Health officials are warning the public to stay out of the entire lake, due to high levels of blue-green algae at all testing locations, particularly around marinas at Sandy and Lincoln beaches and Saratoga Springs. That goes for dogs, too, which have been known to die after ingesting water from the lake during past algal outbreaks.
Blue-green algae, which are prone to explode in nutrient-laden waters during rising temperatures, releases toxic waste products that trigger diarrhea, vomiting and headaches in those exposed to them. The blooms coat the surface with an olive-green slick and leave fish floating belly up along the shores.