Health advisory for toxins lifted on North Santiam, remains in place at Detroit Lake

The North Santiam River has a clean bill of health. Well, mostly.

The Oregon Health Authority lifted the recreational use health advisory for the river Friday afternoon after test results showed toxin levels low enough that they shouldn’t harm people who swim or recreate in the stream.

However, the advisory remains in place at Detroit Lake and Big Cliff Reservoir.

North Santiam River advisory lifted

OHA issued a health advisory July 16 for the North Santiam after tests showed elevated levels of microcystins, a type of cyanotoxin caused by blue-green algae filtering downstream from Detroit and Big Cliff reservoirs.

After ingesting water, the toxins can cause symptoms similar to food poisoning that can be more severe in children and especially pets.

During the monthlong advisory on the Santiam, one person confirmed sickness and a dog died at Turner Lake due to the toxins. On social media, there was a report of another likely sickness to a dog that floated the North Santiam.

“The illness is notoriously underreported because the symptoms are very similar to food poisoning, and that’s what it gets attributed to,” David Farrer, public health toxicologist for OHA, told the Statesman Journal. He asked anyone sickened to report their experience online at the OHA website .

Levels of the toxins are still “above OHA’s educational guideline values for dogs, and owners should keep their pets away from these areas,” a news release said.

Detroit Lake and Big Cliff advisories still in place

Tests continue to show levels of toxins high enough to justify the health advisory at Detroit Lake and Big Cliff reservoir. Given that, OHA advises people to avoid swimming or actives like high-speed boating where water can get into people’s mouths.

“When recreating, people and especially small children and pets should avoid areas where the water is foamy, scummy, thick like paint, pea-green or blue-green, or if thick brownish-red mats are visible or bright green clumps are suspended in the water,” OHA said. “If you see these signs, avoid activities that cause you to swallow water or inhale droplets, such as swimming or high-speed water activities, and keep pets out of the area.”

Zach Urness has been an outdoors reporter in Oregon for 16 years and is host of the Explore Oregon Podcast . To support his work, subscribe to the Statesman Journal . Urness is the author of “ Best Hikes with Kids: Oregon ” and “ Hiking Southern Oregon .” He can be reached at zurness@StatesmanJournal.com or (503) 399-6801. Find him on X at @ZachsORoutdoors.

This article originally appeared on Salem Statesman Journal: Health advisory for toxins lifted on North Santiam, remains in place at Detroit Lake