The Vermont Department of Health has issued an alert for blue green algae in Lake Champlain’s Mississquoi Bay. Officials are warning people not to swim in areas where the algae is visible on the surface of the water, and to avoid drinking or showering with water from areas of the bay where the algae is present.
The algae produces a toxin that can cause illness in people and animals when ingested. The blooms are a chronic summertime problem in the shallow bay. They’re caused by farm and city runoff that contains phosphorous and other nutrients.