The Wyoming Department of Health has issued a recreational use warning due to a cyanobacterial bloom in the causeway at the Granite Springs Reservoir in the City of Cheyenne BOPU.

The Causeway is an area west of Granite Springs Reservoir where Middle Crow Creek flows to the reservoir. The Causeway is separated from the main reservoir by a road.

This is stated in a press release from BOPU.

The reservoir is located 30 miles west of Cheyenne in Curt Gowdy State Park. No cyanobacteria have been found in the reservoir itself.

According to the press release:Harmful cyanobacteria, also known as blue-green algae, can form harmful algal blooms in slow-moving water in late summer when water temperatures are higher. These algal blooms are considered harmful because they can produce toxins and other irritants that pose a danger to people, pets, livestock and wildlife.”

What precautions should people take?

According to the press release, people should take the following precautions:

• Avoid contact with water near the bloom, especially in areas where cyanobacteria are densely present and form foam.
• Do not drink water from the flower. Boiling, filtering and/or other treatments will not remove the toxins.
• Rinse the fish with clean water and eat only the fillet.
• Avoid splashing water from the flower.
• Do not allow pets or livestock to drink water near the flower, eat flower material, or lick the fur after contact.
• If people, pets or livestock come into contact with a bloom, rinse with clean water as soon as possible.

For more information on blue-green algae, visit www.wyohcbs.org.

The reservoir provides drinking water to the City of Cheyenne, and BOPU will continue to monitor the City’s water quality in light of this discovery.