Blue-Green Algae Closes Quarry 2 at Waite Park’s Quarry Park

(KNSI) – Stearns County Parks has closed the Quarry 2 swimming area at Quarry Park and Nature Preserve in Waite Park because harmful blue-green algae may be in the water.

Park officials say the closure is a precaution, and Quarry 2 will stay closed to swimmers until water conditions improve. Signs posted at the park warn visitors not to enter the water.

The rest of the park remains open, including Quarry 11. Quarry 2 is also known as Melrose Deep Seven, while Quarry 11 is better known as the family swim spot because of its sandy beach and shallower water. At 683 acres, Quarry Park is the largest park in the Stearns County system.

Despite the name, blue-green algae is actually a type of bacteria that is common in Minnesota waters and grows quickly when water is warm and full of nutrients. Some varieties produce toxins that can make people and animals sick, and there’s no way to tell whether a bloom is toxic just by looking at it.

According to the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, people can get sick by swallowing or touching water with toxic algae, or by breathing in tiny water droplets. Symptoms are usually mild and can include vomiting, diarrhea, a rash, eye irritation, coughing, a sore throat and headaches. The risk is much higher for dogs, which are more likely than people to become ill or die after exposure.

Anyone who has been in water that may contain a bloom should wash off with fresh water right away. Illnesses in people or pets that may be linked to algae exposure can be reported to the Minnesota Department of Health at 1-877-366-3455.

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