Anderson Lake open but don't drink water or eat fish
By Jeff Chew, Peninsula Daily News
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Just don't drink the water or keep any fish caught, an Anderson Lake State Park official said Friday.
"Right now, we're doing what the county has recommended," said park Ranger Jody Mayberry.
"We're leaving it open for boating and catch-and-release fishing, but their advice is, don't eat the fish."
Jefferson County Public Health on Friday issued a health advisory for high levels of potentially toxic blue-green algae in Anderson Lake, which is near Port Hadlock.
"Our recommendations are not to drink the lake's water," said Daniel Nidzgorski, county environmental health specialist, adding that people should neither swim in the lake nor eat fish from it.
Gibbs Lake, near Chimacum, and Teal Lake, west of Paradise Bay, continued to have high algae levels as well, Nidzgorski said.
Samples from Anderson, Gibbs and Teal lakes were found to contain more than 100,000 cells of potentially-toxic blue-green algae per milliliter of water.
Gibbs Lake is a county park, while Teal Lake is on state land.
Users are warned not to drink lake water, swim, or consume fish from these lakes.
Moderate blooms of potentially-toxic blue-green algae are present in Lake Leland and Tarboo Lake, both north of Quilcene.
Between 30,000 and 100,000 cells of potentially-toxic blue-green algae per milliliter of water were found ins amples from these lakes.
Those lakes are not safe for drinking water.
Recreational use, however, is OK with some simple cautions: Small children and pets should stay out of the water.
Fish caught for consumption should be cleaned in fresh water, and the organs and skin discarded.
No lakes in Clallam County have been tested or found to bear biotoxins, but county health officials conduct visual monitoring and will respond if residents notice higher levels of algae scum and report it, said Tom Locke, Clallam and Jefferson County health officer.
Visible scum
Anderson, Gibbs, Teal, Leland and Tarboo lakes all have the potential to form dense scums of algae that pose a high risk, county health officials said.
These scums are visible, and can range in appearance from pale cottony masses to green fuzzy blobs to slicks that look like paint spills.
"People should avoid coming in contact with any visible scums," health officials warned in a written statement.
Blue-green algae found in these lakes are known as anabaena, microcystis and aphanizomenon.
The algae have the potential to produce toxins that can cause liver damage or nerve impairment.
Small children and people with liver disease, such as chronic hepatitis, are most at risk from these toxins.
The Jefferson County Public Health Department is monitoring publicly-accessible lakes in the county during the recreational season between April and September.
Anderson Lake, Lake Leland, and Gibbs Lake are being sampled weekly.
Other publicly accessible lakes in the county are sampled when blooms are seen.
The samples are sent to a laboratory in Tacoma to identify the algae species present and determine their concentrations.
Current lake status and more detailed recommendations can be found on the Jefferson County Public Health Web site at www.jeffersoncountypublichealth.org.
Since 2006
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. Not all is toxic. Health officials say they do not know why some algae begins producing 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.
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Jefferson County Editor Jeff Chew can be reached at 360-385-2335 or jeff.chew@peninsuladailynews.com.
Last modified: May 31. 2008 9:00PM