PORT TOWNSEND — Jefferson County Public Health on Friday upgraded Gibbs Lake’s water-quality safety status to “caution” level — reopening the lake to public recreation — after results from samples taken last week show that concentrations of toxic blue-green algae declined.
“I’m just really quite glad that levels of blue-green algae have dropped to the point that people can swim again at Gibbs Lake,” Neil Harrington, county water quality programs manager, said Friday afternoon after announcing the good news.
Besides swimming, Gibbs Lake in Chimacum is now open for boating and catch-and-release fishing.
Leland still toxic
Lake Leland, north of Quilcene and south of U.S. Highway 101, continues to have a bloom of the genera microcystis and anabaena, which can produce liver and nerve toxins.
Its water quality status remains at the “warning” level, the highest public health risk.
Public Health warns against drinking Leland’s water, not to swim in the lake, avoid visible algal scums and not eat fish from the lake.
Anderson Lake still has a major bloom made up predominately of blue green algae of the genera microcystis, anabaena and lyngbia.
These algae can produce a variety of nerve and liver toxins.
The lake, around which is a state park, is also closed with warning signs. The park remains open.
Two dogs that drank water out of Anderson Lake water died in 2006.
“The folks that sampled Anderson [last week] said it looked worse than it ever has,” Harrington said, likening the algal bloom to a thick carpet just below the lake’s surface.
“It’s just kind of scary.”
Lakes in clear
Sandy Shore, Tarboo and Crocker lakes remain clear of blue-green algae and are safe for public recreational use.
Public health staff take water nutrient samples from a boat in the middle of the lake and blue-green algae water samples from the lake’s shoreline, Harrington said.
Because of the risk of exposure to toxins and the history of toxic algae blooms in Anderson Lake, State Parks, in consultation with Public Health, will keep the lake closed to recreation.
Regular samples
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 of algae are present and at what concentration they are present since 2006.
Other local lakes are sampled if they appear to be undergoing a blue-green algae bloom.
Public Health is also collecting samples for nutrient analyses and physical data to determine possible causes for these blue-green algae blooms, a stud funded by a state Department of Ecology grant.
Jefferson County Public Health maintains an updated database of lake monitoring information at http://tinyurl.com/jeffco lakes.
No testing is conducted in Clallam County lakes.
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Port Townsend-Jefferson County Editor Jeff Chew can be reached at 360-385-2335 or at jeff.chew@peninsuladailynews.com.
