Wagga City Council installed signs at Lake Albert on Monday morning advising that people and pets should avoid swimming, drinking or otherwise coming into contact with the lake's water until further notice.

Council environment manager Mark Gardiner said particular caution should be taken wherever there are visible signs of algae, or where the water has a strong smell.

"Blue-green algae can appear as specking, suspended clumps or as algal scums which take the form of green or yellow discoloured slicks on the water surface," Mr Gardiner said.

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Pets are also at risk from the toxins, with dogs especially vulnerable.

Blue-green algal blooms are understood to occur in nutrient-rich water, particularly after weather events such as heat waves and rain.

The last time a blue-green algae alert was issued for Lake Albert was in January 2020.

Council are following Murrumbidgee Regional Algal Contingency Plan protocols and will notify the public as soon as readings are at an acceptable level.

More to come.

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