FDOH issues advisory on Cape Coral canal after blue-green algae spotted

Writer: Derrick Shaw
Published: Updated:
A view of Boris Canal from Surfside Blvd. in Cape Coral. (Credit: Google Street View)

State health officials have issued an advisory for another Cape Coral canal after a blue-green algae bloom was spotted.

The Florida Department of Health in Lee County (DOH-Lee) said people should avoid contact with the water in the Boris Canal, which is located off Surfside Boulevard and between Southwest 22nd Terrace and Southwest 23rd Street.

The Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) will continue to post updates for the Boris Canal on its website.

Credit: Google Maps

Blue-green algae can cause gastrointestinal effects if swallowed. Children and pets are especially vulnerable, so keeping them away from the water during a bloom is especially important. Additional information on blue-green algae is available here. If you wish to report a new algae bloom please visit DEP’s Algal Bloom Monitoring & Response webpage.

Blue-green algae are beginning to show up in Cape Coral waterways. Most recently, test results showed a microcystin toxin in the Makai and Highlander canals.

The City of Cape Coral says it posted warning signs near the canal by Trafalgar Parkway and Skyline Boulevard. The city says local agencies are working to counteract the algal bloom, but it doesn’t know the source yet.

Prior to that, a bloom was spotted in a canal near Savona Parkway.

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