PORT TOWNSEND — Stay away from Anderson Lake during the Memorial Day holiday.
The toxic blue-green algae threat is the worst it has been this year.
Although Lake Leland is showing some improvement in levels of toxins, it’s still not safe to swim in the water or eat fish caught in it.
Results of water samples from both lakes show the water quality remains the same as it was last week, Neil Harrington, Jefferson County water quality manager, said Friday.
“Leland looked a little bit better this week, but it’s still has an advisory against swimming and eating fish caught in the lake,” he said.
“Anderson is looking even worse. Toxicity results were up a little bit . . . It’s right on schedule.”
Ideal conditions
Sunshine and a lack of wind provide ideal algae blooming conditions this time of year, Harrington explained, a repeat of the lake’s three-year history of toxic algae.
Although the popular trout-fishing lake is closed to use, Anderson Lake State Park remains open to all recreation not involving the lake, including hiking, biking and horseback riding.
Swimming is allowed in the county’s Gibbs Lake, which remains at the “caution” level of warning for those who use the lake for recreation.
“Just don’t drink the water and avoid algae scums,” Harrington stressed.
Anderson Lake, located off Anderson Lake Road about a mile west of Chimacum, was closed because of algae for the first time in June 2006 after two dogs were killed from ingesting the water and one nearly died after having a seizure.
In 2007 and 2008, it was closed because of algae toxins for part of the summer. This year, it was closed on April 24, the day before the trout-fishing season opened — the earliest date in the season that the toxin level has been so high.
Cyanobacteria, or blue-green algae, is present in most bodies of water and usually causes no problems for humans or animals.
But when the right conditions align — the water is calm, relatively warm and overly rich in phosphates, a chemical commonly found in lawn fertilizers — it can bloom into high concentrations.
Blue-green algae toxicity levels flared up in Lake Leland the week before last, forcing county public health officials to downgrade the lake to a warning notice discouraging swimming and consuming fish caught in the lake.
Results from samples taken from Lake Leland show high concentrations of blue green algae and the neurotoxin anatoxin-a.
It is the same toxin found in Anderson Lake, anatoxin-a, and exposure to it can cause convulsions and death by respiratory paralysis.
Lake Leland’s algae bloom is composed of several species of blue-green algae of the genera oscillatoria, aphanizomenon and microcystis.
The county health department is continuing seasonal sampling of recreational lakes for toxic blue green algae.
Anderson Lake continues to have a bloom made up predominately of blue green algae of the genera microcystis and anabaena, which produces anatoxin-a.
Because of the risk of exposure to the toxin and the history of toxic algae blooms in Anderson Lake, Washington State Parks, in consultation with the county health department, is keeping the lake closed.
Since 2006, Jefferson County Public Health has been collecting and submitting water quality/algae samples from Lake Leland, Anderson Lake, Sandy Shore and Gibbs Lake to determine what species and concentrations of algae are present.
Other local lakes are sampled if they appear to be having a blue-green algae bloom.
The county health department also is collecting samples for nutrient analyses and physical data to determine possible causes for the blue-green algae blooms.
The study is funded by a grant from the state Department of Ecology.
The toxins can concentrate in skin and organs, especially the liver.
People with liver problems, such as chronic hepatitis, should exercise additional caution.
Water samples are taken from the lakes on Mondays and tested at King County Environmental Labs.
The results are routinely released to the public on Fridays.
Jefferson County Public Health maintains an updated database of lake monitoring information at www.jeffersoncountypublic health.org.
The department can be reached at 360-385-9400.
Lake samples are not tested in Clallam County, where health officers visually monitor lakes for signs of algae bloom. No cautions or warnings have been issued in Clallam County.
Algae blooms in Clallam County lakes should be reported to Clallam County Department of Health and Human Services environmental health division at 360-417-2258.
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Port Townsend-Jefferson County Editor Jeff Chew can be reached at 360-385-2335 or at jeff.chew@peninsuladailynews.com.
