Officials with the Minneapolis Park Board say they had to close six beaches at lakes in the city for various reasons.
Three of those closed beaches are at Cedar Lake, which is affected by blue algae.
Algae are tiny, harmless organisms that are natural and common in freshwater, but blue-green algae, which is present in lakes throughout Minnesota, are not algae at all. They are a type of bacteria called cyanobacteria, and in the right conditions they can grow quickly to form “blooms”. Sometimes blue-green algae can produce cyanotoxins that can make humans and animals sick.
The blue algae began appearing because of sunny skies and warming lake temperatures.
The other beaches that are closed are at Lake Bde Maka Ska Park, and Lake Hiawatha. Those closures are because of elevated e-coli levels. If a beach is closed, Park Board staff will re-sample and reopen the beach when bacteria levels are within state guidelines.
Minneapolis beaches are constantly monitored between Memorial Day and Labor Day. Beaches have an advisory or are closed when monitoring results indicate an increased risk of getting sick from swimming.
Blue-green algae advisories and beach closures are posted at the beach and on the Lake Water Quality Map.
