Baker Reservoir announces harmful algae found in water, issues warning

WASHINGTON COUNTY, Utah (ABC4) — Water monitoring teams have identified a harmful algae bloom at Baker Reservoir, leading to potential health concerns.

On July 15, 2025, the Utah Department of Environmental Quality’s monitoring team identified harmful algae in the water at Baker Reservoir, in Washington County. The monitoring team saw visible signs of a harmful algae bloom and are currently waiting for results on samples they collected.

Any visitors should follow recommendations put forth by the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ). Recommendations include:

• Do not swim or water ski in areas of algae
• Avoid areas of algae when boating
• Clean fish well and discard guts
• Keep animals away
• Don’t drink the water
• Know how to recognize a harmful algal bloom

If you are visiting a park and see signs of an algae bloom, you can call Utah DEQ at (801) 536-4123

What are harmful algae?

Also known as blue-green algae, the Utah Department of Environmental Quality said the blooms are not actually algae at all. It is an aquatic bacterium known as Cyanobacteria that photosynthesizes like a plant.

The DEQ said these harmful blooms occur naturally in bodies of water all over the world, particularly when nutrient levels are high, there is abundant sunlight, warm temperatures and stagnant waters.

If the conditions are right for several days or even months, cyanobacteria can multiply and form large blooms that can cover an entire lake. Blooms generally die and disappear after about a week or two, according to the DEQ, but toxins can linger for days after a bloom dissipates.

How harmful are harmful algae?

Harmful algal blooms can cause irritations and illnesses if you come into contact with them. In the worst cases, harmful blooms have been known to cause permanent organ damage or even death.

Humans and pets that come into contact with harmful algal blooms can experience irritation of the skin, eyes, nose, throat and respiratory systems. Accidental ingestion of harmful algae can lead to abdominal pain, headaches, vomiting, diarrhea, kidney or liver damage and neurological symptoms.

If your pet has been exposed to harmful algal blooms, the DEQ advises looking for symptoms such as excessive drooling, vomiting, diarrhea, stumbling or muscle tremors, loss of appetite, rashes, difficulty breathing and in serious cases, seizures or paralysis.

DEQ said if you or your pet comes into contact with a harmful algal bloom, rinse off with clean fresh water as soon as possible and remove yourself from the source. You are also encouraged to call the Utah Poison Control Center at 800-222-1222, as experts trained in toxicology can answer any questions and advise you on medical or veterinary treatment.

To stay up to date on the latest reports of harmful algal blooms in Utah’s bodies of water, visit the Department of Environmental Quality website here.