QUILCENE – Lake Leland last week showed no toxic levels of blue-green algae, but Jefferson County Environmental Health officials want to conduct one more water lab test before reopening the lake to swimmers.
“Last week shows it was not toxic, the week before it was, so we need one more week,” said Mike McNickle, Jefferson County Environmental Health director.
Lake Leland, north of Quilcene, remains closed to swimming, while Anderson Lake in Port Hadlock is still closed to all public access because of dangerous levels of toxic blue-green algae, Jefferson County Environmental Health officials said Friday after receiving weekly water test results.
Fishing is still allowed in Lake Leland, but all fish caught in the lake should be cleaned thoroughly, McNickle said. Pets should not have contact with the lake.
McNickle said Lake Gibbs, part of a county-owned park in Chimacum, has recently shown a low concentration of blue-green algae growth, but it has not tested to be toxic, and the lake remains open for swimming.
Anderson Lake is another matter, remaining closed for a second spring-summer season after the latest tests showed continued high levels of bacteria.
Algae of the genus aphanizomenon and the toxin microcystin was found two weeks ago in Lake Leland at levels that warrant the health advisory.
Microcystin is a hepatatotoxin that can cause liver damage and gastrointestinal distress through ingestion and a rash known as swimmer’s itch- through skin contact.
The toxins found in Anderson Lake are deadly, however, and were the cause of death for two dogs that drank the water there more than a year ago.
Anderson Lake State Parks officials are still considering whether to reopen parts of the park around the lake and post signs warning against any contact with the lake.
The warning against drinking Leland’s water was the result of several lakeside property owners having surface water rights, allowing it for domestic uses.
Jefferson County Public Health has been monitoring Lake Leland, Gibbs Lake and Anderson Lake closely since April.
The department officials have been collecting and submitting weekly water quality/algae samples from Lake Leland, Anderson Lake and Gibbs Lake to a lab in Tacoma to determine what species of algae are present, in what concentration they are present, and whether the algae are producing toxins.
The department maintains an updated database of lake monitoring information at this Web address: http:/www.jeffersoncountypublichealth.org/index.php?id=171,0,0,1,0,0
