BLACK LAKE, Idaho – The Panhandle Health District, along with the Coeur d’Alene Tribe, Idaho Department of Environmental Quality and Idaho Department of Health & Welfare, have issued a public health advisory for Black Lake in Kootenai County due to the presence of cyanobacteria, also known as a harmful algal bloom (HAB), the district announced.
Tribal biologists observed the bloom, prompting the advisory based on field observations, water sample analysis and the potential public health impacts.
The advisory urges the public to exercise caution throughout the lake as HABs can spread with wind and water traffic.
Private domestic water system owners using the lake as a drinking water source are warned that boiling or filtering the water does not remove cyanobacteria. After contact with affected water, it is recommended to wash off with fresh water.
If consuming fish from the lake, it is advised to remove all fat, skin and organs before cooking. Toxins are more likely to accumulate in those tissues.
