Nebraska Alerts for Toxic Blue-Green Algae in Public Lakes

The Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy has issued a health alert for harmful algal blooms, commonly known as toxic blue-green algae, at Iron Horse Trail Lake in Pawnee County and Maskenthine Reservoir in Stanton County. Samples taken earlier in the week at these lakes have shown levels of the toxin microcystin above the threshold of eight parts per billion.

Despite the alert, public areas around the lakes, such as camping and picnic sites, remain open for use. The state’s monitoring is focused on public lakes with swimming beaches and high public activity. To stay updated on the latest alerts and news, you can subscribe to 10/11 NOW’s daily digest and breaking news alerts delivered to your email inbox.

While the alert is in effect, people are advised to avoid exposure to the water and activities that could result in swallowing it. Swimming beaches at the affected lakes are closed during the alert, though recreational boating and fishing are still permitted. It is also recommended to keep pets out of the water and not let them drink from the lake.

Weekly sampling is being conducted at 55 public lake sites since the beginning of May, including Iron Horse Trail Lake and Maskenthine Reservoir. The results of these samples are updated every Friday on NDEE’s website, where you can also find data for other public lakes sampled during this time period.