Anderson Lake will be reopened for fishing and boating on Saturday.
The decision to reopen the lake, which was closed June 10 because of algae-produced toxins, was made today after a samples of the lake tested below the warning threshold for three consecutive weeks.
“We’re going to reopen it as of tomorrow morning and keep it open until we get another bad sample,” Jon Crimmins, the state parks ranger who made the decision to reopen the lake, said today.
Levels of both antatoxin-a, a powerful nerve toxin that can cause convulsions and death by respiratory paralysis, and microcystin, which can cause liver damage, were found to be far below the warning threshold in the last three weekly tests.
The closure sign at Anderson Lake will come down and be replaced by a caution sign, said Greg Thomason, Jefferson County environmental health specialist, who recommended the lake be re-opened.
The sign is posted because the 70-acre lake, which is within the 410-acre Anderson Lake State Park between Chimacum and Port Hadlock, still has a bloom of algae.
Lake users still should be cautious around the water,” Crimmins said.
“Swimming is probably not a good idea,” he said.
The algae species in the lake are among those known to sometimes produce toxins, and so the level of poisons in the lake could change at any time.
Test results are always about a week behind the fact, since the samples are taken from the lake at the boat dock on Mondays and results are received from King County Environmental labs on Fridays.
The park around the lake has never been closed to use.
Each non-exempt visitor must have a Discover Pass to visit both the state park and the lake, Crimmins noted.
If purchased at a manned state park office or kiosk, the annual Discover Pass costs $30 per vehicle and daily passes are $10.
The passes are $35 and $11.50 at www.discoverpass.wa.gov, by phone at 866-320-9933 or at outlets that also sell hunting and fishing licenses. A list of exemptions also can be found at the website.
Failure to display a Discover Pass on a vehicle can lead to a fine of $99.
Levels of toxins also have been falling at other lakes in East Jefferson County, all of which test well below the warning threshold of 1 microgram per liter for anatoxin-a and 6 micrograms per liter for microcystin.
Leland, Gibbs and Silent lakes all are posted with caution signs only because of algae blooms.
________
Managing Editor/News Leah Leach can be reached at 360-417-3531 or leah.leach@peninsuladailynews.com.
