FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 17, 2004

Contact
Brian McManus (NDEQ) (402) 471-4223
Marla Augustine (HHS) (402) 471-4047
Jim Carney, Game and Parks Commission, (402) 471-5547

Several Lakes Added to Health Alert Due to High Toxins
Lake McConaughy, Merritt Reservoir, Maskenthine, Kirkman’s Cove Added to List

Lincoln – Portions of Lake McConaughy, the northeast portion of Merritt Reservoir near Valentine, and the entire lakes at Maskenthine Reservoir near Stanton and Kirkman’s Cove near Humboldt have been added to the list of water bodies that are under a Health Alert for toxic blue-green algae. Alerts also continue for Pawnee Lake near Emerald, Swan Creek Reservoir 5A near Tobias, Iron Horse Trail near DuBois, Wedgewood Lake in Lincoln, and Carter Lake. (Carter Lake, located north of downtown Omaha, is partially in Nebraska and Iowa, and officials from both states have issued a joint alert.)

The Health Alert applies to specific regions of Lake McConaughy and Merritt Reservoir. At Merritt Reservoir, samples taken at the northeast corner of the lake were above the health alert threshold (15 parts per billion of the toxin Microcystin). At Lake McConaughy, samples at Lemoyne Bay, Seagull Beach and Martins Bay were above the threshold. Full-body contact activities, including swimming, water skiing, jet skiing, sailboarding and tubing, are prohibited at those portions of Merritt and McConaughy, as well as the entire water bodies at the seven other lakes listed above.

Recreational boating and fishing are permitted in those areas, as long as the public makes sure to avoid situations that could possibly involve the ingestion of water. People can still use the areas for camping, picnics, and other outdoor activities.

State officials say it is likely that these naturally occurring toxins are going to continue to be a concern in numerous locations well into the fall. Although this may pose less of a health threat when the swimming season ends, the state reminds the public to be cautious not to let their children and pets come in contact at locations where health alerts are in effect, or at locations where a large algae bloom is evident.

In particular, Nebraska Game and Parks officials are advising hunters to take caution with their hunting dogs at any lakes or ponds that appear to have a significant algae problem. Blue-green algae’s appearance can be a neon green, pea green, blue-green or reddish brown color, and there may be a scum, foam or a thick mat on the water surface. It can have the thick consistency of paint or motor oil.

Samples will be collected again at all of the affected lakes on Monday, September 20, and the analysis of these samples should be available on Friday, September 24. Weekly sampling results will continue to be posted on DEQ’s web site every Friday, through the fall.

NOTE: Fact sheets and updates are available at DEQ’s web site: www.deq.state.ne.us and at HHS’s web site: www.hhs.state.ne.us/new/0504nr/AlgaeFactSheet.pdf