'It's disgusting': Lake Winnipeg taken over by blue green algae bloom

People who were hoping to enjoy some time in Lake Winnipeg were hit with a major surprise when they arrived Monday, as an algae bloom has taken over the water.

Zach Friesen thought it was a perfect day to go for a swim at Winnipeg Beach, but that quickly changed.

"It smells like a ditch," Friesen said.

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The smell is coming from the algae. A bloom of blue green algae emerged over the weekend across the north and south basin of Lake Winnipeg, and it's left a green line along the beach.

"Out on the lake, it's choppy today. The wind is still blowing and stirring it up, so it doesn't look too bad. But in (the marina) there's no movement, so it really looks bad. It's disgusting," said Joe Clifton, who was fishing in Lake Winnipeg.

Alexis Kanu from Lake Winnipeg Foundation said algae conditions have been lower than average, but they jumped up in the last week.

"We know that algal blooms on the lake can be predicted based on two factors. One is the amount of phosphorus flowing into the lake, and the second factor is warmer summer temperatures. We're clearly experiencing that this week," said Kanu.

Kanu said when there are severe blooms, she advises people not to swim, fish or allow pets to drink from the water.

It's a sentiment the province echoes, however, there won't be any signs warning people.

A provincial spokesperson told CTV News Winnipeg that the weekly beach report from the province has concluded for the season and no further changes to beach signage will be made.

The Manitoba government said it is also taking steps to get rid of the bloom.

In a statement to CTV News, Environment and Climate Change Minister Tracy Schmidt said the province recently introduced a new formal nutrient target regulation for Lake Winnipeg and its tributaries, along with $270 million in funding for improvements to waste water infrastructure.