Toxic Algae Blooming, Prompts Oklahoma Advisories

Toxic blue-green algae is flourishing in more than a dozen Oklahoma lakes, prompting warnings from health officials.

Advisories were in effect Sunday for 15 lakes, with two more listed as possibly having toxic levels of algae.

After problems with swimmers falling ill last year, the Oklahoma Tourism Department developed a website that enables people to check lake conditions, including whether there are dangerous algae plumes.

The Muskogee Phoenix reports the Army Corps of Engineers says it is working with the state to provide information so people visiting lakes can decide whether to swim.

The website www.CheckMyOKLake.com includes a pull-down menu of state lakes so users can check their status.

Among the lakes with warnings Sunday were Charlotte, Fort Cobb Reservoir, Fort Gibson, Eufaula and Tenkiller.