PORT HADLOCK — Toxic blue-green algae levels have worsened at Anderson Lake, but the popular fishing hole will remain open for the time being.
Just don’t drink the water or keep any fish caught, an Anderson Lake State Park official said Friday.
“Right now, we’re doing what the county has recommended,” said park Ranger Jody Mayberry.
“We’re leaving it open for boating and catch-and-release fishing, but their advice is, don’t eat the fish.”
Jefferson County Public Health on Friday issued a health advisory for high levels of potentially toxic blue-green algae in Anderson Lake, which is near Port Hadlock.
“Our recommendations are not to drink the lake’s water,” said Daniel Nidzgorski, county environmental health specialist, adding that people should neither swim in the lake nor eat fish from it.
Gibbs Lake, near Chimacum, and Teal Lake, west of Paradise Bay, continued to have high algae levels as well, Nidzgorski said.
Samples from Anderson, Gibbs and Teal lakes were found to contain more than 100,000 cells of potentially-toxic blue-green algae per milliliter of water.
Gibbs Lake is a county park, while Teal Lake is on state land.
Users are warned not to drink lake water, swim, or consume fish from these lakes.
Moderate blooms of potentially-toxic blue-green algae are present in Lake Leland and Tarboo Lake, both north of Quilcene.
Between 30,000 and 100,000 cells of potentially-toxic blue-green algae per milliliter of water were found ins amples from these lakes.
Those lakes are not safe for drinking water.
Recreational use, however, is OK with some simple cautions: Small children and pets should stay out of the water.
Fish caught for consumption should be cleaned in fresh water, and the organs and skin discarded.
No lakes in Clallam County have been tested or found to bear biotoxins, but county health officials conduct visual monitoring and will respond if residents notice higher levels of algae scum and report it, said Tom Locke, Clallam and Jefferson County health officer.
