File photo (Image credit: Interior Health).
Algae Bloom

Blue-green algae spotted in Nicola Lake

Jul 2, 2025 | 10:28 AM

MERRITT, B.C. — Residents are being asked not to swim in parts of Nicola Lake following the sightings of blue-green algae.

In a water quality alert issued Tuesday (July 1), the Upper Nicola Band says it continues to monitor and collect data on causes of cyanobacteria blooms in the watershed. The First Nation says blooms will continue to occur in Nicola Lake with the changes in climate.

“Weather and wind conditions can cause algae blooms to move from one location in the lake to another,” the Upper Nicola Band stated. “Given the shifting nature of algae blooms and the ever-changing potential for toxicity from day to day, testing for toxins is not always reliable. Instead, it is safest to assume the blooms may contain toxins and adhere to precautions.