PORT HADLOCK — Water quality sampling and testing resumes today for toxic blue green algae in Anderson Lake, and health officials expect results to show that the popular trout fishing lake can open on April 25.
The lake in Anderson Lake State Park annually opens for the trout season on the last Saturday in April.
Jefferson County Public Health has secured a $45,000 grant to resume weekly water sampling and testing for algae this season through September, said Neil Harrington, county water quality manager.
The grant also covers water sampling and lab testing for Lake Leland north of Quilcene, Gibbs Lake in Chimacum and Sandy Shore Lake south of state Highway 104 off Sandy Shore Lake Road, according to Harrington.
Test results due
Results of the first tests are expected within a week.
Harrington said he doubts that toxic algae readings from the first samples will be high enough to close the lake.
But historically, levels have risen later in the season, closing the lake, which is between Port Hadlock, Chimacum and Discovery Bay.
Anderson Lake last year opened for the fishing season, but in late May, toxic algae levels soared, and the state park officials posted a red health advisory sign.
Anderson Lake State Park has been closed for the season since Nov. 1, and a health advisory sign remains posted as a precautionary measure at the gate.
Studying blooms
The grant also may help health officials to learn why toxic algae blooms have been found over the last few years in several Jefferson County lakes.
Anderson Lake, Lake Leland and Gibbs Lake have a history of blue-green algae blooms. Other publicly accessible lakes in the county have been sampled when blooms are observed.
With the grant, “We also can do nutrient and lake profiling to try to determine what’s causing these blooms,” Harrington said.
Blue-green algae found in the lakes are from the genera anabaena, microcystis, and aphanizomenon.
The algae can produce anatoxin-a which can cause liver damage or nerve impairment, health officials said.
Small children and adults with liver problems and chronic hepatitis are most at risk from these toxins.
The lakes also have the potential to form dense scums of algae that pose a high risk.
Scums can look like anything from pale cottony masses to green fuzzy blobs to slicks like a paint spill on the lake surface.
People should avoid coming in contact with any visible scums.
Test samples are sent to a laboratory in Tacoma to identify the algal species and determine their concentrations.
Samples will continue to be taken on Mondays weekly, Harrington said.
Tom Locke, public health officer for Clallam and Jefferson counties, was unavailable Tuesday to discuss whether testing would take place in Clallam County lakes.
Locke has said that Clallam County is monitoring lakes only visually and has not received any reports of algae sightings.
Anderson Lake was the first lake in Jefferson County to experience lethal levels of toxic blue-green algae.
Two dogs died from drinking Anderson’s water in spring 2006.
Blue-green algae tends to grow in warm weather but not all is toxic. Health officials say they do not know why some algae produces toxins.
Algae blooms, which occur naturally, are fed by an overload of nutrients such as nitrogen or phosphorous. Possible sources of such nutrients include fertilizer or human or animal waste.
Jefferson County Public Health also will resume updating status and more detailed recommendations on the department’s Web site at www.jeffersoncountypublichealth.org.
________
Port Townsend-Jefferson County Editor Jeff Chew can be reached at 360-385-2335 or at jeff.chew@peninsuladailynews.com.
