Bucks County residents and visitors are being urged by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection to stay away from Lake Towhee in Quakertown and Lake Galena in Doylestown due to possible toxic algae bloom, writes Bo Koltnow for WFMZ 69 News.

One family has already had an up-close view of the spread.

“We are checking it out, stepping on rocks, making sure we weren’t going in the water,” said LouAnn Brandt, who was walking around Lake Towhee with her kids.

The algae are in the red, brown, blue, and green colors.

“We have dogs, too, and we go kayaking here, and if you have a little cut, you can get funky infections,” said Brandt. “It’s a little concerning.”

According to the Pennsylvania Harmful Algal Bloom Task Force, blooms occur with the rapid growth of cyanobacteria, which are blue-green algae toxins. An advisory has been issued at 300 units per milliliter. At 1,500 units per milliliter, the task force issues a warning for everybody to avoid contact with the water and notifies park managers they should not let anybody use the lakes.

Read more about the algae bloom at WFMZ 69 News.

_____