Algae outbreak on Lake Loramie in Shelby County under investigation

SHELBY COUNTY — Lake Loramie might be the next lake on a growing list plagued by algae toxins this summer, the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency said late Thursday, Aug. 12.

Not taking any chances, the OEPA urged lake visitors to take precautions following reports of a blue-green scum forming on the canal-era lake about 50 miles north of Dayton. The Department of Natural Resources, Ohio EPA and Ohio Department of Health “urge people and pets visiting Lake Loramie State Park in Shelby County to avoid contact with surface scum at the lake, limit their contact with lake water and avoid ingesting lake water pending the state’s ongoing investigation,” the agency said.

Water samples collected from Lake Loramie are being analyzed to determine if algal toxins are present, but a full analysis won’t be available until next week, OEPA said. In the meantime, Lake Loramie State Park remains open to visitors.

Like Grand Lake St. Marys, which has virtually shut down because of a cyanobacteria outbreak, Lake Loramie was originally constructed as a storage reservoir to supply water for the Miami-Erie Canal system.

Cyanobacteria, commonly known as blue-green algae, has shown up at eight state parks this summer including West Branch State Park near Ravenna in Portage County and along a Lake Erie beach at East Harbor State Park in Ottawa County. The algae blooms have been seen for years in Lake Erie’s shallow western basin.

this reporter at (937) 225-7407 or sbennish@DaytonDailyNews.com.

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