BOISE, Idaho (AP) -- Idaho health officials are warning residents that toxic algae have been found on the state side of the Snake River south of Hells Canyon Dam.
The Idaho Statesman reports that the Southwest District Health and the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality issued an alert Friday that blue-green algae species was found roughly 10 miles north of Oregon's Oxbow Dam to the Hells Canyon Dam. The algae can produce potentially dangerous toxins
Officials say people should avoid swallowing or inhaling water and avoid contact with water that has visible algae. Fish caught in the area should be cleaned and rinsed with clean water and only filet portions should be consumed.
The blue-green scum could make people and animals sick and be fatal to pets if they ingest large quantities of the water.
