Staff photo by Fritz Busch Brown Soil and Water Conservation District Conservation Technician Hailey Olson, left, is pictured with Sleepy Eye Lake Improvement Committee member Wayne Pelzel at the Aquatic Vegetation Removal Station in Sportsman’s Park, Sleepy Eye Lake. The tool near the lake’s fish cleaning station, can be used to remove aquatic vegetation from a boat and trailer.

SLEEPY EYE — Powered by warm temperatures and summer sun, algae blooms are threatening Sleepy Eye Lake and the Sleepy Eye Summerfest ski show.

Earlier in July, the City of Sleepy Eye closed the Sleepy Eye Lake beach based on a recommendation from Brown County Public Health after lake water was observed and photographed with algae present.

Brown County Public Health Director Jaimee Brand said the beach was closed based on Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) recommendations due to a health risk to humans and animals.

Blue-green algae are not actually algae, but bacteria called cyanobacteria that thrives in warm, nutrient-rich water is often described as looking like pea soup or spilled, green paint.

“When in doubt, stay out,” reads an MPCA algae alert. Caution should be used when consuming fish caught in water where an algae bloom is occurring, according to the alert.

Sleepy Eye Lake Improvement Association Committee member Wayne Pelzel talked about the algae.

“I think it caught us unaware,” he said. “We never had a problem with blue-green algae before that we know of. We wanted to make sure people and pets were safe, so we closed the beaches. I think the message got out pretty well. I didn’t see anybody taking risks in the water. Hopefully, it goes away very soon.”

“It’s too bad because the lake got such wonderful use the first half of the summer. I don’t think there is any treatment for it. I think it’s a matter of it going away on its own. I haven’t seen any algae in it today. Maybe it’s moving in the right direction,” Pelzel said.

Brown Soil and Water Conservation District Technician Hailey Olson said she didn’t know of a previous algae occurrence in Brown County.

Sleepy Eye Area Chamber of Commerce & Convention & Visitors Bureau Director Christine Andres recently posted a Sleepy Eye Summerfest Lake Alert on Facebook.

“We need your help! We all love our lake and beach. Visitors love our lake and beach. We all also enjoy the Summerfest ski show. But, we’ve got to do better, as all are in trouble,” wrote Andres.

“Right now, blue-green algae is threatening the safety of our lake. One of the culprits is grass clippings being blown into the street,” she wrote. “When lawn debris hits the pavement, it flows into storm drains and straight into our lake. That fuels algae growth. Add summer heat and it doesn’t take much to trigger a bloom that shuts everything down. Our Summerfest ski show could be next.”

Andres urged residents to say something if they see a neighbor mowing grass clippings into the street.

MPCA Surface Water Monitoring Manager Kimberly Laing said algae blooms are a naturally-occurring thing that can even happen on very clear lakes.

“We ask people to report blooms. We don’t know when they are toxic or not, so we advise people to stay off lakes and streams with algae,” said Laing.

She said volunteer water monitors are sought to measure water clarity using a Secchi disk or tube at designated locations on lakes, rivers and streams. Volunteers also monitor water temperature and report findings to the MPCA. Visit state.mn.gov for more information.

The MCPA urges individuals seeing multiple dead fish in a lake or river or runoff spills entering water, to call the Minnesota Duty Officer at 1-800-422-0798. Calls are answered 24 hours a day. If there is an immediate threat to life or property, call 911 first.

The best way to avoid algae is to reduce the amount of phosphorus and nitrogen from man-made sources like lawn fertilizer and runoff from feedlots, cultivated fields and other sources.

For more information, visit https://www.pca.state.mn.us/business-with-us/harmful-alage-blooms. Call the Minnesota Department of Health at 1-8770366-3455.