Sylvan and Verona Beach Both Closed
July 8, 2011 5:42 AM 
Oneida County Health Department officials have closed both Sylvan Beach and Verona Beach to swimmers following the discovery of a suspicious algae in the waters of Oneida Lake. According to a report from NewsChannel 2 WKTV inspectors from the Health Department were conducting a routine inspection when they discovered the blue-green algae which, they say, could be toxic and closed the beaches.
Dan Gilmore from the Oneida County Health Department says there are two reasons the blue-green algae is dangerous. First, it poses a health threat to swimmers. Anyone who ingests the algae could become ill with an upset stomach, nauseous, even disorientation. The algae can be fatal to small animals. Secondly, lifeguards are unable to see through the thick algae when looking out for swimmers.
Gilmore says anyone who comes into contact with the algae should wash with soap and water. The beaches will remain closed until the test results come back. Those are expected Friday afternoon. If the samples test positive for blue-green algae the beaches will remain closed until the water clears and future test results come back clean.
There are still some other local beach areas to visit including Delta Lake State Park and Green Lakes State Park.
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