Although it's outside of the regular Summer monitoring season, toxic algae has been observed in the Te Awa Kairangi/Hutt River, particularly in the reach between Totara Park and Silverstream. Caution is advised to keep dogs and young children out of the water.
Please note that recreational sites are not being regularly monitored as they are in Summer, so we encourage people to be familiar with what toxic algae looks like.
Learn more about toxic algae here, at https://www.lawa.org.nz/learn/factsheets/toxic-algae/.
Toxic algae can make people sick and can be fatal to dogs. These brown or black velvety mats grow on rocks in the riverbeds and come loose and wash up on riverbanks. Dogs love the musty smell and taste of toxic algae, so please keep them on leads away from the water and never let them scavenge at the river’s edge. If you think your dog has swallowed toxic algae, take them to the nearest vet immediately.