Algal blooms were also reported on Pelican Lake at Ninette and at Pleasant Valley, but again the levels of toxins were below guidelines thresholds.
Algae advisory signs are posted at Pelican Lake (Pleasant Valley and Ninette) and on Lake Winnipeg at Hillside Beach, West Grand Beach and at the lagoon at West Grand Beach.
The province reminded people to avoid swimming in water where severe algal blooms are visible and to prevent pets from drinking water along the shoreline.
Bacteria counts tend to increase when strong north winds cause water levels to temporarily increase and large waves wash bacteria out of beach sand on Lake Winnipeg.
When calmer weather returns, E. coli bacteria levels typically fall quickly to below guideline levels.
But conversely, warm and calm weather coupled with relatively high-nutrient loads make ideal conditions for blue-green algae to bloom.
History
Updated on Saturday, July 28, 2012 at 9:36 AM CDT: corrects algae blooms to algal blooms
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