The Wyoming Game and Fish Department would like to remind anglers and recreationists that the summer weather can result in hazardous cyanobacterial blooks in the lakes and reservoirs in southeast Wyoming

These blooms are currently at the Wheatland Reservoir #3, Saratoga Lake, and Leazenby Lake.

Hazardous cyanobacterial blooms (HCBs) are concentrations of cyanobacteria or blue-green algae that pose a health risk to humans, pets, livestock, and wildlife.

When blooms occur, cyanobacteria become visibly abundant and can look like grass clippings, blue-green scum, or spilled paint on the water surface.

HBC's can produce toxins that can cause health effects such as rashes, fatigue, disorientation, and gastrointestinal illnesses, and in extreme cases can cause death to pets or livestock.

Anglers and other recreationists are urged to avoid contact with the water in areas where scum is visible. Safety tips include:

  • Do not ingest water from the bloom.
  • Rinse fish with clean water and eat only the fillet portion.
  • Avoid water spray from the bloom.
  • Do not allow pets or livestock to drink water near the bloom, eat bloom material, or lick fur after contact.
  • If people, pets, or livestock come into contact with a bloom, rinse off with clean water as soon as possible and contact a doctor or veterinarian.

For up-to-date information about hazardous cyanobacterial blooms visit the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality webpage by following the link here.

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