AUSTIN (Talk1370.com) -- The Lower Colorado River Authority is warning pet owners to keep their dogs away from algae blooms across the Highland Lakes, after tests from 10 sites around Lake Travis tested positive for cyanotoxins.
LCRA says the samples were collected on March 3, and test results came back Friday afternoon. The samples collected from Lake Travis included floating algae in cove areas, algae on the bottom of the lake in shallow areas and decaying algae from solid material along the shoreline. The algae were typically brown or dark green.
“We can’t stress this enough – out of an abundance of caution, do not let your dogs touch or ingest algae from the lakes,” said John Hofmann, LCRA executive vice president of Water. “We know even a little toxicity from blue-green algae can be harmful or even fatal to dogs.”
The test results showed the presence of dihydroanatoxin-a, a type of cyanotoxin, at these 10 areas: Arkansas Bend Park, Bob Wentz Park, Comanche Point, Cypress Creek Park, Lakeway City Park, Mansfield Dam Park, Sandy Creek Park, Tom Hughes Park and Travis Landing. The results showed small amounts of the same cyanotoxin in lake water near Bob Wentz, Sandy Creek and Arkansas Bend.
The agency says it has not received any new reports of dogs becoming ill after swimming in Lake Travis in the last two weeks. Last month, LCRA received reports of two dogs dying and five others becoming ill after swimming in the Travis Landing neighborhood near Hudson Bend, and the Comanche Point area across the lake.
LCRA says it will take additional water and algae samples from other parts of Lake Travis and the other Highland Lakes next week, and report those test results as soon as they are available.