WaterNSW has issued a Red Alert for high levels of potentially toxic blue-green algae for the Hunter River upstream of Glenbawn Dam, from Belltrees to the upper reaches of the lake.
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The red alert does not apply to Lake Glenbawn.
This Red Alert warning applies only to untreated water at the above location and will remain in place until monitoring and test results confirm that the risk is sufficiently diminished.
People should avoid consuming untreated water from this waterbody and prevent pets and livestock from drinking this water. Livestock owners are advised to check stock water supplies and remove stock from foreshores where surface scum is visible or blue-green algae is suspected.
![Red Alert for high levels of potentially toxic blue-green algae for the Hunter River upstream of Glenbawn Dam, from Belltrees to the upper reaches of the lake. Red Alert for high levels of potentially toxic blue-green algae for the Hunter River upstream of Glenbawn Dam, from Belltrees to the upper reaches of the lake.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/69fUThMh3V6mENHE7Nwkb5/19d71e14-75fd-4747-86c2-f05b744a792c.jpg/r0_0_4032_2267_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
According to the CSIRO if blue-green algae multiply to high numbers, toxins may be produced causing health problems for people, domestic animals and stock that come into contact with the algae.
Contact with the algae by recreational users can be harmful. There have been reports of skin and eye irritations, nausea, vomiting, muscle weakness or cramps by some people who have swum through algal scum or swallowed it.
Blue-green algae blooms can cause:
- harmful human health effects
- death of livestock
- domestic animals and wildlife
- bad odours
- fish kills
- closure of water storages for drinking or recreational use
- higher water treatment costs.