Third body of water in El Paso County tests positive for Blue Green Algae

This weekend, El Paso County Parks Staff had to post signs at Homestead Ranch Regional Park in Peyton after the pond tested over the recommended safety threshold for microcystins, which is a bloom of blue-green algae.

Brian Bobeck with El Paso County Parks said, “With the recent bodies of water that tested positive for algae in the city being Prospect Lake or Pikeview Reservoir, the county decided to be proactive and go ahead and test some of the bodies of water that we have in county parks.”

And because the pond tested positive, the Colorado Department of Health and Environment had to issue a no-contact warning.

Bobeck said they’re advising people to stay out of the water. He said, “All of our county parks, the bodies of water there is no swimming allowed. But just other recreational activities as kids get close to the edge of the water.”

However, there is some good news. El Paso County tested four other areas, and Homestead Ranch is the only one to test positive. That doesn’t include Prospect Lake or Pikeview Reservoir, which were closed due to the algae, because those are city parks.

Bobeck said, “We submitted test samples to the state last week for Bear Creek and we are waiting on the results. The other bodies of water that we tested all came back clear. There was nothing detectable in those.”

But right now, the big safety concern when it comes to blue-green algae is for dogs and horses who might decide to jump in or drink the water.

“Something with the presence of the toxins that keeping your animals out of it and not drinking it. If you have any concerns always air on the side of safety,” said Bobeck.

In time, once the blue-green algae runs out of nutrients, it will go away. There is no time frame on when that could be.