CHIMACUM — Anderson Lake will open for the start of the state lowland lake fishing season on Saturday.
It will be the first time the lake has been open for fishing in nearly two years.
Water quality samples taken April 15 found moderate levels of blue-green algae toxins in the lake near Chimacum and Discover Bay.
The levels fell short of being so dangerous that Jefferson County Public Health and state parks officials would have to close the well-known fishing spot in Anderson Lake State Park near Chimacum.
“I’m pretty excited,” said Mike Zimmerman, who manages Fort Flagler, Mystery Bay and Anderson Lake state parks.
“I know we’ve had to hold off the fisherman for some time. But we feel comfortable enough that were going to open it up until Mother Nature says otherwise.”
Zimmerman said that means the popular trout-fishing lake will be closed to fishing if levels rise again to dangerous toxic levels.
The gate to Anderson Lake State Park will be opened at 5 a.m. Saturday, Zimmerman said.
Yellow caution signs will replace the red closure signs posted last year at Anderson Lake State Park’s entrance and at the boat ramp at the lake.
The yellow signs mean that no one should drink the water, areas of scum should be avoided and pets and small children should stay out of that lake, but that fish can be eaten if they are cleaned well, with the guts discarded.
Samples taken from Anderson Lake last week showed 53,000 cells per milliliter of microcystis, a liver toxin. That was below the 62,000 cells per milliliter measured in mid-March.
Fishing or other recreational lake uses are banned if the toxins count exceeds 100,000 cells per milliliter. Closure of the lake does not affect land-based recreation such as hiking and horseback riding.
Open briefly in 2008
Anderson Lake was last opened in April 2008 for fishing season but was shut down after just three weeks when toxin levels shot up as the weather warmed.
Anderson Lake State Park and Jefferson County Public Health officials elected to keep the lake closed to recreation last April for the opening of fishing season because of a high level of toxins from algae.
The first time the lake was closed because of toxins was in May 2006. Two dogs died after drinking water from Anderson Lake.
The history of Anderson Lake shows that early-, mid-, and late-summer algae blooms are likely, public health officials said.
Jefferson County Public Health will continue to monitor Anderson Lake weekly and will sample any bloom that may occur. Samples are submitted to King County Environmental Labs for testing.
Other lakes
Jefferson County Public Health has been collecting and submitting water quality and algae samples from Lake Leland, Anderson Lake, and Gibbs Lake since 2006.
Gibbs Lake, which is in Chimacum in a county park, has been posted with a yellow caution sign because of toxin levels.
Lake Leland, Tarboo Lake, Crocker Lake, Teal Lake and Sandy Shore Lake were all found to be clear of blue-green algae.
Lake Leland, north of Quilcene, and Gibbs Lake were closed in September after blue-green algae toxin levels soared beyond public safety levels.
The lakes were posted with red “warning” signs, which mean that the lake is closed to recreational use, including fishing and swimming. It means no one should drink the water. Boiling it or treating it will not destroy the toxin.
Public health officials have conducted a year-long study of Anderson Lake, funded by the state Department of Ecology, to find the cause of blue-green algae in Jefferson County and state lakes. Results are expected in May.
Blue-green algae is a common fresh-water scum that can, at times — for reasons researchers don’t understand — begin producing toxins that can damage human and animal livers or neurological systems.
Jefferson County Public Health toxic blue-green algae reports can be found at http://tinyurl.com/yyg7mlb.
The department can be reached at 360-385-9400.
No toxic blue-green algae has been reported in Clallam County, where health officers visually monitor lakes for signs of algae bloom. Blooms can 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.