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Public health officials say they've found a dangerous bacteria in Vancouver Lake in Washington state, KATU reports.
Clark County Public Health says "four of six water samples showed elevated levels of E. coli bacteria." Officials have closed the lake to public swimming and wading, and they issued an advisory for Battle Ground lake.
"We advise against swimming and wading, especially for young children who are more likely to accidentally swallow water. Those who have contact with the water should rinse off after," according to a Facebook post. "People can continue to fish at both lakes but should thoroughly clean and cook fish and wash hands with soap and water."
The announcement has led to the cancellation of the U.S. Rowing Northwest Masters Regional Championship, which was scheduled to take place at Vancouver Lake. Over 1,600 people from across the Pacific Northwest, California, and Canada were expected to attend, according to organizers.
"E. coli kind of came out of left field, canceled the event. This event was going to have a thousand athletes,” Kyle Crebar, the operations manager for the Portland-Vancouver Rowing Association, told reporters. "We definitely see the impacts, see the ripple."
Organizers say rescheduling the three-day event may be unlikely, but they might try again in 2023.