2012 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 2012 recreational season

Lake NameLake # -- County- Last Updated - Microcystin (ppb) - E.coli Bacteria
Hide details for Other Lakes SampledOther Lakes Sampled
Bader Park Swimming Lake 1Merrick09/27/20120.050
Big Indian Creek Lake 2Gage09/27/20129.872
Bluestem Lake3Lancaster09/27/20126.3053
Box Butte Lake4Dawes09/20/20120.071
Branched Oak Lake5aLancaster09/27/20121.6156
Branched Oak Lake5bLancaster09/27/20122.13219
Bridgeport Middle Lake6Morril09/27/20120.040
Calamus Lake7Garfield09/20/20120.6612
Carter Lake8Douglas09/27/20120.425
Conestoga Lake9Lancaster09/27/20121.9612
Cottonwood Lake (Yankton)10Cedar09/27/20120.13
Cub Creek Lake # 12A11Jefferson09/20/20120.0026
Cunningham Lake12Douglas09/27/20120.17
Davis Creek Lake13Sherman09/20/20120.190
Enders Lake at East Beach14Chase09/27/20120.480
Fremont Lake # 1015Dodge09/27/20120.091
Fremont Lake # 2016aDodge09/27/20120.141.0
Fremont Lake # 2016bDodge09/27/20120.121
Fremont Lake # 917Dodge09/27/20120.290
Harlan Lake18Harlan09/27/20120.1419
Holmes Lake19Lancaster09/27/20120.6573
Iron Horse Trail Lake47Pawnee County09/20/20120.0916
Johnson Lake20Gosper09/27/20120.0982
Kirkman's Cove21Richardson 09/20/20120.471
Lake North22Platte09/27/20120.1235
Lewis and Clark Reservoir23Knox09/27/201208
Lone Star Lake24Fillmore09/27/20124.482
Louisville Lake SRA No. 225Cass09/27/20120.211
Maloney Lake26Lincoln09/27/20120.180
Maple Creek Recreation Area Lake49Colfax09/20/20120.042
Maskenthine Lake27Stanton09/20/20121.8265
McConaughy Lake28Keith09/27/20120.110
Medicine Creek Lake29Frontier09/27/20120.0635
Merritt Reservoir30Cherry09/20/20121.335
Minatare Lake31Scotts Bluff09/27/20120.1411
Mormon Island Lake32Hall09/27/20120.341
Oliver Lake33Kimball09/20/20120.057
Pawnee Lake34aLancaster09/27/20120.1367
Pawnee Lake34bLancaster09/06/20120.113
Red Willow Lake35Frontier09/27/20120.132
Rockford Lake36Gage09/27/20120.990
Sherman Lake37Sherman09/20/20120.0126
Sutherland Lake38Lincoln09/27/20120.170
Swan Creek Lake # 5A39Saline09/27/20124.972
Swanson Lake40Hitchcock09/27/20120.041
Two Rivers SRA Lake No. 441Douglas09/27/20120.0313.4
Valentine Mill Pond42Cherry09/20/20120.0044
Victory Lake43Dodge09/27/20120.043
Wagon Train Lake44Lancaster09/27/20120.001
Willow Creek Lake45Pierce09/20/20120.745
Wirth Brothers Lake46Johnson09/20/20120.0128


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 Iron Horse Trail Lake Ed Zorinsky Lake Maple Creek SRA Lake

The links below will take you to the sampling results taken during the recreational seasons ( May through September) for 2011, 2010, 2009, 2008 and 2007.

Updated information regarding 2012 toxic blue-green algae and bacteria sampling will be posted on the page staring May 10, 2012

2011 Bacteria and Toxic Algae Monitoring: Weekly Results

2010 Bacteria and Toxic Algae Monitoring: Weekly Results

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