Willow Creek Reservoir stores almost 9,800 acre-feet of water near Heppner. Morrow County Emergency Management plans to test its audible flood warning system at 1 p.m. Nov. 14, 2024, in Heppner.

HEPPNER — The Oregon Health Authority issued a recreational use advisory beginning Monday, Aug. 19, for Willow Creek Reservoir.

The water has a cyanobacteria bloom and levels of the toxin microcystin above recreational values for human and animal exposure, according to a press release.

Toxins are not absorbed through the skin. However, those with skin sensitivities may get a puffy red rash.

According to the release, people can visit the reservoir for activities such as fishing, camping, hiking, biking, picnicking, bird watching, canoeing and kayaking. However, there are risks for certain kinds of engagement with the water.

Erica Heartquist, public health communications officer for OHA, said this kind of advisory has been issued for Willow Creek every year for the last decade except in  2016 and 2021.

“Once advisories go into effect at this site, they generally stay in place until the bloom senesces/subsides,” Heartquist wrote in an email. “For 2023, the advisory was issued and lifted on Sept. 19 and Nov. 22, respectively. I imagine that this year will be very similar, and I anticipate that the advisory will remain in effect for the foreseeable future.”

OHA recommends people avoid swimming and high-speed water activities, such as water skiing or power boating, in areas of the reservoir where blooms are present, as the major route of exposure is ingestion of water. Boating is safe as long as speeds do not create excessive water spray. Sprays could lead to the risk of inhaling cyanotoxins.

Children and pets

Children and pets are at increased risk for exposure because of their size and level of activity. Dogs can get extremely ill, and even die, within minutes to hours of exposure to cyanotoxins by drinking the water, licking their fur or eating the toxins from floating mats or dried crust along the shore. This is regardless of a recreational use health advisory in place.

Dogs can become ill and die from water intoxication after drinking excessive amounts of water while swimming or fetching objects for long periods of time. Intoxication is a potentially fatal disturbance in brain function resulting from an imbalance of electrolytes in the body. Water intoxication and heat stroke can cause similar symptoms as exposure to cyanotoxins.

Symptoms

Exposure to cyanotoxins such as microcystin can be serious and cause a range of symptoms. For people, symptoms may be similar to food poisoning and can include stomach cramping, diarrhea, nausea and vomiting. Symptoms may also be more serious, such as numbness, tingling, dizziness and shortness of breath. These symptoms may require medical attention, OHA’s press release said.

Dogs can experience weakness, difficulty walking, seizures, lethargy, loss of appetite and more. If a dog exhibits symptoms, veterinary treatment should be sought as quickly as possible.

Fishing

Fish caught from areas where cyanobacteria blooms are present may pose unknown health risks, so OHA recommends not eating fish from those areas. The release said those who decide to eat the fish should remove fat, skin and organs before cooking or freezing, as toxins are more likely to collect in these tissues. Filets also should be rinsed with clean water.

Drinking water

Drinking water directly from areas of the reservoir affected by the bloom is especially dangerous. Toxins cannot be removed by boiling, filtering or treating water with camping-style filters.

Contact campground management or the local health department with questions about water available at nearby campgrounds or day use areas.

Additionally, the release said, not all private treatment systems are effective at removing cyanotoxins. People who do not use a well or public water system and draw in-home water directly from an affected area are advised to use an alternative water source.

For health information or to report an illness, contact OHA at 971-673-0482, or visit OHA’s Cyanobacteria (Harmful Algae) Blooms website.