PRESS RELEASE
issued jointly from the
Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services – Division of Public Health
Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy
Nebraska Game and Parks Commission

Contact

Allan Urlis, Office of Communications, DHHS
  (402) 471-6858 (office); allan.urlis@nebraska.gov
Jerry Kane, Game and Parks Commission, (402) 471-5008
Amanda Woita, Public Information Office, NDEE
  (402) 471-4243; amanda.woita@nebraska.gov
Nathanael Urie, Public Information Office, NDEE
  (402) 471-4245; nathanael.urie@nebraska.gov
For Immediate Release
August 24, 2012

Health Alerts in Effect at Big Indian Creek Lake and Kirkman’s Cove; Alert Ends at Swan Creek Lake #5A


The state has issued a health alert for toxic blue-green algae at Big Indian Creek Lake in Gage County, and a health alert continues to be in effect at Kirkman’s Cove in Richardson County. A health alert has ended at Swan Creek Lake #5A (Willard L. Meyer Recreation Area) in Saline County.

Weekly sampling has been conducted at 49 public lakes in Nebraska since the beginning of May. Samples taken earlier this week at Big Indian Creek Lake and Kirkman’s Cove were above the state’s health alert threshold of 20 parts per billion (ppb) of total microcystin (a toxin released by certain strains of blue-green algae.) Kirkman’s Cove has been on alert since July 27, and this is the first week for an alert at Big Indian Creek Lake. The alerts will continue at the lakes for at least two more weeks, because lakes that are on health alert must have two consecutive weeks of readings below the threshold before the alert is discontinued.

A health alert has ended at Swan Creek Lake #5A, because it has had two consecutive weeks of readings below the alert threshold.

When a health alert is issued, signs are posted to advise the public to use caution, and designated swimming beaches are closed during the alert. Recreational boating and fishing are permitted, but the public is advised to avoid activities that could involve accidental ingestion of water and to avoid full immersion in water. People can still use the public areas for camping, picnics and other outdoor activities.

The lakes will continue to be monitored weekly throughout the 2012 recreational season. Sampling results for toxic algae and bacteria will be updated every Friday and posted on NDEQ’s web site, http://deq.ne.gov/.

(For more information about potential health effects of toxic blue-green algae, what to look for, and steps to avoid exposure, please refer to the Toxic Algae Fact Sheet.)