The county is warning people to keep their pets out of the greenish pond.
HADDONFIELD -- When you see a pond that is nearly opaque with green-blue algae, your first instinct is probably not to jump in.
County officials are worried your dog might, though.
They've put up signs around the Hopkins Pond warning people to keep their pets out because of the "potentially harmful" algae, called cyanobacteria, according to Philly.com.
Why warning signs are up at Haddonfield's Hopkins Pond https://t.co/GaCf2TjuOv pic.twitter.com/SjFovJjawb
-- Philly Inquirer (@PhillyInquirer) August 30, 2016
Mike Haberland, a county agent for Rutgers Cooperative Extension, told the website that the microbes can cause liver damage if ingested. A dog that swims in the pond is likely to lick its coat clean afterward, he said.
It can cause irritation in human skin, too. Generally, the pond is used more for fishing than swimming, the news site reported.
Are humans causing the recent fish kills?
Haberland is familiar with the algae problem at Hopkins Pond. Six years ago, he installed aerators that have until now kept the bloom at bay, according to Philly.com.
Now, he's taking samples and studying why the algae returned to such a degree, although the heat may be to blame. He told the news site that cyanobacteria like hot, dry weather and shallow, stagnant water that it high in nutrients.
Rebecca Everett may be reached at reverett@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @rebeccajeverett. Find NJ.com on Facebook.