Topeka (WIBW) - Topeka's Central Park Lake was added to the Kansas Department of Health and Environment's list of public health warnings for algae blooms.

KDHE advises people to avoid contact with the water in Central Park Lake; Centralia City Lake, Nemaha County; Meade State Lake, Meade County; and Veteran’s Lake, Barton County.

KDHE says all the bodies of water are experiencing toxic blue-green algae blooms. Current concentrations of algae in these waters exceeded the KDHE recommended level of 100,000 cells/ml for recreational water use. Elevated levels of toxins from the algae were also confirmed.

The city of Topeka recently attributed the deaths of a thousand fish in the Central Park pond to algae.

“Blue green algae blooms are naturally occurring events that are seasonal,” said John Mitchell, State Environmental Officer and Director of KDHE’s Division of Environment. “The blooms may die off after several weeks or several months, depending on the heat and environmental conditions.”

KDHE recommends the following precautions be taken:

·Do not drink the lake water

·Avoid swimming, wading or other activities with full body contact of lake water

·Clean fish well, consume only the fillet portion, and discard all other body parts

·Keep pets from having contact with or drinking the water

Contact with the water, such as wading or swimming, can cause a skin rash, as well as eye, ear and throat irritation. Drinking or breathing in aerosols (such as from jet skiing or boating) of contaminated water can cause diarrhea, vomiting, abdominal cramps, fever, fatigue and flu-like symptoms.

Animals, especially dogs, can also become ill as a result of coming into contact with, or drinking the water. If your pet becomes ill soon after contact with the water, call your veterinarian right away.

Lake samples were taken by KDHE earlier this week and samples will be taken again next week. KDHE may revise or lift the public health warning based on future test results.

KDHE will continue to monitor the situation and rescind this warning as soon as conditions warrant. If the public has any questions or concerns, KDHE can be contacted during normal business hours at 866-865-3233.

Further information on algae and algae blooms can be found at: