Lake Temescal in Oakland closed again because of toxic algae bloom

OAKLAND (Lisa Fernandez/KTVU) - Anyone who wants to jump in cool water and splash about at Lake Temescal is out of luck.

For the fourth year in a row, the East Bay Regional Park District on Tuesday closed the popular lake off Broadway in Oakland because of a toxic algae bloom, which can cause nausea and vomiting in humans and even kill dogs.

Water management supervisor Hal Maclean said  he is not really sure why the toxins are back, only that there was a big heat wave last week and that Lake Temescal is home to a strain of blue-green algae that contains nutrients which makes the water toxic. Lake Anza in Berkeley does not contain the same type of algae or nutrients, he said.

The district did not offer its annual Junior Lifeguard camp this year, he said, as employees feared they would have to hold the camp on the sand or cancel it, as they have since 2014. Last year, the park district was down $61,000 in lost fees, according to spokesman Dave Mason.

To remedy the situation, Maclean said officials are trying to treat the water with hydrogen peroxide, which he said will break down naturally and clean out the backeria.

Will people ever be able to swim in Lake Temescal again?

“Yes,” Maclean said, adding that he didn’t know exactly when.

Quarry Lake in Fremont is also closed. Check here for daily lake conditions.