PORT TOWNSEND — Anderson Lake is closed again, after having been reopened for fishing and other recreation less than a week ago.
The lake in Anderson Lake State Park was closed to all recreation today, after preliminary results of lake water tests found that anatoxin-a, a quick-acting nerve poison, had climbed to nearly five times the safety threshold.
“The lake is closed,” said Lori Bond, office assistant at Anderson Lake State Park, this morning.
She was speaking for Mike Zimmerman, the State Parks ranger who is the park manager for the Fort Flagler area and who oversees Anderson Lake State Park.
“We will continue to monitor it,” Bond said.
The park around the lake, which is between Chimacum and Port Townsend, remains open to recreation. Only the lake is closed.
The lake was closed on the recommendation of Jefferson County Public Health, which collects samples for the weekly tests for level of toxins created by blue-green algae.
The preliminary test of a sample taken Monday was released today with the finding of level of anatoxin-a at 4.9 micrograms per liter, said Greg Thomason, Jefferson County environmental health specialist.
The safety threshold for anatoxin-a is 1 microgram per liter.
The lake has been open for recreation only a couple of weeks this season.
It was opened the last Saturday in April for the start of the statewide lowland fishing season, but was closed May 3 because of elevated toxin levels.
It was reopened last Friday after two consecutive weekly tests showed the level of toxin to be below the safety threshold.
The lake was closed today on the basis of preliminary results .
Final results will be received Friday, Thomason said.
“The final results are almost always identical to the preliminary results,” he said.
“But even if they are off a little bit, it’s still well above the warning level of 1 microgram per liter.”
A Discover Pass is required to park in a state park such as Anderson Lake State Park. Daily passes can be purchased at the park for $10.
The $30 annual pass is available online at www.discoverpass.wa.gov/, at major state park offices and places that also sell fishing licenses.
