Bay Area lake closed due to toxic algae

SAN FRANCISCO — Berkeley's Lake Anza is closed due to toxic levels of blue-green algae.

The San Francisco Chronicle reports (http://bit.ly/1UZKVYM) the East Bay Regional Park District announced the closure Thursday. Spokeswoman Carolyn Jones says the lake won't reopen for a couple of weeks at least.

She said cold temperatures and rain are needed to break the lake's low, warm and stagnant conditions.

Microcystin is the class of blue-green algae in Lake Anza that has exceeded the limit that allows people to enter the popular swimming hole. The Environmental Protection Agency is conducting further tests.

Lake Anza joins the park district's Quarry Lakes in Fremont and Oakland's Lake Temescal in closing due to algae blooms.

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Information from: San Francisco Chronicle, http://www.sfgate.com