MENASHA, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) - Health officials are seeing expanding blooms of what's commonly referred to as blue-green algae in several Wisconsin lakes.
It's also called cyanobacteria, but it's actually not algae at all. It's a bacteria, and it can be dangerous to both people and pets.
It's blooming across the state, including in Lake Winnebago.
Pam Barton of Random Lake described the blue-green algae to FOX 11 as pea soup.
"It's green and it's thick and there's no visibility at all."
Blue-green algae is a bacteria that can produce toxins.
"When people or animals ingest water that contains that toxin, they can become ill and that's what we're trying to prevent," said Doug Gieryn, Winnebago County Public Health director.
The toxins can have effects including rashes, respiratory problems, and liver failure.
Gieryn tells FOX 11 it can be hard to tell the difference between regular algae and blue-green algae.
"The thing about blue-green algae is that it moves and it's difficult to say with any precision, where that algae blooms going to be in any given day."
And there's more...
"If it's very cloudy in the water, or water looks like paint, that's definitely an indication that there's a very high concentration of what could be blue-green algae in the water."
Gieryn says the warmer the weather, the worse the bacteria becomes.
"Higher temperatures favor the growth of the bacteria, as do more runoff and more sunlight as well. Sunlight feeds the bacteria as well."
Gieryn said there are steps to reduce the bacteria, including don't over fertilize.
"Be aware of runoff, grass clippings in the streets, they go to the storm sewer end up in the lake. Those are all sources of nutrients for algae to grow."
Once cooler weather hits, health officials say, the bacteria will disappear.
