The City of Austin said as of Friday, March 10 that blue-green algae is present at Red Bud Isle on Lady Bird Lake and Jessica Hollis Park on Lake Austin. The City said the blue-green algae is mixed in with a lot of green algae and has not been tested yet. However, they are urging residents to use caution and assume the algae may be toxic.
We encourage West Lake Hills residents and their four-legged friends who may be visiting this area to use precautions and avoid bodies of water that are warm, stagnant, or appear to have scum, film, or algae. We also advise pet owners to not allow their dogs to lick their fur before rinsing, as blue-green algae can be deadly.
Information from the City of Austin:
A harmful algae bloom occurs when Cyanobacteria, also called blue-green algae, produce toxins. Lady Bird Lake experienced a harmful algae bloom in 2019, which sickened and killed several dogs. There have been harmful algae blooms on Lady Bird Lake every year since then. We have also detected harmful algae on Lake Austin.
Routine Monitoring (Updated 3/10/23): Blue-green algae is present at Red Bud Isle on Lady Bird Lake and at Jessica Hollis Park on Lake Austin. The blue-green algae is mixed in with lots of green algae. We have not tested the algae. Please assume it may be toxic and avoid it.
Caution: Enter Water at Your Own Risk
There is always some level of risk in a natural water body. In addition to algae, bacteria, parasites and other dangers may be present.
People and Pets
- Do not drink water directly from natural water bodies.
- Avoid contact with algae.
- Rinse skin or animal fur after contact with water.
- Do not allow dogs to lick their fur prior to rinsing.
Do Not Enter Water a Natural Water Body If:
- Water is warm or stagnant or you see scum, film or algae.
- There has been rain in the past three days.
- There are lots of dogs present.
For more information, visit Algae | AustinTexas.gov .