Campus Lake closed Friday because of high levels of toxic algae.

While there have been no reports of dead fish or injured people, the 32nd Annual Doc Spackman Memorial Triathlon on Saturday appears to be the only thing affected by the algae.

Kevin Bame, vice chancellor for administration and finance, said a university employee noticed the water was looking different, and tests were conducted which revealed traces of a toxic blue-green algae in the water.

Bame said warning signs have been posted and everyone should stay out of the water until the university declares the lake safe.

The race, named in honor of former SIU athletic trainer and fitness expert, Robert ‘Doc’ Spackman, has made its transition from spring to fall.

The race features a 350-meter swim, a five-mile bicycle ride and two-mile run. A new “Sprint” race—a 700-meter swim, 10-mile bike, and 4-mile run—was added this year. The swimming legs of reach race were canceled, which turned the triathlon into a duathlon, said Jason Davis, event organizer.

Davis said he heard the news about the lake Friday morning and began contacting more than 50 competitors.

“It really took me by surprise,” Davis said. “We had a practice swim on Tuesday night and the water was just fine.”

Nathan Wells, a 25-year-old graduate student studying environmental policy at the University of Michigan, had the best overall time in the race, finishing in 32 minutes and 31 seconds.

Wells said he has raced two triathlons in Chicago and competed in the Spackman because his friend, David Broughton, was looking to get into the sport.

He said he was relieved the swimming portion of the triathlon was canceled.

“When I woke up this morning and saw what the temperature was, I felt better knowing I wouldn’t have to get in the water,” he said.

The temperature at the start of the race was 43 degrees.

Davis said 15 additional people showed up on Saturday to register and partake in the event.

“Considering the circumstances with the water, temperature and wind, overall everything went really well,” Davis said.

Bame said in a press release issued Friday that the algae causing the closure is the same algae that forced Carbondale administrators to close Evergreen Reservoir and Piles Fork Creek in June.

He said this process occurred naturally because of a long stretch of high temperatures and little rainfall.

The algae will drain the water of oxygen, which could kill the wildlife living in Campus Lake, Bame said. The algae may also cause a rash if it makes contact with human skin.

Bame said the only way to get rid of the algae is for temperatures to drop.

“There’s nothing we can do,” he said. “We just have to let nature run its course.”