Unsafe Bacteria Levels Detected At Lake Del Valle

LIVERMORE, CA — Swimming at Del Valle Regional Park is off-limits after unsafe levels of bacteria were detected in the water.

East Bay Regional Park District announced the closure Monday and said cyanobacteria, or blue-green algae, was to blame. Lake Anza and the Lake Temescal are also closed to swimmers.

A form of the bacteria can cause a skin irritation known as swimmer's itch, according to the University of California, Berkeley.

Cyanobacteria blooms can make toxins that "are among the most powerful natural poisons known" and can make people and animals sick, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. There are no remedies and anyone who comes into contact with cyanobacteria should rinse off in fresh water as soon as possible after swimming.

Patch has reached out to the park district for comment and will update this report if we receive additional details.