The state began sampling public recreational lakes in Nebraska on May 1-4 to determine whether they have elevated levels of toxic blue-green algae. This sampling program will be conducted weekly through the 2006 recreational season, which runs from the beginning of May until the end of September.

No health alerts have been issued as a result of the first week of testing. All readings at the 23 lakes sampled this week were below the Health Alert levels established by the state (20 parts per billion of total Microcystins, which are toxins released by certain strains of blue-green algae). Sampling results will be updated every Friday and posted on the Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality’s web site, www.deq.state.ne.us.

When a Health Alert is issued at a public lake, the agency responsible for the lake will close the affected swimming beaches, and post signs to advise the public to use caution. Recreational boating and fishing are permitted in the lakes as long as the public makes sure to avoid situations that could involve ingestion of water. People can still use the public areas for camping, picnics and outdoor activities. (For more information about potential health effects of toxic blue-green algae, what to look for, and steps to avoid exposure, please refer to the attached Fact Sheet.)

Expanded routine sampling

In order to provide early detection at public recreation areas, the state has substantially increased the number of lakes that it will sample every week during the 2006 recreational season.

In 2004, which was the first year that the state conducted sampling for toxic algae, monitoring was targeted primarily in areas that were known or suspected to have toxic algae problems. Since then, NDEQ’s monitoring strategy has shifted to a greater emphasis on routine weekly sampling, in order to develop a more proactive warning system. In 2005, NDEQ began combining the toxic algae sampling with another weekly NDEQ water sampling program, in which NDEQ tests public swimming areas for E. colibacteria. This year, the two programs have been fully merged into one weekly sampling network. Samples will be collected weekly for both bacteria and toxic algae from as many as 35 swimming beaches at 31 lakes. Samples will also be taken twice a month at four other lakes. In addition, DEQ may conduct toxic algae sampling at other public lakes if problems are found in specific areas. A list of lakes to be sampled is included in the attached Fact Sheet. Every Friday, DEQ will post the results that have been compiled for the week on their web site and notify local media and the public of any resulting Health Alerts.

Other monitoring measures

In addition to the weekly sampling, NDEQ has been working with University of Nebraska researchers to conduct some unique aerial monitoring of toxic algae. Using a camera-like sensor mounted to an airplane, the state can measure water properties to help in the early detection of areas where toxic algae problems may be developing. These "fly-overs" will be used in 2006 at Fremont State Lakes. One of the lakes, Fremont Lake #20, has had repeated toxic algae problems in 2004 and 2005, while other lakes in the area have not been affected. The fly-overs will provide the state with more specific data regarding the development and trends of toxic algae at those lakes.

If the public identifies concerns at a public lake that is not part of the weekly monitoring system, they should contact the Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality at (402) 471-2186. If you have a concern about a private lake, you should contact the University of Nebraska Water Quality Extension Program at (402) 472-7783, or (402) 472-8190. Through their Volunteer Monitoring Program, UN-L provides lake test kits that will be sent to interested lake associations, owners and individuals so they can collect a sample and send it to UN-L for analysis