Swimmers might want to avoid three Manitoba lakes this weekend.

Manitoba Water Stewardship has found issues with the water at the following spots:

  • St. Malo Beach
  • Plum Coulee Reservoir Beach
  • Killarney Lake

Testing by Manitoba Water Stewardship has detected high levels of E. coli at St. Malo Beach and Plum Coulee Reservoir Beach.

The province says it plans to re-test the two beaches and new test results could be available Friday.

The results will be posted on the government's website:

www.gov.mb.ca/waterstewardship/quality/beach_table.html

Samples from Killarney Lake show the number of blue-green algae cells are above the province's quality guidelines for water recreation.

Tests results from Big Whiteshell Lake and Lake Wahtopanah, also known as the Rivers Reservoir, show algae blooms have dispersed somewhat and the number of blue-green algae cells has returned to below the recreational water quality guideline.

The province says it plans to keep signs up to let swimmers know that algae blooms have been observed at the beach and to provide some additional advice regarding avoiding contact with the water when algae blooms are present.

Algae blooms often appear in Manitoba lakes at this time of the year and can last until mid-September. Swimmers are reminded to avoid swimming in water if severe algae blooms are visible. In the absence of a severe algae bloom, recreational activities are considered safe.

Manitoba Water Stewardship routinely monitors about 60 beaches across the province.