After a tumultuous summer of E. coli outbreaks, ponds in Boise are again dealing with tainted water. This time, algae found in pond water could be toxic.
It's Esther Simplot Pond No. 2 that's shut down. Neither the main pond in the complex located in west Boise nor Quinn’s Pond are affected by the toxic algae. City officials say those main ponds are safe and will remain open.
The small, secondary pond doesn’t have a beach area and gets very low recreational use.
The blooming algae found in pond no. 2 is a strain that can be deadly to humans or animals if ingested. Signs alerting people to the presence of the potentially lethal algae have been posted around the pond.
Water quality is being checked daily and Boise Parks and Rec says algae blooms aren’t uncommon in the warmer summer months. They’re treating the pond with chemicals to kill the algae and restore the water to acceptable conditions.
Throughout the summer, bacteria plagued the Esther Simplot Park Ponds. E.coli from dog and goose poop was blamed for one closure earlier this season. Poor drainage from a retention pond was also labeled a culprit for high bacteria levels. Stagnant water in the retention pond seeped into one of the bodies of water used for recreation and tainted its water for a time.
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