PORT TOWNSEND — Anderson Lake, which has been plagued with biotoxins for years, will not open to fishing Saturday, when the state lowland fishing season begins.
Results of tests of a water sample taken Monday show high levels of the potent nerve toxin anatoxin-a, said Michael Dawson, lead environmental health specialist for the Jefferson County Water Quality Program, in an email.
The toxin level is 28.94 micrograms per liter, which is above the state recreational criteria of 1 microgram per liter.
Anatoxin-a is a fast-acting nerve poison that can kill people and animals within four minutes of ingestion.
The bloom of blue-green algae in the lake, which is near Chimacum, contains the toxin-producing species anabaena.
Washington State Parks has closed the lake for recreation including fishing, boating and swimming, Dawson said.
Visitors are also urged to keep pets out of the water.
The rest of the 410-acre Anderson Lake State Park remains open for hiking, biking and horseback riding.
Although Anderson Lake has closed for portions of every year since monitoring began, this year’s closure is especially early.
The lake, once popular for trout fishing, had been scheduled to open for the beginning of the recreational fishing season Saturday.
Lake Leland and Gibbs Lake have not shown signs of blue-green algae so far this year, Dawson said.
Jefferson County Public Health has monitored lakes in the county for blue-green algae toxins since 2007.
Monday’s Anderson Lake sample was the first tested since October, when high levels of anatoxin-a and microcystin were found in the lake.
The lake was closed for the season last year beginning in May because of toxins.
To check the status of Jefferson County lakes, see http://tinyurl.com/PDN-lakequality.
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Executive Editor Leah Leach can be reached at 360-417-3530 or at lleach@peninsuladailynews.com.
