Pigeon Lake algae advisory unnecessary, says mayor
The mayor of a small village on Pigeon Lake says a blue-green algae advisory issued by the province is unnecessary — and is pushing away tourists.
Mayor Don Oborowsky said Wednesday there is no blue-green algae on the lake, and an advisory posted on August 11 by Alberta Health Services is giving the area a bad reputation.
“We all have friends and visitors, and we are continually being asked how good or bad is the water,” said Oborowsky, mayor of Argentia Beach, population: 27.
People who come in contact with visible blue-green algae, or who swallow the water, may experience skin irritation, rash, sore throat, sore red eyes, swollen lips, fever, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.
Oborowsky admits the lake has had algae blooms in the past. But he said this summer the lake is cleaner than ever.
“This year we’ve got more wind than normal, and plant life doesn’t grow very well when there are constant waves in the water,” he said.
Oborowsky said the lake has the best water quality he’s seen in four years.
“We’ve got the best water quality this year than in the last four years.”
Pigeon Lake accounts for just one of 34 blue-green algae advisories issued by the province this summer.
Kerry Williamson with Alberta Health Services said that if the algae isn’t visible, then the water can be enjoyed safely.
“As is also noted in the advisory, in any areas where algae is not visible, that body of water can be enjoyed as normal,” Williamson wrote in a statement.
“We know that once algae appears in a lake in a summer season, it will recur throughout the remainder of that season.”
But Oborowsky said as soon as the first notice is posted, tourism dips.
“There’s 10 villages around the lake, we’re only one of them. We count on a lot of people using our lakes for fishing, for boating, for recreation, even for our beaches,” he said
“As soon as we get this negative advisory, people stay home.”
Louis Sledz operates Pier 6 Ice Cream shop in Ma-Me-O Beach.
Louis Sledz owns the Pier 6 Ice Cream shop in Ma-Me-O Beach, another village on Pigeon Lake.
He agreed the summer has been a good one on the lake, but since the notice went up, he has seen fewer people on the beach.
“It’s been better this year than over many years in the past. So it hasn’t affected us to a great degree, until now,” Sledz said.
“We try to anticipate it but, by and large, it does affect us.”
Sledz closes down after the Labour Day long weekend so he said he doesn’t expect to take a big hit.
But Oborowsky plans to keep fighting for the lake’s reputation, by bringing it up at a council meeting next week.