Health New Zealand Te Whatu Ora has issued a health warning after potentially toxic harmful blue-green algae (planktonic cyanobacteria) were found in Lake Hood.

Six shipping containers that have been helping scientists prepare for an algal-control trial in Lake Hood will be removed on 18 December, as the first phase of work comes to an end.

A monitoring buoy is about to be deployed in Lake Hood next week and several rounds of trials of products to mitigate cyanobacteria blooms are planned in the lake this summer.

Council officers are continuing to meet with scientists to understand what drives algal blooms at Lake Hood, as they plan for the coming summer.

Council is keeping a close eye on water in the canals at Lake Hood, as warm weather increases concerns about an algal bloom.

Council is undertaking more physical work at Lake Hood to improve water circulation.

Council has engaged engineering consultants Tonkin and Taylor to help create a future strategy plan for the management of Lake Hood, which has been affected by water quality issues over the past two summers.

The Ashburton Water Zone Committee has recommended that Environment Canterbury agree to fund a biochar trial in Carters Creek to see if phosphorus can be filtered from the water before it empties into Lake Hood.