State says public should avoid Charles River Lower Basin in Boston, Cambridge

The state is warning the public: Don’t touch that dirty water.

The state’s Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) says residents should steer clear of the Charles River Lower Basin, which is the area of the river near the Museum of Science, in Boston and Cambridge because of a cyanobacteria bloom.

The public, according to DCR’s Tuesday advisory, should not contact the water in the basin during the bloom.

Pet owners are also being encouraged to keep their animals away from the shoreline so they don’t ingest any of the river’s water.

The advisory is until “further notice.’’ Officials will continue to test the water in the basin until the cyanobacteria levels are within “acceptable limits,’’ according to DCR’s statement.

Cyanobacteria is blue-green algae, and blooms most often occur in local freshwater in late summer and early fall, according to the state. Toxins from the cyanobacteria can pose health risks for those who come into contact with a bloom, according to DCR.