CHIMACUM – State Parks officials will reopen a portion of Anderson Lake State Park while continuing to prohibit contact with the lake itself.
Parts of the park will be opened in about two weeks – but not in time for the Fourth of July.
“Anderson is not going to be a destination this holiday,” said Mike Zimmerman, Anderson Lake State Park manager.
The park was closed two weeks ago because toxic algae was found in the lake.
The toxins still exist in the lake waters, but State Parks officials plan to restrict access only to areas encircling the 70-acre lake by using explicit signs.
Boating, fishing, swimming and other recreational activities near the lake will be prohibited.
The public will be allowed on the 410 acres of trail-laden forested land surrounding the lake.
“It’s a response to those folks who want to pursue recreation activities that don’t involve the lake,” Zimmerman said.
A risk manager at the State Parks headquarters in Olympia determined that keeping the trails and other non-lake areas open was a prudent thing to do, he said.
Signs prohibiting access to the lake will be positioned at the park entrance and abundantly around the lake, Zimmerman said.
The park will remain closed for the next two weeks to allow signs to be created and posted.
Continued access to portions of the park will be contingent on the public’s willingness to follow the guidelines, Zimmerman said.
“We will be prepared to close it back down if we see that folks aren’t adhering to the restrictions because of the dangers that might present.
“But I don’t suspect that will be the case.”
