[Mike]

Updated: 6/4/2004 7:39 AM
By: Al Nall, News 10 Now Web Staff

On Wednesday a camper at the North Bay Campground in Fulton was
playing fetch with his dog. The dog, which was running in and out of
the water to retrieve a toy, suddenly got sick and died. Blue green
algae poisoning is suspected.

http://news10now.com/content/all_news/?ArID=20641&SecID=83

The dog’s death along with the discovery of several dead geese has
caused the City of Fulton to issue a warning, stay away from Lake
Neahtawanta.

“We will be posting not only the North Bay Camp Grounds area, but
will also be posting the Bull Head Point recreational area, as well
the shoreline at Corporal Barrett Drive and Stevenson Beach,” Fulton
Police Chief Mark Spawn said.

Blue green algae poisoning suspected

People in Fulton are being warned to stay away from the city’s lake.
The advisory was issued after several geese and a dog died near the
shore of Lake Neahtawanta. News 10 Now’s Al Nall has more on the
mystery of the lake, and precautions being taken.

Pathologists from the New York State Department of Environmental
Conservation will conduct autopsies on the animals to determine their
cause of death. Until then residents are advised to not have any
contact with the water.

“We’re telling people, as we’ve been instructed by local authorities
and the DEC, not to let anybody swim, or go into the lake with their
pets. Or do any fishing,” said Barry Ostrander, Parks and Recreation
Department.

According to the DEC, Lake Neahtawanta is the top lake in New York
State for bird deaths from blue-green algae poisoning. That comes as
a surprise to Dave LeClair, who visits the lake often on warm days in
the summer.

“I can’t conceive anything in this lake killing anybody. I mean it’s
dirty because of the green slime and weeds and stuff. The fish are
still making it, people are still fishing it,” Dave LeClair said.

Researchers will patrol the lake this week, looking for clues to rule
out other possibilities. Once a cause of the poisoning is determined,
the DEC will offer solutions to help prevent other deaths from
occurring.

The DEC expects to have results from the autopsies and water testing
sometime next week.