2010 Toxic Blue-green Algae
and Bacteria Sampling Results


NDEQ conducts weekly or bi-weekly sampling for toxic blue-green algae and bacteria at a number of public recreational lakes across Nebraska from May through September, and these results are updated weekly. Samples are typically collected on Monday and posted on the web site on Thursday or Friday.

At the top of the table below is a list of all Current Lake(s) on Health Alert for toxic blue-green algae. Lakes that have been placed on Health Alert must subsequently have two consecutive weeks of low readings before the alert is ended. Samples above 20 ppb microcystin are placed on alert.

For more information about health alerts and what to look for, go to
Precautions and Facts Regarding Toxic Algae at Nebraska Lakes.

For more information about the history of toxic algae sampling in Nebraska, go to
Cyanobacteria: The Nebraska Experience

The next category, High E. Coli Bacteria Readings, lists lakes that showed unusually high readings of bacteria in the most recent sampling, which can also be a health concern. Samples above 235 counts/ 100 ml water are considered high.

Click here for more information about bacteria and its potential health effects.

The last category, Other Lakes Sampled, lists the results for lakes which are not under Health Alert for toxic algae, and their most recent sample results for bacteria are considered low.

Click on any lake name on the table below to view a chart of that lake’s sample results for toxic algae (Microcystins) and E.coli bacteria for the 2010 recreational season

Lake NameLake # -- County- Last Updated - Microcystin (ppb) - E.coli Bacteria
Hide details for Current Lake(s) on Health AlertCurrent Lake(s) on Health Alert
Red Willow Lake35Frontier09/30/2010356
Willow Creek Lake45Pierce09/30/20103599
Hide details for High E.coli Bacteria LevelsHigh E.coli Bacteria Levels
Cub Creek Lake # 12A11Jefferson09/30/20100.093873
Kirkman's Cove21Richardson 09/30/20102.34261
Lewis and Clark Reservoir23Knox10/05/20100308
Maskenthine Lake27Stanton09/30/20100.251860
Hide details for Other Lakes SampledOther Lakes Sampled
Bader Park Swimming Lake 1Merrick09/30/20100.042
Big Indian Creek Lake
2GageNo SamplesNo Samples
Bluestem Lake3Lancaster09/30/20100.1528
Box Butte Lake4Dawes09/30/20100.2313
Branched Oak Lake5aLancaster09/30/20102.2167
Branched Oak Lake5bLancaster09/30/20102.0155
Bridgeport Middle Lake6Morril09/30/20100.132
Calamus Lake7Garfield09/02/20100.271
Carter Lake8Douglas09/30/20100.156
Conestoga Lake9Lancaster09/30/20100.132
Cottonwood Lake (Yankton)10Cedar10/05/2010015
Cunningham Lake12Douglas10/05/20100162
Davis Creek Lake13Sherman09/02/201001
Enders Lake at East Beach14Chase09/30/20100.080
Fremont Lake # 1015Dodge09/30/20100.052
Fremont Lake # 2016aDodge09/30/20100.074
Fremont Lake # 2016bDodge09/30/20100.068
Fremont Lake # 917Dodge09/30/20100.090
Harlan Lake18Harlan09/30/20100.536
Holmes Lake19Lancaster09/30/20100.9819
Johnson Lake20Gosper09/30/20100.1415
Lake North22Platte09/30/20100.0613
Lone Star Lake24Fillmore09/30/20100.672
Louisville Lake SRA No. 225Cass09/30/20100.41231
Maloney Lake26Lincoln09/30/20100.057
McConaughy Lake28Keith09/30/20100.222
Medicine Creek Lake29Frontier09/30/20100.184
Merritt Reservoir30Cherry09/30/201012.78199
Minatare Lake31Scotts Bluff09/30/20100.0627
Mormon Island Lake32Hall09/30/20100.089
Oliver Lake33Kimball09/30/20100.063
Pawnee Lake34aLancaster09/30/20102.3238
Pawnee Lake34bLancaster09/02/20101.621
Rockford Lake36Gage09/30/20101.5921
Sherman Lake37Sherman09/02/201002
Sutherland Lake38Lincoln09/30/20100.012
Swan Creek Lake # 5A39Saline09/30/201019.921
Swanson Lake40Hitchcock09/30/20100.070
Two Rivers SRA Lake No. 441Douglas09/30/20100.035
Valentine Mill Pond42Cherry09/30/20100.0445
Victory Lake43Dodge09/30/20100.033
Wagon Train Lake44Lancaster09/30/20100.040
Wirth Brothers Lake46Johnson09/30/20100.14187


The map below shows the locations of the lakes referred to in the table above

Bader Park Lake Big Indian Creek Lake Bluestem Lake Box Butte Lake Branched Oak Lake Bridgeport Middle Lake Calamus Lake Carter Lake Conestoga Lake Cottonwood Lake (Yankton) Cub Creek Lake Cunningham Lake Davis Creek Lake Enders Lake Fremont Lake Harlan Lake Holmes Lake Johnson Lake Kirkman's Cove Lake North Lewis and Clark Reservoir Lone Star Lake Louisville Lake Maloney Lake Maskenthine Lake McConaughy Lake Medicine Creek Lake Merritt Reservoir Minatare Lake Mormon Island Lake Oliver Lake Pawnee Lake Red Willow Lake Rockford Lake Sherman Lake Sutherland Lake Swan Creek Lake # 5A Swanson Lake Two Rivers SRA Lake Valentine Mill Pond Wagon Train Lake Willow Creek Lake Wirth Brothers Lake

The links below will take you to the sampling results taken during the recreational seasons ( May through September) for 2009, 2008 and 2007.

Updated information regarding 2010 toxic blue-green algae and bacteria sampling will be posted on the page staring May 6, 2010

2009 Bacteria and Toxic Algae Monitoring: Weekly Results

2008 Bacteria and Toxic Algae Monitoring: Weekly Results

2007 Bacteria and Toxic Algae Monitoring: Weekly Results



Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality
1200 "N" Street, Suite 400
PO Pox 98922
Lincoln, Nebraska 68509
(402) 471-2186